CA1159976A - Low cost user reprogrammable communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

LOW COST USER REPROGRAMMABLE
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
ABSTRACT
The present invention relates to the field of multi-channel communication networks, and particularly to mechanically reprogrammable local distribution of multiple incoming lines to multiple terminals. The prior art includes patchcord systems having a central distribution panel and one or more remote or "satellite" distribution panels perma-nently wired to the central panel, requiring rearrangement of patchcords at more than one loca-tion. The present invention provides reduced cost and complexity as compared to the prior art by permitting use of a single main distribution panel which terminates 211 incoming lines and to which all terminal connections are routed. Channel identifiers and first connector means are provided on the distribution panel and separately identified cables having second connector means which is directly matable with any of the first connector means are routed from each terminal location to the panel so that any cable can be connected to any incoming line.

Description

LO~? COST USER REPROGRAMI~BLE
.. . _ _ . . _ _ . .. . _ _ COl~iMUNICATION ~YSTEI~i BACKGROU~lD OF T~E PRIOP~ ART
The present invention is directed generally to a manually reprogrammable multi-channel communication network linking a plurality of different information terminal locations within an office building or the like. ~lore particularly, the invention relates to a mechanically reprogrammable telephone system for providing telephone service to a multiple telephone service area. The invention is most advantageously employed in an intrabuilding environment where a large number of individual telephone instruments or handsets are located thro~gh_ out a given service area.
In recent years, the telephone industry has made great strides in reducing the costs of telephone equipment and the expenses attendant to its installation and maintenance. An area of parti-cular concern has been the need to reduce the labor costs in rearranging or "reprogramming" the numerous telephone numbers to different locations within a given service area. Accordingly, modularized systems have been developed which minimize field wiring and simplify the procedures employed in installing or reprogramming the telephone system. One example of a prior art system intended to address these problems is that disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,869,582 owned by All~tate Insurance Company. The telephone system described in the Allstate patent generally includes a central distribution panel and one or more remote or "satellite" distribution panels which are permanently wired to the central distribution panel.
Patchcords are used with both the central and satellite panels to enable physical rearrangement or relocation of the telephone numbers to different part~ of the service area. While the Allstate system is an improvement over earlier installations and has met with some success, it is still relatively ~r~

li~i9~76 expensive, requiring multiple distribution panels, and often requires rearrangement of patchcords at more than one location, which complicates the reproyramming procedure and increases the attendant reconnection costs, as well.
Other electronic systems have been developed for electronic reprogramming of telephone systems but these require specific equipment to electronically "enter" the system as well as a trained operator skilled in working with computer software.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a novel telephone or other communication system used to provide service to a multi-channel communication network.
Because of its unique assemblage of components, the system is extremely low cost and mechanically reprogrammable by a simple manual technique easily completed on-site by the customer. And these advantages are attained while maintaining the ability to relocate communication channels throughout the service area.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a low cost, user reprogrammable telephone system for providing telephone service to a multi-phone service area comprising switching apparatus interfacing with incoming telephone trunk lines; a plurality of multi-conductor station cables each individually associated with a given station within the service area a plurality of receptacle means directly wired to the switching apparatus, each receptacle means identifiable 3~ with a given telephone number of the trunk lines; and means for manually and mechanically reprogramming the system comprising only one manually removable and replaceable connection between each of the station cables and the switching apparatus, each connection comprising a connector terminating one of the station cables and directly removably and replaceably mateable with any of the plurality or receptacle means, whereby the association between individual station locations and ., ~1~99'7~;
-2a-individual telephone numbers may be readily changed.
Generally, the communication system includes a main distribution panel which terminates the information transmission lines incoming to the network, each of the individual communication channels of the incoming lines being coupled to and identified with first termination means or first connector members on the distribution panel; a plurality of information transmission cables each routed from the distribution panel to discrete physical locations or "stations" within the service area; and a plurality of second termination means or second connector members, each terminating a respective information transmission cable and being interchangeably connectable with any of the first termination means.
Each information transmission cable is identifiable at the distribution panel with its respective station and is physically disposed to permit connection with any of the first termination means. Accordingly, the 1~59~76 individual terminal stations may be connected to individual communication channels by simply making the appropriate interconnections at a single distribution panel.
In accord with a preferred embodiment of the invention a telephone system is provided which includes a switching means interfacing with the in-coming telephone trunk lines, a plurality of recep-tacle means electrically coupled to the switching means; 2 plurality o~ station cables each routed from the general vicinity of the switching means to a receptive discrete physical location or "station"
within the service area; and a plurality of connec-tors each terminating one of the station cables and matable with any one of the receptacle means. Thus, in order to reprogram the system to associate a given telephone number with a new or different location, the sole operation required is the unmating of the specific connector from its initial receptacle means and remating with the appropriate receptacle means.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is the provision of a low cost, customer reprogrammable telephone system for multi-phone service areas.
Another aspect of the invention is the provision of field terminable connectoxs and tele-phone jack~ for terminating the proximate and distal ends of the station cable used in the system.
Still another aspect of the invention is the provision of a telephone system including an automatic, electronic switching means with a one location distribution panel integrated as a built-in component.
A further aspect of the invention is the provision o a mechanically-reprogrammable telephone system having a connectorized distribution panel including first and second connector members posi-tioned at single locus to expedite sexvicing of the system.

