US3492571A - Apparatus for testing an electrical circuit for opens,shorts and cross connections with its terminal groups being sequentially connected to the apparatus - Google Patents

Description

D. A. DEsLER Jan. 27, 1970i APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS SHORTS AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED TO THE APPARATUS Filed DSC. 2, 1965 l5 Sheets-Sheet 1 D. A. DEsLER 3,492,571 APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS SHORTS Jan. 27, 1970 AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL y GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED TO THE APPARATUS Jan. 27, 1970 Filed Dec. 2, 1965 D. A. DESLER APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS SHORTS AND CROSS CONNECTIONS wITII ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED T0 THE APPARATUS 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 l I GROLIJP I I PLUG OO|PLUG OI (so TERMSMSO TERMS) l GROUP 7 I PLUG I2, PLUG I3 l GROUP I3 PLUG 24 I PLUG 2S GROUP I9 I PLUG 36 IPLUG 37 GROUP 2S PLUG 48 PLUG 49 PLUG 04|l PLUG O5 I PLUG IO PLUG I7 I I PLUGZBI PLUG 29 I I l I 1 GROUP 2 GROUPS GROUP I4 GROUP 2O GROUP 26 I PLUGOZIPLUG O3 PLUG I4|PLUG I5 PLUG ESIPLUG 27 PLUG38IPLUG 39 PLUG 50 PLUGSI (SOTERMS)I(5OTERMS) I l I N I l I I GROUP 3 GROUP 9 GROUP I5 G ROU'P 2| GROUP 27 PLUG 52 PLUG53 GROU'P Io GROUP 5 PLUG O8: PLUG O9 I I I PLUG 20| PLUG 2| I PLUG32|PLUG 33 I I PLUG 44T PLUG 45 I GROUP 4 I GROUP I6 GROUP 22 GROUP 2a I L PLUG oeIPLUG o7 PLUG ISIPLUG I9 PLUG3O|PLUG 3| PLUG 42|PLUG43 PLUG S4 PLUG'SS I `I I GROUP II GROUP I7 GROUP 23 GROUP 29 PLUG 56 PLUG 57 I GROUP 6 GROUP I2 GROUP IS GROUP 24 GROUP 3o I I PLUG Io| PLUG II PLUG 22IPLUG23 PLUG34I PLUG 3S PLUG 46||PLUG 47 PLUG'SB PLUGSQ T l I (5p TERMS) (so TERMS) Tj P59) 7) F/G. 4 ZZ O0 05 l0 I5 20 25 30 35 40 45 |00 O5 IO I5 20 25 30 35 40 45 III. IIIIIIIII II I I .2z-I F/G 5 TEST GIROUP I TEST PLUG I TEST PLUG TEST ISHORTI OPEN UUAORANT w I QUAORANT x o TERMINALS So TERMINALS TENS TENS TENS I Q/Tf UN'TS IPI? ,2L/VITE? I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII TERMINAL 9595@ O4 09 I4 I9 24 29 34 3944 49|O4 O9 I4 I9 242934 39 4449 00 O5 I0 I5 20 25 30 3.5 40 45OO O5 IO I5 2O 25 30 35 4Q 45 2/72/5 IIIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIII PLUGSD Q Q Z/P 2//275 2/Po TEST GIROUP I1 /1 2m 2m I z/Puo TEST PLUG Il TEST PLUG fZZ'E QUAORANT Y QUAORANT z 5o TERMINALS I 5o TERMINALS I I I IIIIIIIII III II O4 09 I4 I9 24 29 34 39 44 49IO4 09 I4 I9 24 29 34 39 44 49 D. A. DESLER AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED TO THE APPARATUS Filed Dec. 2, 1965 S HORTS 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 320/ 27 START CONTROL 48 m .4o-:MF I

ma I I Zac-2 FJH/32 3K v vl-Q T F r I 'T'- I I 346-/ I 32C'2I \\I g 33 l 2 9 L v TEC? I`\ L Jl "I TO I j' l Y MEMORY l I .I 33o/XII( 3302 35 I I l I A I I I I L TO CoUNTERs I 32C-5 II IBCQLQ 38.0/ 'mii 34., I I I I 32 4 I I I |///C2 I I C. A l I I II 41 I `TO REAOOUT L I I I I I E I v CONTROL I I I T I I I CIRCUIT FROM REAOOUT I I I coNTRoLGRouP Ik l l Com-ROLLER I I I I 3c, f i*-\ I 4a `I I I I2 PULsE GENERATOR! I l I l I I I :i I I To 44 I :E I sTEIPING I 46 I CIRCUIT I I f Il I Y +|.s 55 1: I

I. L I

- 32C-5 I 43 32C-6 I I I I To ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS 326-7/ I II FROM I GROUP L CONTR.

I 48 I FROM ,//07 I) ERROR .A Inn I DETECT N "Y" nu GATES ""L +I.5 I I L DELAY CIRCUIT l D. A. DESLER Jam 27, 1970 -APPARATUS vFOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS SHORTS AND ACROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED TO THE APPARATUS 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 mmh. WZME.

Mmm wZmC.

NME

51.22 ozmw um w Jan. 27, 1970 D. A. DESLER APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS, SHORTS AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED Filed Dec. 2, 1965 TEST GROUP I CONTROL COUNTER TO THE APPARATUS COUNT TRANSFER cNTRon.

13 Sheets-Sheet 6 TO PULSE GATE COUNT DELAY GENERATOR l COUNT- TRANSFER GATES "TEST GROJPR CONTROL COUNTER FROM TENS BINARY COUNTER Jan. 27, 1970 D. A. DESLER 3,492,571

APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS, SHORTS AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED TO THE APPARATUS Filed Dec. 2, 1965 13 Sheets-Sheet '7 Jan. 27, 1970 n. A. DEsLER 3,492,571

APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS, SHCRTS AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED TO THE APPARATUS Filed Dec. 2, 1965 l5 Sheets-Sheet 8 w o NWMNAI AIAWIIJm/Q D. A. DEsLER 3,492,571

ECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS SHORTS APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN EL AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTI-ALLY CONNECTED .T0 THE APPARATUS Jan. 27, 1970 APPARATUS ECR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ECR oPENs, sIIoETs AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL -CaouPs BEING SEQUENTIAIILY CONNECTED DA. DESLER TO THE APPARATUS Filed Deo. 2, 1965 -15 Sheets-Sheet 10 -48V /436/ CHECK I 5 IC3 E II.

C I "I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII l l M2( I 5IN/43 /3/{23 l :g 3 /35/ 4/436-2; faz/7E I I f 3 IIAVWV /B/f 42] KLE) v.

