US2316238A - Telecommunication system - Google Patents

Description

' April 13, 1943. 5 HM... E' 2,316,238

TELECOMMUNIGATION SYSTEM Filed Dec. 20, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Fig; I.

bwentars April '13, 19 3- L. B. HAIGH ETAL 2,316,238

TELECOMMUNICATION SYS TEM Filed Dec. 29, 1958 e Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.1

Invent-ans Apri 1943- B. HAIGH ETAL 2,316,238

TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM Filed Dec. 20, 1958 G Sheets-Sheet 3 Muentors 43/94/611 7 v x. KOZMA Attorney Apri v 3, 3- 1.. B. HAIGH ETAL 2,316,233

TELECCMMUNICATION SYSTEM Filed Dec. 20, 193:; I 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig fln.

/n ventors eff Attorney Ap 1943- L. B. HAIGH ETAL 2,316,238

' TELECOMMUNIQATION SYSTEM Filed Dec. 20, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 v B-4PM [/7 l/eptors April 13, 1943. BQHAIGH ETAL 2,316,238

TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM lI/[arneu Patented Apr. 13, 1943 TELECOMIVIUNICATION SYSTEM Leslie Baines Haigh and Ladislas Kozma, Antwerp, Belgium,

assignors to International Standard Electric Corporation, New York,

Application December 20, 1938, Serial No. 246,796

In Belgium December 24, 1937 6 Claims. (01. 179-41) This invention relates to telecommunication e-xchange systems and more particularly to means for determining the charge to be made for a connection.

call. On Figs. 1 and 1A are shown only the connections numbered I to 5, which are mentioned in the following description. I

The connecting circuit contains two marker The object of the invention is to enableJthe switches. The, first one, T, receives a series of complete charge for a connection on a time and impulses from the toll translator circuit, which zone basis to be automatically calculated in mone whilst controlling th selection, determines the tary values. tarifi to be applied tothe connection in known The invention will be clearly understood from manner. This indication of the tariff is mainthe following description of one embodiment l0tained by '1 during conversation. The other thereof shown in the accompanying drawings in marker, M, registers the duration of the connecwhich: tion by advancing one step for each converse Figs. 1 and 1A when placed side by side show tional time unit, for example, one minute. the tariff and time recording circuit associated The charge fixing circuit is called for when the with a printing register arranged to print the callconnection is released. Once attached, it takes ing and called parties numbers, the charge for over the tariff indicationand determines from thecall, and possibly the basic tariff, time of day, the position of the marker M of the connecting date and any other required data relating to a circuit the duration of the conversation. By connection; means of these two indications, a translatorfinder Figs. 2, 2A, 3 and 3A show the calculating ciris placed in the corresponding position, in which cuit which is arranged to calculate the charge for is indicated the total charge to be paid by the a connection from the tariif and time records in subscriber. This charge is sent in the form of the recording circuit, Fig. l, and transmit the monetary figures to the p register, and charge to the printing register where it is rewhen this has been done, both the connecting and corded. charge fixing circuits release.

In reading the drawings, Fig. 1A should, be Both circuits under consideration havebeen placed on the right of Fig. 1. Fig.2 should be based on the present Belgian tarifl law, which is placed above Fig. 2A, Fig. 2A above Fig. 3 and as follows:

First 3 min. Second 3 minutes Following minutes Distance 4th min. 5th min. .fith min.

in Km. i

Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night Day Night 10-20 0. 80 0.80 0.80 per-3min. Perseus. 20-30- 1.20 1.20 1.20 perBmin. Do. -40- 2.00 2.00 2.00 per3min. Do. -50 3.60 2.50 3.50 fr. perBmin. (day) Do. I

2.50 fr. per 3 min. (night) Fig. 3 above Fig. 3A. Figs. 2 and 2A should-be placed on the right of Fig. 1A. y,

The purpose of these two circuits is first to determine the charge for a telephone communication from two factors, which are the unit tariif and the conversation time, and then to send this charge, in the form of digits representing the monetary value, to the printing register, in which a ticket already shows other particulars of the connection.