11~9976 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING~
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, S together with further aspects and attendant advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of the telephone system of the present invention;
FIGURE 2 is a partial schematic illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGURE 1 FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view showing a typical multi-receptacle distribution panel which may be used with the present invention FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating an individual receptacle means of FIGURE
3 with a complimentary connectorized station cable and FIGURE S is front elevational view showing another distribution panel useful with the present invention and providing further versatility to the telephone system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIO~ OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, the telephone system of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 1 to comprise a switching means 10, a plurality of first termination means for example receptacle means 12, a plurality of information transmission cables 14 and a like plurality of second termination means, for example connectors 16. Although the system is illustrated schematically, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the system will be used within one or more buildings or other structure that defines the area to be serviced by the system.
The service area includes a number of discrete phys-ical locations or "stations" 18 which may accomodate one or more telephone instruments such as the "` 11~99'~i conventional handsets 20.
The switchincJ means 10 inter~aces with information transmission lines, such as the tele-phone company's incoming trunk lines 22 which carry the individual telephone circuits, each represented by a gvven number. Of course, each trunk line 22 can carry many individual telephone circuits, and each of these is hard-wired or otherwise electrically coupled to the switching means 10 and ultimately connected to one of the first termination means, or example the receptacle means 12. A wide variety of equipment is available and well-known in the art ~or use as the switching means 10. For example, private branch exchange equipment (PBX), both automatic (PABX) and computerized branch exchange e~uipment (CBX) are available in the market, and any of these well-known apparatus would be suitable for use with the present invention. In addition, a telephone company centrex switching apparatus may be used in which case the switching means 10 would be located at the telephone company central office outside the specific service area.
The receptacle means 12 may be individual connector members as shown schematically in FIGURE 1, but a variety of different well-known assemblies such as circuit concentration bays or other modularized termination devices may also be used. FIGURE 3 illustrates one assemblage of the receptacle means 12 and is conventionally known as a distribution panel or frame. The individual receptacle means 12 axe mounted to the frame 13, preferrably in parallel horizontal rows as shown, and each includes a connector member l5 adapted to mate with an individual connector member 17 of the station cable connectors 16. In FIGURE 3 the receptacle means 12 are shown to be relatively large in comparison to the frame 13, but this is for puxposes of illustration only and those skilled in the art will recognize that a conventional panel 13 is typically 19 to 23 inches in length and about ~ inches wide and may carry up to about 200 individual receptacle means 12.
The receptacle means 12 in whatever specific structural form employed, are marked or otherwise identifiable with a gïven telephone number commonly known as telephone extension number. For example, the individual connector receptacles shown in the panel 13 of FIGURE 3 are marked with indicia of tne individual telephone extension numbers 1-3 and 97-99.
These numbers, of course, represent individual telephone cir-cuits which are in fact the output circuits of the switchingmeans 10.
The receptacle means 12 are preferably incorporated as an integral component of the switching means as illustrated schematically in FIGURE 1, For example, the panel 13 illus-trated in FIGURE 3 may be built into the cabinet or housing of the switching equipment. However, the preseDt invention also contemplates the alternative embodiment shown in FIGURE

2 where the receptacle means 12 are mounted in a common frame or housing 13 and mounted adjacent the switching means 10.
The receptacles and frame sub-assembly are then permanently connected, i.e. "hard-wired", or joined by connectorized con-ductors to the switching means as shown schematically at 15 in FIGURE 2.
The information transmission cables 14 may be station cables, and conductors carrying the telephone and other auxiliary function signals to the specific stations within the service area Conventional station cable today comprises typically 1-4 pairs or 2-8 individual conductors, depending upon the specific switching means and telephone instrument equipment employed. The station cables are routed from the general vicinity of the switching means 10 to the individual stations 18, and each bears some indicia such as .~

il599~;