3; f I /3/c/ f: /33/ I I c /322 l I l -l m I /32-/@37I\ -/5'5Q I `2 9 L vAvAvAvAvA :yrs-Wc /32'3 I I E; fc I I /32-/02 /33- I I I w27;1L L w y I /52-3 I /32-4 VIVII'I'IVII ,Te LQ v I /334 I. `I EE AI/ I F/G. //C /33-3 VV" 5g fe I /554;1

F/G. //A

RELAY |32- UNT I 2 3 4 o o o o `o I I I I I TUo 2 o I I- I TTo 3 I o I I TUS 4 o o I I TTs 5 I o TUT e o I o I TTT 7 I o o I Puo a o o o I PTo 9 I I I o PUs Io o I I o P Ts @34a/TC II I o I o PUT /I RLS l2 o o I o PTT /54 /fac/` I3 I I o o RLS IDLE I? I 2 2 II w 'DLE 0. ,6 o o 0 F/G. /D To CHECK 0 CIRCUIT (FICI IA) D. A. DEsLER 3,492,571 APPARATUS FOR TESTING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS, SHORTS AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING' SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED TO THE APPARATUS nu?, 1965v 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 mkm.

Jan'. 197k)` Filecll Deo.

11 7 5,5 2M 9m aus 3 y S m PM OND O RC FEW T H N USO CTCS RRIYU :awww LLIAR s WIA Ew TP DISNM RNE .TOUE ACIQH ETET L C S. DE E O NGT N w m ACW ms IDQN H RU ECM TWG W A F s U T A R A P P A Jan. 27, 1970 Filed Dec. 2; 1965 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 Nvvm MUSE zumo ZmaO

LQX

Filed Dec. 2, 1965 F/G. /4A

TO THE APPARATUS D. A. DESLER /56 -ZZ-BO APPARATUS FOR TESTI-NG AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR OPENS SHORTS AND CROSS CONNECTIONS WITH ITS TERMINAL GROUPS BEING SEQUENTIALLY CONNECTED O v x 1:5 sheets-sheet 15 gef/P00 United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 324--73 13 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE In apparatus for testing an electrical circuit for continuity, shorts and cross connections, terminals of the circuit are tested in groups, with the terminal groups being sequentially connected to the apparatus in pairs. In testing a pair of the terminal groups, a separate signal is applied to each of the terminals thereof in succession and their other terminals are monitored to detect an error in the electrical circuit. Detection of an error interrupts the testing operation and energizes circuitry for indicating the terminals involved and the nature of the defect.

This invention relates to apparatus for testing electrical circuitry, and more particularly to apparatus for testing electrical circuitry which is relatively extensive and complex in nature. It is an object of this invention to provide new and improved apparatus of this character.

In the manufacture of electrical circuitry having a plurality of terminals which are interconnected by electrical conductors, such as a connector plug type cable used in a telephone PBX (private branch exchange), it is standard practice to test the cable for continuity, including shorted, open and cross-connected terminals. Any wiring errors are corrected as they are found, before incorporating the cable into the PBX.

Cable testing apparatus is known in which a signal is applied sequentially to each terminal of a cable and at the same time is applied to a corresponding terminal of a reference or control circuit, by means including electromechanical stepping switches. While the signals are being applied to each cable terminal and its corresponding reference circuit terminal, the signal outputs at the other cable terminals are compared with the signal outputs at their corresponding reference circuit terminals in sequence, by means of additional electromechanical stepping switches and associated circuitry, to detect any wiring errors in the cable.

The above described apparatus has various disadvantages and is not suited for testing the cables of more recently developed PBX devices, the `wiring of which cables is relatively extensive and complex in nature. For example, as a result of the cable and reference terminals being compared in sequence, and the relatively slow operating times of the electromechanical switches, the apparatus has a relatively slow testing rate. By way of illustration, the minimum time which would be required to test a standard cable having three thousand interconnected terminals utilizing test apparatus of this type, assuming that no errors Were found in the cable, would be on the order of several hours. In addition, the test apparatus would have to be of such size and complexity as to make its use impractical.

In another known cable testing apparatus, which is tape programmed, input signals are applied sequentially to terminals of a cable and the apparatus checks for an output signal only at those terminals at which an output signal should appear. While this apparatus provides a Patented Jan. 27, 1970 lCC reduction in cable test time as compared to the abovedescribed type of apparatus, it is of limited capacity, and where the wiring of the cable being tested is relatively extensive in nature, considerable manual connecting and disconnecting of terminals to and from the apparatus is involved, such that the cable test time still is on the order of one hour or more. Further, if this apparatus were made of sucient size so as to eliminate this manual connecting and disconnecting of the terminals, it would be of such size and complexity as to make its use impractical. This type of apparatus also is disadvantageous because it primarily tests the cable for continuity, and may not detect an error in which a terminal, While properly wired to one or more other terminals, also is shorted to another terminal.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus which is particularly suited for the testing of electrical circuitry which is relatively extensive and complex in nature.

Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for testing electrical circuitry which is relatively fast operating as compared to prior known apparatus.

A further object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for testing electrical circuitry which is relatively small in size in comparison to prior known apparatus having a corresponding testing capacity.

A still further object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for testing electrical circuitry in which manual connecting and disconnecting of terminals of the circuitry to and from the apparatus, other than at the beginning and end of a test operation, is eliminated.

A still further object of this invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for testing electrical circuitry having sets of terminals which are interconnected by electrical conductors, wherein the apparatus determines the terminals involved in an error in the electrical circuitry, including the set of terminals 'in which each of the involved terminals is located.

In accordance with the invention, in apparatus for testing an electrical circuit having a plurality of terminals which are interconnected by electrical conductors, a signal is applied sequentially to each of the terminals and at the same time a signal is applied to a corresponding terminal of a control circuit, so that the signals feed into the electrical and control circuits. An error in the electrical circuit then is detected by simultaneously comparing the signal outputs at the other terminals with the signal outputs at their corresponding reference terminals.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, apparatus for testing an electrical circuit having sets of terminals which are interconnected by electrical conductors includes rst control means for sequentially connecting groups of the terminals and corresponding groups of terminals of a reference circuit to the apparatus as first electrical circuit and reference circuit and reference circuit test groups, respectively. When each of the electrical circuit terminal groups and its corresponding reference circuit terminal group are connected to the apparatus as the iirst test groups, a second control means sequentially connects selected ones of the other electrical circuit and reference circuit terminal groups to the apparatus as second test groups, the second control means being connected to energize the rst control means after the selected other terminal groups have been connected to the apparatus, so that the rst control means connects the next succeeding pair of terminal groups to the apparatus as the first test groups. While each of the two pairs of electrical circuit and reference circuit terminal groups are connected to the apparatus, a signal is sequentially applied to each of the electrical circuit terminals, and at the same time a signal is applied to the corresponding reference circuit terminal, so that the signals feed into the electrical circuit and the reference circuit, respectively. The electrical circuit then is checked by comparing the signal output at each of the other terminals of the two electrical circuit terminal groups, with the signal out put at the corresponding reference circuit terminal, to detect any disparity in the signal outputs of the corresponding terminals as a result of an error. When an error is detected the apparatus determines whether the error is caused lby shorted, open or cross-connected terminals, and also determines the terminals involved in the error, including the set of terminals in which each terminal is located.

This invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the relative relationship of FIGS. 2A and 2B;

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 21B is a block diagram of the remainder of the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a PBX cable;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of cable connecting terminals of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 2A, which illustrates the manner in which terminals of the PBX cable represented in FIG. 3 are connected to the apparatus as test groups for test purposes;

FIG. 5 shows a read-out display of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a detailed circuit diagram of parts of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2A, including a start control circuit, a pulse generator, a pulse gate and an associated delay circuit;

FIG. 7 is a detailed circuit diagram of a stepping circuit and a send matrix of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 8A is a detailed circuit diagram of a part of a group controller circuit of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 8B is a detailed circuit diagram of another part of the group controller circuit;

FIG. 9 is a detailed circuit diagram of error detect circuitry of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2A, illustrating the manner in which a Wiring error in the cable represented in FIG. 3 is detected, and also showing a digit grouping circuit of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2B;

FIG. 10 is a detailed circuit diagram of a digit information collecting circuit and one of a plurality of information transfer circuits of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2B;

FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11E are detailed circuit diagrams of parts of a read-out cycle control circuit of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2B;

FIGS. 11C and 11D show a diagram and a chart, respectively, illustrating an operating cycle for the part of the read-out cycle control circuit shown in FIG. 11A;

FIG. 12 is a detailed circuit diagram of a memory circuit and associated information steering contacts of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2B;

FIG. 12 is a detailed circuit diagram of a cable test plug quadrant detector and a cable plug number pretranslator of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2B, and

FIGS. 14A, B and C are detailed circuit diagrams illustrating a cable plug translator of the apparatus as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2B.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention is designed to test a PBX cable for continuity, including shorted, open and cross-connected terminals. More specifically, the apparatus is designed to test a PBX cable C, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which includes Sixty terminal plugs P-00 through P-59, each having lifty terminals T for a total of three thousand terminals. Each of the terminals T, which in the illustrated embodiment of the invention are assigned the numbers 00 through 49, as shown in FIG. 4, is wired to one or more selected other terminals by suitable conductor wires. The cable C is connected into a PBX apparatus by plugging the cable plugs Pe00 through P-59 to respective fixed plugs of the apparatus, and the cable is connected to the subject test apparatus by inserting the plugs into suitable receptacles (not shown) having terminals Which are connectible to the test apparatus in a manner to be described.

In the event of an error in the cable C, the apparatus indicates the number of the plug P-00 through P-59 and the number of the terminal T-00` through T-49 under test, that is, the input terminal, when the error is found and whether the error is a short, an open wire or a cross connection. If the error is a short, the apparatus also indicates the number of the plug P-00 through Pe59 and the number of the terminal T-00 through T-49 to which the test terminal is shorted, or if the fault is an open wire, the number of the plug and the number of the terminal to which the test terminal should be connected. For this purpose, the apparatus includes a read out 21 in the form of a nixie lamp display, as illustrated in FIG. 5, which indicates the tens digit and the units digit for the test plug number P-00 through P-59, the tens and the units digits for the test terminal T-00 through T-49, etc., for a total of twelve digits or pieces of information which are provided by the apparatus. A reading on the read-out display 21 of both a shorted terminal T00 through T-49 and an open terminal, is an indicated that a cross connection exists in the cable C.

With respect to the cable terminals T-00 through T-49 and the cable plugs P-tl() through P-S9, various abbreviations -used on the drawings, as for example in FIG. 5 for read-out lamps ZITUT, 21TUS, etc., of the read-out 21, and in the following description are defined as follows: TUT designates Terminal Units Test, that is, the units digit of the terminal under test (input terminal) when an error is found; TUS designates Terminal Units Short, the units digit of a terminal to which the test terminal is shorted; TUO designates Terminal Units Open, the units digit of a terminal to which the test terminal should be connected but is not, and with respect to which the test terminal thus is open; PUT designates Plug Units Test, the units digit of the plug in which the input terminal is located; PUS designates Plug Units Short, the units digit of a plug having a shorted terminal; and PUO designates Plug Units Open, the units digit of a plug having an open terminal. Similarly, TIT designates Terminal Tens (digit) Test; TTS designates Terminal Tens Short; TTO designates Terminal Tens Open; PTT designates Plug Tens Test; PTS designates Plug Tens Short, and PTO designates Plug Tens Open.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention operates upon the principle of comparing the cable C under test with a control reference circuit, hereinafter referred to as the program P (FIG. 2A), which is wired in the manner that the cable should be wired. Preferably, the program P is made up of removable circuit boards in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, to facilitate changing of the program for the testing of other cables or electrical wiring.

The three thousand terminals T of the cable C are connected to the apparatus for test purposes in groups, rather than simultaneously, so as to reduce the size of the apparatus required. Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, as is shown in FIG. 3, the cable C is divided into thirty terminal groups C1-C30 with each group including two of the plugs P-00 through P-59, or one hundred of the terminals T.

Two of the terminal groups C1-C30 (four plugs or two hundred terminals) are connected to the apparatus at any one time through two hundred cable connecting terminals 22 (FIGS. 2A, 4 and 9). More specifically, referring to FIG. 4, it is seen that the two hundred cable connecting terminals 22 are divided into two groups of one hundred terminals each, one of the groups being designated as test group I or 22-1 and the other group of terminals being designated as test group II or 22-II. Each of the test groups 22-I and 22-II further is divided into two sets of fifty terminals, with the resulting sets being designated as test plug quadrants W, X, Y and Z, and with the terminals of each quadrant having assigned numbers 00 through 49.

Each of the cable terminal groups C1-C30 is connectible to the one hundred cable connecting terminals 22-1 and to the one hundred cable connecting terminals 22-II. When one of the cable terminal groups C1-C30 is connected to the cable connecting terminals 22-I, the terminals T of one cable plug of the group are connected to respective ones of the cable connecting terminals in test plug quadrant W, and the terminals of the other plug of the group are connected to respective ones of the cable connecting terminals in test plug quadrant X. Similarly, when the same cable terminal group is connected to the cable connecting terminals 22-II, the terminals T of the groups plugs are connected to respective ones of the cable connecting terminals of test plug quadrants Y and Z, respectively. Thus, the test plug quadrants W, X, Y and Z of the cable connecting terminals 22 are representative of respective ones of the four of the cable plugs P-00 through P-59 which are connected to the testing portion of the apparatus at any one time.