General operation The printing register connecting circuit is permanently associated with a printing register,

which is partially shown at the left hand side of Circuit description During selection, the digits of the called subscribers number are sent from the junction cir cuit over wire 1 to the digit printer (not shown) contained in printing register PR, and each time a. complete digit is. sent in, a printing indication is passed to the printing register Via, wire 2, which causes the recorded digit to be printed and DP to be returned to normal. When selection is completed, the calling subscribers number and, it required, the fundamental tariff i. e. the charge per time-unit of conversation, are printed in the normal way. The tariff is also recorded via wire 5 on switch T which takes up one of eight tariff po sitions.

The conversation time measurementmust have an accuracy of two seconds, and must be started. at the moment the called subscriber answers.

The answer of the subscriber is signalled by the operation of relay S from the junction circuit over Wire 4. S connects. ground toa. contact TSC which may be called the two-seconds contact, which is a contact on a common relay energised every two seconds from a clock contact. The two.- second impulses are reduced by a set of three relays A, B. and C to-impulses of six seconds. The first earth pulse. via s2, 2 second contact, bl, cI, A operates relay A, which looks via right hand winding of B, ceI, s2. Relay B operates. 'The second pulse via. 2 second contacts, b-I left hand windings of B and C. C operates and locks via its right hand winding, 02, winding of A, 03, al, 82. B- releases, its right hand winding being short circuited. The third pulse via b l cI, short circuits A, which releases, and holds C via cI, c2. Earth is. now connectedvia a2, 04, until C releases at the end of the third pulse.

Since the identification of the calling subscriber takes place after selection, the called subscriber will normally answer before identification is completed. Therefore, the digit printer DP is not available for; counting, the first minute. Arrangements have therefore been made to count the first minute by the minute marker MM. The earth pulses via. 002,04 pass via M to magnet MM.

At; the. first step of MM, relay E operates via s4,

ma and locks via e3. When after one minute, MM reaches the tenth terminal, relay N operates via mc and locks via n2, e4. Via 03 back and n4 closed,.MM is drivento terminal I, at which relay 0 operates via n3, m0, and locks via n3, 03. At the next six-second impulse, MM makes one step (MM; 05, a3, dpa) and. DP starts to advance by the G-second impulses, DPM, nI, 04, a!

The step taken by MM is to. register the, second minute now being counted by DP. The next nine pulses step DP only. On, arriving onv contact I0 after one minute 54' seconds of conversation, DP' automatically homes; :DPM and its interrupter dpa.

The next pulse, the first of the third minute,

steps MM and DP as before. The third minute is their registered on MM' which steps to position 3. DP- counts each minute in turn and MM records each minute at its commencement. On reaching its last contacts, MM has recorded twenty-one minutes.

Atthe beginning of the. twenty-second minute, MM steps. to normal in which position T operates via: oI,.winding of S, s5, ma, and locks via t2, e4. A circuit is also completed for MM via its interrupter 1L4, 041,..93', mo, and M steps to position [I to record the twenty-second. minute. The energize.- tion of T records that Mhas made a complete revolution.

Forty-two minutes is the maximum length of call allowed and whenM reaches its. last contacts a second time at. the. beginning. of the forty second minute, earth via 'mc, t3. energises R. At the For the eight different tariifs,

end of the minute earth via dpa, a3, 05, TI is connected to the breakdown lead BDL.

When the subscriber hangs up, or breakdown occurs, relay S is released, and test potential is connected via 02, $6, e2 to the arc of the connecting finders CF of the charge fixing circuits, Figs. 2, 2A, 3 and 3A, and at the same time their starting relays Fs, St are energised.

If the subscriber releases during the first minute, N operates via sI, c4, and M is driven to position I, corresponding to one minute conversation over MM and interrupter, 124 and 03. In position I, O operates and opens the drive of M.