label ~yz adjacent its proximate end at the switching means 1~ identifiable with the specific station 18, Most preferably, the station cables are permanently installed within the structure enclosing the service area, such as the walls, floors and ceilings of conventional buildings or the portable wall structures finding increasing useage in open office space.
In addition, cable with 50, 100 or more pair wires, commonly referred to as "house cable" can also be employed to connect switch 10 to remote service areas via receptacle 12 and con-nector 16. In such cases the wire pairs of the house cable at the remote side are hardwired or permanently attached to the individual station cables and routed to the individual telephone instrument 20.
The station cables 14 are terminated at their proxi-mate end by a suitable second termination means, preferably a field terminable connector 16. Connectors having solderless, insulation-piercing termination means are most ideally suited to the present invention, and a variety of such connectors are well known to those skilled in the art.
FIGURE 4 shows an enlarged receptacle means 12 and a connector 16 which terminates a given station cable 14.
Although FIGURES 3 and 4 show 6-conductor station cable, this is again only illustrative, and the present invention contem-plat~s the use of the other well known station cable varieties.
Of course, the individual station cable conductors 14' are mechanically and elec~rically terminated to the connector members 17 which in turn mate with the connector members 15 of the re~eptacle means 12.
At each of the stations 18, the station cable may be terminated to a telephone connection jack 24 which is mounted on the building structure and adapted to receive the plug leading from the telephoDe instrument 20. Again, any of 115~76 a ~ariety of well-known field termil~able connection jacks may be employed.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention requires a minimum of hardware and can be installed in a given service area simply by installing the switching equipment, routing and terminating the station cables and mating the individual connectors with the appropri-ate receptacles. One unique aspect of the invention is that a portion of the system, the distribution panel and switching means, may be prewired to further minimize installation costs.
In addition, the system may be reprogrammed on-site by simply rearranging the connectors of the various first and second connector members. This is very simply accomplished since both the station cables and receptacles identify the specific stations and telephone numbers, respectively. Finally, all of the reprogramming is completed at a single location, either at the switching equipment 10 itself or at the mounting panel 13 for the receptacle means 12.
FIGURE 5 illustrates an alternative distribution panel 13' which includes the receptacle means 12 as described above and, in addition, multiplier receptacles 12l, each of which is joined or bussed to the other multiplier receptacle means. By joining the receptacle means 12~ to ODe of the primary receptacle means 12 by a patchc~rd 19, a plurality of stations can t-hen be associated with a single telephone number. As shown, the receptacle means 12 identified by telephone number 01 has been joined to the multiplier recep-~acle means, and different station cables can be connected to the 01 number via the still vacant remaining multiplier re-ceptacle means.

Of course, it should be understood that variouschanges and modifications to the preferred embodiments described ~15997~

herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages, It is, therefore, intended that such changes and modi--8a-11599~i g fications be covered by the following claims.

Claims (9)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1, A low cost, user reprogrammable telephone system for providing telephone service to a multi-phone service area comprising :
switching apparatus interfacing with incoming tele-phone trunk lines;
a plurality of multi-conductor station cables each individually associated with a given station within said service area;
a plurality of receptacle means directly wired to said switching apparatus, each receptacle means identifiable with a given telephone number of said trunk lines; and means for manually and mechanically reprogramming said system comprising only one manually removable and re-placeable connection between each of said station cables and said switching apparatus, each said connection comprising a connector terminating one of said station cables and directly removably and replaceably mateable with any of said plurality or receptacle means, whereby the association between individual station locations and individual telephone numbers may be readily changed,

2. The telephone system of claim 1 wherein said connectors include means for field terminating said station cables by a solderless, insulation-piercing termination,

3. The telephone system of claim 1 wherein said switching apparatus comprises automatic switching equipment,

4. The telephone system of claim 3 wherein said receptacle means are mounted on a common frame adjacent said automatic switching equipment,

5. The telephone system of claim 3 wherein said receptacle means are incorporated as an integral component of said automatic switching equipment.

6. The telephone system of claim 1 wherein each of said station cables bears indicia identifiable with a given station within said service area and is permanently installed in the structure defining said service area.

7. The telephone system of claim 1 wherein said receptacle means are assembled at a common location.

8. A low cost, user reprogrammable telephone sys-tem for providing telephone service to a multi-phone service area comprising:
switching apparatus interfacing with telephone trunk lines;
a plurality of multi-conductor station cables each individually associated and identified with a given station within said service area;
a plurality of receptacle means electrically coupled to said switching apparatus, each receptacle means identified with a given telephone number of said trunk lines;
and means effective to manually and mechanically reprogram said system comprising only one manually removable and replaceable connection between each of said station cables and said switching means, each said connection comprising a connector terminating one of said station cables and directly removably and replaceably mateable with any of said plurality of receptacle means;
whereby said receptacle means and said connec-tors together comprise the sole connectorized junction of said system required to permit change of the association be-tween individual stations and individual telephone numbers.

9. A low cost, user reprogrammable telephone sys-tem for providing telephone service to a multi-phone service area comprising:

switching apparatus interfacing with incoming telephone trunk lines;
a plurality of multi-conductor station cables each individually associated and identified with a given station within said service area;
a plurality of first connector members each identified with a given telephone number of said trunk lines;
and a plurality of second connector members each directly terminating one of said station cables and directly mateable with any of said first connector members; and means identifying each said second connector member with a given station, whereby the association between individual station locations and individual telephone numbers may be readily changed.