The program P also is divided into thirty plug terminal groups P1-P30, as indicated in FIG. 2A, which are identical to the cable terminal groups C1-C30 shown in FIG. 3. When two of the cable terminal groups C1-C30 are connected to the apparatus for test purposes, the two corresponding ones of the program terminal groups P1-P30 also are connected to the apparatus as described in the preceding paragraph, through two hundred program connecting terminals 23, which are divided into test groups I and II in the same manner as the connecting terminals 22 shown in FIG. 4. The connection of the cable terminal groups C1-C30 and their corresponding program terminal groups P1-P30 to the apparatus in pairs is accomplished sequentially by a terminal group controller 24 (FIGS. 2A and 8), which subsequently is described in greater detail.

START CONTROL CIRCUIT (FIGS. 2A and 6) Referring to FIGS. 2A and 6, it is seen that a start control circuit 26 is provided for initiating operation of the apparatus. After the cable plugs P-00 through P-59 0f the cable C have been inserted into the above-mentioned receptacles, a start button 27 is depressed to energize a start relay 28 from a suitable voltage source of a power supply 29, the voltage source in the illustrated embodiment of the invention being shown in FIG. 6 as having a magnitude of -48 v. The start relay 28 closes a contact 2SC-1 to energize a hold relay 31 which locks operated and closes a contact 31C to condition a lock-out relay 32 for operation.

When the start button 27 is released, the start relay 28 is deenergized to release a contact 2SC-2 to its normally closed position to cause energization of the conditioned lock-out relay 32. The lock-out relay 32 then opens a contact 32C-1 in the energizing circuit of the start relay 28 to prevent energization of the start relay during the test operation as a result of inadvertent pressing of the start button 27. The lock-out relay 32 also cl-oses a contact 32C-2 to energize a delay relay 33; a contact 32C-3 to condition a test relay 34 for operation; a contact 32C-4 to condition read-out control circuitry (subsequently to be described) for operation; contacts 32C-5 and 32C-'6 to apply battery to electronic circuits (subsequently to be described) from suitable voltage sources of the power supply 29, the voltage sources in the illustrated embodiment of the invention being shown in FIG. 6 as having magnitudes of -12 v. and -il.5 v., respectively; and a gate closing Contact 32C-7 in a pulse gate 36.

The delay relay 33 opens a contact 33C-1 to remove battery from a memory 37 (FIG. 2B), to restore the memory to a neutral condition and to cause it to forget any previously stored information. The delay relay 33 also closes a contact 33C-2 to energize a counter zero set relay 38, and closes a gate closing contact 33C-3 in the pulse gate 36.

The counter zero set relay 38 closes a contact 38C-1 to cause a voltage pulse to be fed from the -48 v. voltage source of the power supply 29 to reset inputs of al1 electronic counters of the apparatus, to reset their out puts to a zero state. The zero set relay 38 also closes a contact 38C-2 to cause energization of the conditioned test relay 34, which locks operated. In addition the zero set relay 38 closes a gate closing contact 38C-3 inthe pulse gate 36.

The energized test relay 34 opens a contact 34C-1 to deenergize the delay relay 33, and also opens a gate closing contact 34C-2 in the pulse gate 36. The deenergized delay relay 33 then releases the contact 33C-1 to its normally closed position to restore power to the memory 37, releases the contact 33C-2 to its normally open position to deenergize the counter zero set relay 38, and releases the gate closing contact 33C-3 in the pulse gate 36. When the counter zero set relay 38 is deenergized it releases the normally open counter reset contact 38C-1 and the normally open test relay energizing contact 38C- 2. The relay 38 also releases the normally open contact SSC-3 in the pulse gate 36, thereby opening the gate and permitting pulses to flow from a pulse generator 39 through the gate t0 a stepping circuit 41 (FIG. 2A).

VUpon completion of the testing of the cableC or'the completion of the read out of an error, a release relay 42 (FIG. 6) is energized to open a Contact in the energizing circuit of the hold relay 31, thereby dropping out the hold relay, and thus the lock-out relay 32 and the test relay 34, to deenergize the apparatus.

PULSE 4GENERATOR The pulse generator 39 may be of any suitable type, and in the illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 as including a unijunction transistor relaXation oscillator 43, which produces a negative going output voltage pulse. The output pulse frequency of the oscillator 43, and thus the testing rate if the apparatus, is determined by a series RC circuit 44 in a Well-known manner. The negative going pulses from the oscillator 43 are coupled by a suitable coupling capacitor to a NOR amplifiier `46, which causes a phase reversal of the pulses to make them positive going, and these positive going pulses then feed to the input of the pulse gate 36.

PULSE GATE (FIGS. 2A and 6) The pluse gate 36, which is normally open to permit the flow of pulses from the pulse generator 39 to the stepping circuit 41 (FIGS. 2A and 7), is closed to preclude passage of pulses therethrough by the start control circuit 26, as described hereinabove, and also by a signal from an error detect gate circuit 47 (FIG. 2B), or a signal from the group controller 24 (FIG. 2A), as will subsequently be described in greater detail. The pulse gate 36 includes a pair of series connected NOR ampliers 48 and 49, with the output of the amplifier 49 being connected to the input of the stepping circuit 41.

STEPPING CIRCUIT (FIGS. 2A and 7) As the stepping circuit 41 is energized in response to the pulses from the pulse gate 36, it cooperates With an associated two hundred cross point send matrix 51 to cause signals to be applied sequentially to the two hundred cable connecting terminals 22, and thus sequentially to the terminals T of the twol of the cable terminal groups C1 C30 which are connected thereto at any one time. As a signal is applied to each cable connecting terminal 22, it also is applied to the corresponding program connecting terminal 23, and thus to the program terminal which is connected to the program connecting terminal at that time.

The stepping circuit 41 includes a units digit binary counter 52 and a tens digit `binary counter 53. As is shown in detail in FIG. 7, the counters 52 and 53 are in the form of nine saturated Hip-flop circuits arranged in a simple series string. The units counter 52 includes four of the flip-flops (UNITS FF1-FF4) and has a basic count of sixteen, only ten of which (one for each units digit) are required for testing the cable C, while the tens counter '53 includes five of the flip-flop (tens PF1-FFS) and has a basic count of thirty-two, only twenty of which (one for every ten terminals) are required for testing the cable as shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Accordingly, to reduce the test set cycle time, the count of each of the counters 52 and 53 may be reduced by feeding lback a signal from one ip-op of the counter to a preceding flip-op, in a well-known manner, if desired. For example, the basic count of the tens counter 53 may be converted from thirty-two to a basic count of twenty-four, twenty of the digits being used for the actual testing of the cable C and the remaining extra four digits being used for self-testing if the apparatus, or being available for other purposes, such as the testing of selected terminals of an electrical circuit, as set forth at the end of this description. The basic count of the units counter 52 may be reduced in a similar manner.