It may be mentioned that the first six seconds conversation time is free of charge, since E has not been energised, and if the subscriber releases before this time. has elapsed, the connecting circuit releases immediately and no sum is printed on the ticket MM and interrupter e I, s5, ma. The charge fixing circuit is called for only if relay Er is already operated.

The connecting finder CF of the charge fixing circuit is stopped by the operation of the test relay'Ft; earth fa, one, do, ha, ga, Ft, cfg, lead 9, Fig. 1A, e2, s6, 02, test potential. After successiul double test, Dt and Ch energise. in known manner. Relay Js energises via e013, 0115, m3, db and in turn operates Bd via ed2, ssZ, p'nl, cnfi, fa. The interrupter DI is now connected to relay Is. Relay Bd can only operate during the opening period of DI, and thus Is always receives full impulses. Relay Bd locks Via edZ, bd3. The impulses of Is are sent simultaneously to switch magnet MM, Fig. 1A via ml), Fig. 1A lead (1, cfd, Fig. 2A, isI and to I-IM of the charge fixing circuit via tiZ, tr3, 2s2. When switch MM, Fig. 1A arrives at its normal position, relay Ti operates via tr2, cn3, cfc, lead 0, Fig. 1A, ta. off normal, ma to earth. The impulses are now sent to the magnets TM and GM, respectively. These impulses stop when TM reaches its normal position, at which moment Ti releases. In this way, switch H, Fig. 2 is set to a position which is complementary to that of M, Figs. 1 and 1A and G, Fig. 2A is similarly set to that of T, Fig. 1A.

When Ti operated, it energised Th, Via til, dtI. Th, locks in series with Tr when Ti releases after the setting of G. Tr causes the rotation of the 100-point translator finder TF. The are of TF is subdivided into sectors, each corresponding to onev tarifi unit. For the Belgian tariff scheme, 8 positions on TM, and therefore 8 sectors on TF, are required (0.80, 1.20, 2.00, 2.50, 3.50, 4.00, 5.00, 6.00 in). Five of these tariffs are charged in three-minute units, and therefore TF must have 14 positions for maximum 42 minutes conversation time. These 14 positions are arranged in two levels of 7 positions each, whereby the chang ing-over from the first level to the second is effected by relay Sh, which operates if relay T in the connecting circuit has been energised, i. e. if the conversation time is more than 21 minutes; Sh, oya, lead a, Fig. 1A, tI Fig. 1. For the last three tariifs, one position is reserved for each minute, which means 21 positions in two levels. therefore, 5 7+3 21, or 98 positions on TF are required.

Switch G records th tariff of which there are eight variants. Eight contacts of Wiper are therefore respectively multiplied to groups of seven and twenty-one contacts in the bank tfa according as the, tariff is to be charged on, a three-minute basis or a minute basis. Wiper tja is connected to wiper tjh, the individual contacts of the seven-contact groups in bank tfb are.

contacts in bank hb of the time-recording switch H. In a similar way, the individual contacts of the twenty-one contact groups in bank tfb are cross-connected to individual contacts in bank he of the time-recording switch.

The magnet TFM of switch TF is energized via tt2 back, to4 operated. TF is stopped by the operation of Tt via gb, hb or hc according to the type of tariff, tfb, tya, gc, earth. The set position of TF is therefore individual to the particular combination of tarifi and call duration recorded on G and H. I

When relay Ti released and Tr'operated, Isstill continued to send impulses via isl, z'fd, lead d, Fig. 1, mb and tb both in normal position to DPM. Contacts tr3 have disconnected contacts isZ from magnets HM, GM. These impulses have to. reset DP to its normal position. When this' is reached, relay Pn operates via trl, cfb, lead b, Fig. 1A, dpa, Fig. 1. Contacts p113 release Js which releases Bd, and the impulses stop; The marker DM leaves its normal position and stops on terminal L, DM, and its interrupter, pn3, db.

When the translator finder is set (Tt operated) and the digit printer is in normal (Pn operated), relay Ss operates via ttl,"pn2, and the sending of the figures of the total charge" can b started. l 1

Earth via s35, ed3, energizes Js, which closes the operating circuit of Ed; battery :is2, Bd, ed2, ssZ, 11ml, 011.5, fa, earth. At the firstopeningof the interrupter, Bd operates and Is starts to produce dial impulses. These are sent simulta neously to the digit printer and to the control marker switch F.

As the maximum charge for 42 minutes conversation is 84.00 fr., four figures haveto be pro duced, of which the last is always 0. The first figure is replaced by a dash if the sum'to be paid is less than francs. In addition, the francs and centimes are separated by a dash, which is produced in the third positionof DM, Thus five printing indications are sent to the printer in positions I, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The contacts of bank fb are cross-connected according to the digits of the charge to bemade to the different contacts in banks tic-47h.

. Wipers and banks t rc tfdije determine three digital values for each of ninety-eight difierent charges, and iii, tf t fh for each or another ninety-eight charges.

When impulses corresponding to the first digit have been sent to DPM Fig. 1 via isl, and from is2 via tr3 operated, ss4 operated, bdZ operated, relay Ed is energized via $3 I, fb, tfc or t1? according as Sh is not or is operated, contact I and wiper db to earth. Ed releases Ed and Js and Ed in turn disconnects DI from Is so that impulsing ceases.

Pn was of course released when DP, Fig. 1, stepped off-normal. Contacts edl operate DM. Earth via ed5, trZ, cn3, cfc, lead 0, Fig. 1A, ta, operates printer magnet PM to print the digit recorded by DP, and automatically to home the digit recorder DP.

Switch F is horned; FM, bdZ. interrupter of FM, fa, earth. Ed is released at fb and switch DM steps to position 2.

If the charge was less than ten francs, Ed would have operated immediately Ss energized; Ed, ssl, fb in normal position, tfc or tfi, shl, db.

The printer would have received a printing impulse in normal position and would have 41th i minals in accordance with the duration of the printed a dash. Release of Ed allows Js' to reoperate via ed3, ss5, and 13d then energises via edZ, ss2, pnl, cn6, fa. Impulsing recommences via z'sl to DPM, Fig. 1, and via isZ, tr3, ssl, bd! to FM.

When F is set to the value of the units digit of the charge, Ed reoperates via fb, tfd or tfg,

sh2, contact 2 and wiper db.

Again the digit set up on DP isprinted and DP is homed. In addition F is horned as before and D is stepped to position 3. A dash is then printed due to direct cross-connection between the normal contact of II) and contact 3'0f db. D is stepped to position 4 and the third digit, the first decimal digit, is then set up on DP under control of Us or tfh and printed.

The fourth digit is transmitted in thesame way but under control of the direct marking connection between contact 0 of I?) and contact 5 of db since in this embodiment the second 1 decimal figure is always 0.

Switch D is now stepped to position 6, and earth via db, tM, cfe and lead e, Fig. 1A, short circuits relay E which releases, followed by T, Fig. 1A as well as by N, O, R, Fig. l, and by Ft, Dt, Cn, Tr, Th, Ss. F homes; FM, bdZ, interrupter, fa. D now homes; DM, interrupter, do, 0116, fa. H then homes; HM, interrupter, ha, da, fa; and lastly G homes; GM, interrupter, ga, ha, dd, fa, and all the circuits are back at normal.

What is claimed is:

1. Fee determining equipment for telecommunication exchange systems comprising a number of :tarifi-recording terminals, switching means responsive to the establishment of a telecommunication connection for making contact with one of said tariff-recording terminals in accordance with the tariff schedule applicable to such telecommunication connection, a number of duration-recording terminals, switching means responsive to the continuance of an established telecommunication connection for making contact with one of said duration-recording tertelecommunication connection, said fee determining equipment comprising a large number of groups of terminals each such group of terminals representing a difierent combination of tariff schedule and call duration, means for making contact with one of said groups of terminals under the joint control of said tariff-recording and call-duration contacts, means for indicating a series of separate digits representing the several digits of the total fee for a telecommunication connection and connections from one individual contact of said group of contacts for controlling the indication by said means of one of said digits and connections from another individual contact of said group of contacts for controlling the indication thereby of another of said digits.