The outputs of the tiipdlops of the units counter 52 are connected to binary to decimal converters 56-0` through 56-9 in the form of positive AND gates so as to energize the gates sequentially in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The positive output pulse or signal from each of the energized AND gates 56-0 through 56-9 is amplified and inverted by a units digit send matrix driver 57 in the form of a NOR amplifier, and then is applied to respective ones of two hundred cross points 58-00 through 58-199 of the send matrix 51. Similarly, the output signals of the ip-ops of the tens counter 53 energize binary to ydecimal converters 59-0 through 59-19 sequentially, and the output signal of each of these converters is amplified by a send matrix driver 61 and then is applied to respective ones of the cross points 58-00 through 58-199 of the send matrix 5-1. Where digit counts of the counters 52 and 53 are used for self-testing of the apparatus, or for other purposes, additional ones of the binary to decimal converters 516 and 59 may be provided, as necessary. The last flip-flop (TENS FFS) of the tens counter 53 also is connected to feed a pulse to the group controller 24 as the tens counter completes each counting cycle, that is, as the stepping circuit 41 Completes each sweep through the send matrix `51.

SEND MATRIX (FIGS. 2A AND 7) Each of the two hundred cross points 58-00` through 58-199 of the send matrix 51 is a negative AND gate, at both inputs of which a negative potential must be present before a negative potential is produced at its output, and each AND gate is wired to apply signal, when energized, to an associated pair of the cable and program connecting terminals 22 and 23. As is illustrated in FIG. 7, the units and tens send matrix drivers 57 and 61 are wired to the AND gates 58-00 through 58-199 such that only one of the AND gates will receive a negative potential from both a units driver and a tens driver at any one time, and thus a signal is produced at the output of only one of the AND gates at any one time.

GROUP CONTROLLER (FIGS. 2A, 8A AND 8B) Referring to FIG. 2A, it is seen that the group controller 24 for sequentially connecting the cable terminal groups C1-C30 to the apparatus in pairs, and for simultaneously connecting the corresponding ones of the program terminal groups P1-P30 to the apparatus, includes a -rst binary counter 62 for connecting each cable terminal group and the corresponding program terminal group to the apparatus as test group I terminals. A second binary counter 63 is provided for connecting the cable and program terminal groups Cl-C30 and P1P30 to the apparatus as test group II terminals. In this regard, the group control counters 62 and 63 control relay trees -64 and 66, respectively, and each of the relay trees have output leads 64a and 66a wired to cable group connecting relays 67-1 and 67-II, respectively, for connecting the cable terminal groups C1-C30 to the cable connecting terminals 22-1 and 22-II, and also wired to program group connecting relays 68-1 and 68-II, respectively, for connecting the program terminal groups P1-P30 to the program connecting terminals 23-I and 23-II.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 8A, it is seen that the counters 62 and 63 are in the form of Hip-Hop circuits in a simple series array, with the rst ip-llop of the test group I control counter 62 receiving input pulses from the last flip-flop of the test group II control counter 63. As noted hereinabove, the counter 63 receives input pulses from the output of the tens binary counter 53 of the send matrix stepping circuit 41, and thus, for each sweep of the stepping circuit through the cross points 58-00 through 58-199 of the send matrix 51, an input pulse is received by the counter 63.

As the counter 63 receives input pulses from the send matrix stepping circuit 41, the ip-ops of the counter are energized to energize respective control relays 69-1 through 69-5. Referring to FIG. 8B, it is seen that as the relays 69-1 through 69-5 are energized they close respective contacts 69C-1 through 69C-5 to energize respective relays 7141 through 715 of the relay tree 66. The relays 71-1 through 715 control contacts in the relay tree Z6 in a well-known manner, to complete electrical paths through the relay tree to its output leads 66a-0 through 66a-31 in sequence, thereby sequentially actuating the cable group connecting relays 67-II-1 through 67-II-30 and their corresponding program group connecting relays 68-II-1 through 68-II-30, and thus connecting the cable and program terminal groups C1-C30 and P1*P30 to the apparatus as test group II terminals for test purposes.

A portion of each input pulse to the counter 63 energizes a count delay generator 72 (FIGS. 2A and 8A) of the group controller 24, in the form of a monostable multivibrator. The generator 72 feeds a pulse back to the pulse gate 36 (FIGS. 2A and 6) to close the gate temporarily, so as to permit time for the above-described relays 67, 68, 69 and 71, as well as relays (subsequently to be described) of the counter 62 and the relay tree 64, to open and close their respective contacts, and for transient conditions as a result of this relay action to die out, before the next counting cycle of the stepping circuit begins.

As the counter 63 completes each of its counting cycles, one portion of the output pulse from its last flip-Hop is applied to a count transfer control 73 in the form of two series connected one-shot multivibrators, for a purpose subsequently to be described, and the other portion of the pulse is applied to the rst flip-flop of the counter 62, as noted above. Thus, for each complete counting cycle of the counter 63, the counter 62 is advanced one count.

As the counter 62 proceeds through its counting cycles in response to input pulses from the counter 63, it causes each of the cable terminal groups C1-C30 and its corresponding one of the program terminal groups P1-P30 to be connected to the apparatus as test groups I terminals (FIG. 4), by means of group control relays 74-1 through 74-5 and the relay tree 64 (FIG. 2A), in the same manner as described above with respect to the counter 63 for the test group II terminals. In this regard, the relay tree 64, which is not shown in detail in the drawing since it is substantially identical in construction and operation to the relay tree 66 (FIG. 8B), includes contacts which correspond to the contacts 69C-1 through 69C-5 and t 9 which are closed by the relays 741 through 74-5, to energize relays which correspond to the relays 71-1 through 71-5 and which control respective contacts in the relay tree 64 to energize sequentially the cable and program group connecting relays 67-1 and 68-1 (FIG. 2A).

From the foregoing description, it is seen that when the stepping circuit 41 makes its initial sweep through the send matrix 51, none of the cable and program terminal groups C1-C30 and P1-P30 have yetbeen connected to the apparatus by the group controller 24. Instead, the apparatus tests itself to insure that signals are Vbeing fed from the send matrix 51, this being accomplished by error detect series 76 (FIGS. 2A and 9) subsequently to be described.