2. Fee determining equipment as claimed in claim 1, including a switching mechanism containing a plurality of rows of terminals and wiper brushes for simultaneously passing over said rows of terminals so as to at any time make contact with one terminal in each of said rows; and wherein one of said rows of terminals comprises said tarifi-recording terminals, another of said rows of terminals comprises said durationrecording terminals, and a number of other rows of terminals comprise said large number of groups of terminals, each such group of terminals having one terminal in each row of said number of rows.

3. Fee determining equipment according to claim 1, wherein said groups of terminals include for a first tariff schedule a certain number of groups corresponding to call durations difiering by time steps of a certain fineness and for a second tariiT schedule a larger number of groups of terminals corresponding to call durations differing by time steps of greater fineness, and wherein said duration-recording terminals include a first set of duration-recording terminals containing a certain number of electrically separate terminals corresponding to call durations differing by time steps of said certain fineness and a second larger set of duration recording terminals corresponding to call durations differing by time steps of said greater fineness, whereby calls made under said first and second tariff schedules are charged for on different time bases.

4, Fee determining equipment as claimed in claim 1, including a switching mechanism containinga plurality of rows of terminals and Wiper brushes for simultaneously passing over said rows of terminals so as to at any time make contact with one terminal in each of said rows; wherein one of said rows of terminals comprises said tariff-recording terminals, another of said rows of terminals comprises said duration-recording terminals, and a number of other rows of terminals comprise said large number of groups of terminals, each such group of terminals having one terminal in each row of said number of rows; and wherein said means for making contact with one of said groups of terminals under the joint control of said tariff-recording and call-duration contacts comprises connections for establishing a marking circuit through that one of said duration-recording terminals and that one of said tariff-recording terminals which are passed over by said Wiper brushes simultaneously with each other and with the terminals of said one of said groups.

5. In a telecommunication exchange system of the type comprising a number of tariff recording terminals, switching means responsive to the establishment of a telecommunication connection for making contact with one of said tariffrecording terminals in accordance with the tariff schedule applicable to such telecommunication connection, a number of duration-recording terminals, switching means responsive to the continuance of an established telecommunication connection for making contact with one of said duration-recording terminals in accordance with the duration of the telecommunication connection, a calculating device comprising a large number of groups of terminals each such group of terminals representing a difierent combination of tariff schedule and call duration, including means for making contact with one of said groups of terminals under the joint control of said tariIT-recording and call-duration contacts, means for indicating a series of separate digits representing the several digits of the total fee for a telecommunication connection, and connections from one individual contact of said group of contacts for controlling the indication by said means of one of said digits and connections from another individual contact of said group of contacts for controlling the indication thereby of another of said digits.

6. A telecommunication exchange system com-' prising a number of tariff-recording terminals, switching means responsive to the establishment of a telecommunication connection for making contact with one of said tariff-recording terminals in accordance with the tariff schedule applicable to such telecommunication connection, a number of duration-recording terminals, switching means responsive to the continuance of an established telecommunication connection for making contact with one of said durationrecording terminals in accordance with the duration of the telecommunication connection, characterized by the provision of a calculating device comprising a large number of groups of terminals each such group of terminals representing a difierent combination of tarifi schedule and call duration, means for making contact with one of said groups of terminals under the joint control of said tariff-recording and callduration contacts, means for indicating a series of separate digits representing the several digits of the total fee for a telecommunication connection, and. connections from one individual contact of said group of contacts for controlling the indication by said means of one of said digits and connections from another individual contact of said group of contacts for controlling the indication thereby of another of said digits.

LESLIE BAINES HAIGH. LADISLAS KOZMA.

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