After the stepping circuit 41 completes its initial sweep through the send matrix 51, the output pulse from the tens binary counter 53 is applied to the counter 63 to raise it one count. The stepping circuit 41 then sweeps through the send matrix 51 again, whereupon the counter 63 is raised to its next count to energize the relays 67-II-1 and 68-II41, thereby causing the rst of the cable terminal groups C1 and its corresponding program terminal group P1 to be connected to the apparatus as test group II terminals. This sequence of operation is continued until all thirty cable terminal groups C1C30 and their corresponding program terminal groups P1-P30 have been connected to the apparatus. During this initial counting cycle, the counter 62 has not yet been actuated to connect any of the terminal groups C1-C30 and P1- P30 to the apparatus as test group I terminals.

After the counter 63 completes its rst counting cycle the output pulse from its last flip-flop is applied to the counter 62 to raise it one count, whereupon the apparatus proceeds through another counting cycle of the counter 63. When the next output pulse from the last stage of the counter 63 is applied to the counter 62, the counter 62 causes cable and program terminal groups C1 and P1 to be connected to the apparatus as test group I terminals. Up to this time the apparatus has been testing itself, and for shorts within the individual plugs P- through P-59.

When the counter 63 receives its next input pulse from the send matrix stepping circuit 41, the counter causes cable and program terminal groups C2 and P2\ to be' connected to the -apparatus as test group II terminals. Now, :as the stepping circuit 41 sweeps through the send matrix '51, the cable Iwiring between the cable terminal groups C1 and C2 is checked by the error detect circuits 76. When the stepping circuit 41 completes this sweep cycle the output pulse from the tens binary counter 53 to the counter 63 causes cable and program terminal groups C3 and P3 to be connected to the apparatus a-s test group II terminals, and the cable wiring between the cable terminal groups C1 and C3 is checked by the error detect circuits 76. This procedure continues until all subsequent cable terminal groups C4-C30 have been connected to the apparatus and checked with respect to cable terminal group C1, whereupon the counter 62 again is actuated from the counter 63 to connect cable and terminal groups C2 and P2 to the apparatus as test group I terminals. Cable terminal group C2 then is checked with respect to subsequent cable terminal groups (3S-C30', with the cable and program terminal groups C2 and P2 as the test group I terminals. This testing procedure continues until all of the cable terminal groups C1C30` have been connected to the apparatus by the operation of the counter 62 and tested as test group I terminals.

Referring to FIG. 8B, it is seen that the leads 66a-0 and 66a-31 are open and not connected to any other circuitry of the apparatus. Similarly, the lead of the relay tree 64 (not shown in detail) corresponding to the lead 66a-0 is open; however, the lead of the relay tree 64 corresponding to the lead 66a-31 is connected to the release relay 42 (FIG. 6), for energizing the relay and shutting off the apparatus, as above described, upon the completion of the test operation.

As noted hereinabove, each of the cable terminal groups C1-C30 is tested as test group I terminals against only the cable terminal groups subsequent thereto. In this regard, if the test group II control counter 63 began each counting cycle at its lowest count, all of the groups C1-C30 would be tested twice, thereby doubling the test time. To obviate this, the group controller 24 is arranged so that the counter 63 begins each counting cycle at a count which is one unit above the starting count of its preceding cycle.

For this purpose, the output of each ip-flop stage of the test group I control counter 62 is connected to a irst leg of an associated count transfer gate in the form of an AND gate 77, and the output of each AND gate is connected to the corresponding Hip-flop stage in the counter 63. Further, the output of the count transfer control 73 is connected to second legs of the AND gates 77 by a lead 78.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the counter 63 begins its rst counting cycle with a first count which is arbitrarily designated zero, and the final output pulse from the counter splits to energize the counter 62, to advance it to a rst count of zero, and to energize the count transfer control 73. The count transfer control 73 then feeds a delayed pulse to each of the AND gates 77, and this pulse combines with a pulse from the energized rst flip-flop stage of the counter 62 to energize the AND gate to lwhich this stage is connected. The energized AND gate 77, rwhich can energize any or all of the flip-flop stages vin the counter 63, then energizes therst stage, thereby setting this counter at the same binary count -as the counter 62, that is, a count of zero. In the transfer of the count of the counter 62 to the counter 63 upon the completion of the subsequent counting cycles of the counter 63, the delayed pulse from the count transfer control 73 combines with one or more pulses from the flip-dop stages of the counter 62, depending upon which stages are energized. Thus, as the counter 63 receives its first input pulse from the stepping circuit tens binary counter 53, at the beginning of its second counting cycle, the counter is stepped immediately to its second count of one, at the start of its third counting cycle it will be stepped immediately to a count of two, etc.

ERROR DETECT CIRCUITS (FIGS. 2A and 9) Associated with each of the one hundred pairs of cable and program connecting terminals 22-I and 234, and the cross point 58 of the send matrix 51 from which the terminals of the pair receive their input signals, is one of the above-mentioned error detect or compare circuits 76, one of which, for the cross point 58-10, is shown in detail in FIG. 9 and designated 76-I. Similarly, associated with each of the one hundred pairs of cable and program connecting terminals 22-II and 23-II and its respective cross point 58 is another one of the compare circuits 76, one of which, for the cross point 58-190, also is shown in detail in FIG. 9 and designated 76-II. Inasmuch as all of the compare circuits 76-I are identical, and :all of the compare circuits 'I6-II are identical, only the two circuits shown in FIG. 9 will be described.

The compare circuits 76-I and 76-II in FIG. 9 are connected to their respective cable connecting terminals 22-1 and 22-II by leads 79-I and 79-II, and to their respective program connecting terminals 23-I and 23-II by leads 81-1 and 81-II. The cable connecting terminal 22-I is connected to a respective one of one hundred leads 82 (only one shown), :and each of the thirty cable terminals T (one from each of the cable terminal groups C1-C30, with two being shown in FIG. 9 and designated a cable input terminal Tai and a cable output terminal Tco) which receives signals from and passes signals to the connecting terminal, is connectible to the lead `82 through a normally open contact 67-IC located in a lead 83 and closed by a respective one of the thirty cable connecting 11 relays 67-I as described hereinabove. Similarly, the cable connecting terminal 22-II is connected to a lead 84 and each of the thirty cable terminals T which receives signals from and passes signals to this connecting terminal is connectible to the lead 84 by a normally open contact 67-IIC located in a lead 86 and closed by a respective one of the thirty cable connecting relays 67-II. The corresponding terminals of the program terminal groups P1-P30 vare connectible to the program connecting terminals 23-I and 23a-II in the same manner by circuitry including contacts controlled by respective ones of the program connecting relays 68-I and 68-II.

As shown in FIG. 9, the compare circuit 76-I illustrates the function of one of the compare circuits when associated with the cable input terminal Tcl, while the compare circuit 76-II illustrates the function of one of the compare circuits when associated with the cable output terminal Tw, with the terminals Tc, and Tco properly connected by a cable wire Cw.

As each of the AN gates 58 of the send matrix 51, such as the gate 50-10 shown in FIG. 9, is energized, its output signal feeds to a point 87-I where the signal splits, with a portion of the signal feeding through a steering diode 88-1 to a point 89-1 where it again splits with a portion then feeding to the cable connecting terminal 22-I by means of the lead 7 9-I. The other portion of the output signal feeds through a second steering diode 88-2 to a point 91-I Where it again splits, with a portion then feeding to the program connecting terminal 23-1 by means of the lead 81-1. At the points 89-1 and 91-1, the other signal portions feed into the compare circuit 76-I and the compare circuit verifies that the send matrix output signal was received at both points.

From the program connecting terminal 23-1 the signal portion feeds to a program input terminal Tpi, through a program wire PW to a program output terminal Tpo, to the program connecting terminal 23-II, and then to the compare circuit 76-II along the lead 81-II to a point 91II. Similarly, the signal portion at the cable input connecting terminal 22-I feeds to the cable input terminal Tci, through the cable Wire CW to the cable output terminal Tco, to the cable connecting terminal 22-II, and then to the compare circuit 7 6-II along the lead 79-II to a point 89-II.

Each compare circuit 76(I or II) includes four NOR amplifiers 92, 93, 94 and 96, the amplifiers 94 and 96 being output amplifiers and having. output leads 97 and 98, respectively. The amplifiers 92, 93, 94 and 96 are wired, as illustrated in FIG. 9, such that if the compare circuit 76 (-I or II) receives a signal at both of its associated points 89 (-I or II) and 91 (-I or II), or receives no signal at either point, neither of the output amplifiers 94 and 96 is energized and no signal appears on either of their output leads 97 and 9S.

Thus, in the operation of the compare circuit 76-I in FIG. 9, if signals are received at both of the points 89-1 and 91-I, signal portions feed from the point 89-1 through steering diodes 88-3 and 88-4 into the compare circuit, and from the point 91-1 through steering diodes 88-5 and 88-6 into the compare circuit, whereby neither of the output amplifiers 94 and 96 is energized and no signal appears on either of their output leads 97 and 98. However, if one of the points 89-I or 91-I receives no signal, one or the other of the output amplifiers 94 and 96 will be energized to initiate a sequence of operations culminating in shut down of the apparatus, as will subsequently become apparent.

Similarly, in the operation of the compare circuit 76-II in FIG. 9, the signals fed to the points 89-II and 91-II pass through diodes 88-3, 88-4, 88-5, and 38-6 into the compare circuit 76-II, whereby neither of its output amplifiers 94 and 96 is energized. At the same time, if the cable input terminal Tc, is not shorted to, or open with respect to another terminal T of the cable C, none of the other compare circuits 76-I and 76-II of the apparatus will be energized and the stepping circuit 41 (FIG. 7) steps to the next send matrix cross point 58-11.

If the cable input terminal Tc, is improperly connected to the cable output terminal T.,o by the wire CW, or is shorted to the cable output terminal rather than properly wired thereto, the program wire PW, instead of being connected to the cable output terminal Tpo as shown in FIG. 9, would be connected to a different program terminal. An output signal then is received from the cable output terminal Tco at the point 89II when it should not be receiving a signal, but no signal is received at the program point 91-II, and thus the output amplifier 94 of the compare circuit 76-II is energized to indicate a short.

Similarly, if the wire CW is broken, or instead of being properly connected to the cable output terminal Tco as shown in FIG. 9 is improperly connected to a different terminal T of the cable C, an output signal from the program output terminal T1D0 is received at the program point 91-II, but no signal is received at the cable point 89-II, and the output amplifier 96 of the compare circuit 76-II is energized to indicate an open.

From FIG. 9, it is seen that as the stepping circuit 41 (FIG. 7) proceeds through the send matrix 51 beyond the cross point 58-10` and subsequently applies a signal to the cross point 58-190, the signal will feed to a point 87- II which corresponds to the point 87-1. It is apparent that portions of the signal then will flow into the compare circuit 76-II, and in reverse directions through the cable and program wires CW and PW to the compare circuit 76-I, whereby the functions of the two compare circuits are reversed from that as above described. Thus, each Wire Cw of the cable C is tested twice by the apparatus as it proceeds through its normal cycle of operation.

UNITS AND TENS DIGIT GROUPING CIRCUIT (FIGS. 2B and 9) In connection with a units and tens digit grouping circuit 99 of the apparatus, reference is rst made to FIGS. 4 and 7 for the purpose of further illustrating the relationship between the two hundred cross points 58-00 through 58-199 of the send matrix 51, the compare circuits 76-I and 76-II, and the two hundred terminals T of four of the test plugs P-00 through P-59 which are connected to the apparatus at any one time. In this regard, cross points 58-00 through 49 apply signals sequentially to the cable connecting terminals 22-I-00 through 49 of the test plug quadrant W; cross points 58-50 through 99 apply signals sequentially to the terminals 224-00 through 49 of the testplug quadrant X; cross points 59- 100 through 149 apply signals sequentially to the terminals 22-II-0y through 49 of the test plug quadrant Y; and cross points 58-150 through 199 apply signals sequentially to the terminals 22-II-00 through 49 of the test plug quadrant Z. Thus, by way of illustration, the cross point 58-10 in FIG. 9 feeds input signals to the cable connecting terminal 22-1-10 in test plug quadrant W (W-10), and thus to the terminal 10 of the plugs P-00 through P-59 which are connected to the apparatus in test plug quadrant W, and this cross points compare circuit 76-1 receives output signals from these terminals. Similarly, the cross points 58-190 in FIG. l9 feeds input signals to the cable connecting terminal 22-II-40 in quadrant Z (Z-40), and thus to the terminal 40 of the plugs P-tlO through P-59 which are connected to the apparatus in test plug quadrant Z, and this cross points compare circuit 76II receives output signals froml these terminals.

Referring to FIG. 9, it is seen that the purpose of the units and tens digit grouping circuit 99 is to collect short and open digit information from the output ampliers 94 and and 96 of the compare circuits 76-I and 76II. With respect to the test plug quadrant W, all cornpare circuit output amplifiers 94 (shorted terminal) for the cable connecting terminals 22-I having the same units digit feed to a respective one of a plurality of ten (one 13 for each of the units digits through 9) gating circuits 101W; all output amplifiers 96 (open terminal) for the cable connecting terminals having the same units digit feed to a respective one 0f a plurality of ten gating circuits 102W; the amplifiers 94 for the cable connecting terminals having the same tens digit feed to a respective one of a plurality of five gating circuits 103W; and the amplifiers 96 for the cable connecting terminals having the same tens digit feed to a respective one of a plurality of five gating circuits 104W. For example, the output amplifiers 94 for the terminals W-10 through W-19, having the common tens digit 1, are all connected to the gating circuit 103W-1, and the output amplifiers 96 for these terminals all are connected to the gating circuit 104W-1, as is illustrated in FIG. 9 by the output amplifiers 94 and 96 for the terminal W-10 (cross points 58-10). The output amplifiers 94 and 96 of the compare circuits 76-I and 76-II for the cable connecting terminals 22-I and 22-II in the test plug quadrants X, Y and Z are connected in the same manner to gating circuits 101X, Y and Z, 102X, Y and Z, 103X, Y and Z and 104X, Y and Z.

When a malfunction in the apparatus or a fault in the cable C is found by the compare circuits 76-1 and 76-II l such that one of the grouping gates 101W, X, Y and Z through 104W, X, Y and Z receives an input pulse from one of its assocated compare circuits, the output pulse of the grouping gate energizes the error detect gate circuit 47 (FIG. 2B). The output pulse of the error detect gate circuit 47 causes closing of the pulse gate 36, as noted hereinabove, causing the apparatus to lock on the error.

More specifically, when any one of the units digit short grouping gates 101W, X, Y and Z has a pulse applied thereto from one of its associated compare circuits 76, the output pulse of the grouping gate is applied to a gate 47a (FIG. 10) of the circuit 47. Similarly, the output pulse of any one of the units digit open grouping gates 102W, X, Y and Z is applied to a gate 47b, the output pulse of any one of the tens digit short grouping gates 103W, X, Y and Z is applied to a gate 47C, and the output pulse of any one of the tens digit open grouping gates 104W, X, Y and Z is applied to a gate 47d. The gates 47a, b, c and d have their outputs connected to a common lead 107 which is connected to feed an output pulse from one of these gates to the pulse gate 36 (FIG. 6) to close the gate by temporarily inhibiting the ow of pulses from the pulse generator 39 to the pulse gate. This output pulse also feeds by way of the lead 107 to energize a delay circuit 108 (FIG. 6).

After a predetermined time delay, a relay 109 of the delay circuit 108 is energized and closes a contact 109C to energize a relay 111. The energized relay 111 closes a first contact 111C-1 in the pulse gate 36 to lock the gate closed and also closes a contact 111C-2 to initiate a readout cycle, as will subsequently be described. In this regard, however, the time delay of the delay circuit 108 is such as to permit transient conditions in the apparatus to die out, whereby the compare circuits 76-I and 76-II can verify that an error in the cable or a mal-function in the apparatus is actually present, and that the initial inhibiting of the flow of pulses from the pulse generator 39 to the pulse gate 36 was not due to transient conditions. lf the initial pulse inhibiting was due to transient conditions, the relay 109 of the delay circuit 108 does not become energized, and when the transient conditions have dissipated, the pulses again will begin to flow from the pulse generator 39 through the pulse gate 36, Whereas if the inhibiting was due to an actual error, the relay 109 is energized to energize the relay 111, which then locks the pulse gate closed and initiates the read-out cycle.

DIGIT INFORMATION COLLECTING CIRCUITS (FIGS. 2B AND l0) The grouping gates 101W, X, Y and Z through 104W, X, Y and Z of the digit grouping circuit 99 are wired to the error detect gates 47a, b, c and d through a digit information collecting circuit 112, which also is designed to combine units and tens digit information for the four test plug quadrants W, X, Y and Z. In this regard, as is shown in detail in FIG. 10, the circuit 112 includes ten sets (one for each of the units digits 0 through 9) of four gates 113W, X, Y and Z for collecting units digit short information, and ten sets of four gates 114W, X, Y and Z for collecting units digit open information. Thus, the four grouping gates 101W, X, Y and Z (units digit short information) for each units digit are wired to respective ones of the collecting gates 113W, X, Y and Z for that digits, and the four grouping gates 102W, X, Y and Z (units digit open information) for each units digit are wired to respective ones of the collecting gates 114W, X, Y and Z for that digit. For example, the four grouping gates 101W-0, 101X-0, 101Y-0 and 101Z-0 are wired to the collecting gates 113W, X, Y and Z, respectively, for the units digit zero.

Each set of the units digit short information collecting gates 113W, X, Y and Z has a first normally open output lead 116 for connecting the gates to a first input of a respective one of ten information transfer circuits 117-0 through 1179-9 (only circuit 117-0 being shown), and a second output lead 118 connected by a lead 119 to the input of the error detect gate 47a. The sets of units digit open information collecting gates 114W, X, and Z are connectible to the information transfer circuits 117 by normally open output leads 121, and are connected by a lead 122 to the error detect gate 47b n the same manner.

Similarly, the grouping gates 103W, X, Y and Z for tens digit short information are wired to five sets of tens digit short information collecting gates 123W, X, Y and Z, the grouping gates 104W, X, Y and Z for tens digit open information are wired to five sets of tens digit open information collecting gates 124W, X, Y and Z, these collecting gates also being connectible to the information transfer circuits 117, and being connected to the error detect gates 47c and 47d, respectively.

INFORMATION TRANSFER CIRCUITS (FIGS. 2B AND 10) As noted hereinabove, the apparatus is designed to provide twelve digits or pieces of information (FIG. 5), each of which could be any one of a plurality of digits, and which in the case of a units digit could be any one of ten digits O-9. Accordingly, to reduce the amount of wiring required and the size of the apparatus, the apparatus is designed to transfer test information from the send matrix drivers 57 and 61 (FIGS. 2A and 7), the digit information collecting circuit 112 (FIGS. 2B andlO), and from a plug number translator 126 (FIGS. 2B and 14), to the memory 37 (FIGS. 2B and l2) and ultimately to the read out 21 (FIGS. 2B, 5 and 12), one item or digit at a time rather than simultaneously, by means of the information transfer circuits 117.

As is shown in FIG. l0 by the information transfer circuit 1170, each of the ten information transfer circuits 117-0 through 117-9 includes suitable signal amplifiers 117A, and a relay 117R which controls an associated Contact for the purpose of transferring cable terminal digit information from the send matrix drivers 57 and 61 and the information collecting circuit 112 to the memory 37, in a manner to be described. Each of the information transfer circuits 117 also includes a normally open contact 111C-3, which is closed by the relay 111 of the delay circuit 108 upon the apparatus detecting an error, as above described, to connect the information transfer circuit to a respective one of a plurality of input leads 3711-0 through 37a-9 (FIGS. 10 and l2) of the memory 37.

Associated with each of the information transfer circuits 117-0 through 117-4 is a terminal tens test information collecting point 117P (left-hand side of FIG. l0) to which the tens matrix drivers 61 are Wired by leads 61a through suitable diodes, which are not shown. More

Images