Cross-connect method and apparatus

• US 6,265,842 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Con-X Corporation (Gentek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, Arthur O., Kennedy, Bryan K., Hard, Douglas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US09/328,440
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 318/466, 340/825.89, 379/271, 379/291, 439/46
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/523 by an interconnection through aligned holes in the boards or multilayer board
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/08 Short-circuiting members for bridging contacts in a counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/205 with a panel or printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/022 Paging systems personal calling arrangements or devices G08B3/1008; selective calling networks H04W84/022
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/22 Arrangements for supervision, monitoring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/28 Automatic routine testing ; Fault testing; Installation testing; Test methods, test equipment or test arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/116 lightning or EMI protection, e.g. shielding or grounding
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/136 having patch field management or physical layer management arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/145 with switches arranged in a matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/147 using robots for distributing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0289 having a matrix lay-out, i.e. having selectively interconnectable sets of X-conductors and Y-conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/308 Adaptations of leads connectors to printed circuits H01R12/00

Abstract

A remotely controlled cross-connection switching matrix, particularly suited for telephone systems, has a jumper pin picker and placement mechanism selectively movable along each of three axes under the control of a single drive motor translating a single drive cable over a series of pulleys. Movement along the selected axis is effected by braking movement along the other two axes. The system provides a “soft dial tone” to prospective telephone subscribers'"'"' premises having cable pairs permanently connected to the matrix. The cable pair for the calling prospective subscriber is automatically identified at the matrix in response to an off-hook status for that prospective subscriber, and the cable pair identification data is automatically transmitted to the telephone business office. Stored information at the business office for the premises of the identified cable pair is automatically displayed for the telephone company representative responding to a request for service by the calling prospective subscriber. The matrix also permits remote selective connection of unused telephone lines to a test bus connected between the matrix and the central office, thereby permitting automatic, remotely controlled testing of those lines. Improved security of the facility containing the matrix is provided by a feature permitting remote control over the facility door lock.

Claims

1. The method of increasing the capacity of the switching matrix of the type having matrix holes for receiving jumper pins to join juxtaposed conductors at different depths of a matrix structure, wherein the matrix holes are arranged in columns and rows, all adjacent columns being substantially equally spaced, all adjacent rows being substantially equally spaced, said method comprising the steps of:

interrupting the continuity of said conductors at the same location at each of said depths to thereby define the electrically insulated sub-matrices with adjacent matrix hole columns of adjacent sub-matrices having the same spacing as adjacent columns within each sub-matrix, and with adjacent matrix hole rows of adjacent sub-matrices having the same spacing as adjacent rows within each sub-matrix.

2. An interconnection matrix system comprising:

a first circuit board having a first surface with a first array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said first circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors at predetermined locations along said conductors in said first array, said matrix holes being disposed in a rectangular grid of columns and rows;

a second circuit board having a first surface with a second array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said second circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors in said second array at predetermined locations along said conductors in said second array, wherein the matrix holes in said first circuit board are concentrically aligned with corresponding matrix holes in said second circuit board, said matrix holes of said second circuit board being disposed in said rectangular grid;

wherein each of said arrays is sub-divided into a plurality of electrically unconnected sub-arrays in which the conductors in each sub-array are co-planar, wherein each conductor in each sub-array is electrically isolated from but co-linearly aligned with a respective conductor in another sub-array, wherein each sub-array on the first circuit board is aligned in juxtaposition with a corresponding sub-array on the second circuit board, and wherein the aligned sub-arrays define a respective plurality of electrically isolated sub-matrices;

wherein said sub-matrices are separated by a plane extending perpendicular to said arrays and diagonally to said conductors;

wherein the spacing in said rectangular grid between adjacent columns being the same for all adjacent columns including adjacent columns in the same sub-matrix and adjacent columns in adjacent sub-matrices, and the spacing between adjacent rows being the same for adjacent rows including adjacent rows in the same sub-matrix and adjacent rows in adjacent sub-matrices.

3. The matrix system of claim 2 wherein said sub-matrices are four in number, each sub-matrix having a generally rectangular configuration wherein its columns of matrix holes are longitudinally aligned with respective columns of one adjacent sub-matrix, and wherein its rows of matrix holes are longitudinally aligned with respective rows of another adjacent sub-matrix.

4. The matrix system of claim 2 wherein said sub-matrices are four in number and are generally rectangular.

5. The matrix system of claim 2 further comprising:

access holes disposed within said first and second circuit boards; and

wire wrapped posts for providing external connections to said sub-matrices, said wire wrapped posts being inserted into said access holes to establish said external connections.

6. The matrix system of claim 5 wherein each of said wire wrapped posts selectively establish external connections to any of said sub-matrices.

7. The matrix system of claim 5 wherein said matrix system is connected to others of said matrix systems and each of said wire wrapped posts selectively establish external connections to any of said connected matrix systems.

8. The matrix system of claim 2 wherein cable pairs and central office lines are connected to said matrix system and a continuous portion of said matrix holes form a global bus for connecting said matrix system via a connector to others of said matrix systems for establishing a connection between cable pairs and central office lines residing on different matrix systems.

9. An interconnection matrix system comprising:

a first circuit board having a first surface with a first array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said first circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors at predetermined locations along said conductors in said first array;

a second circuit board having a first surface with a second array of multiple electrical conductors thereon, said second circuit board having multiple matrix holes defined therethrough and through said electrical conductors in said second array at predetermined locations along said conductors in said second array, wherein the matrix holes in said first circuit board are concentrically aligned with corresponding matrix holes in said second circuit board;

a plurality of jumper pins permanently disposed within said aligned matrix holes, each of said jumper pins comprising an elongated cylindrical body having a grip and a stop flange toward a proximal end and a conical distal tip with a radially enlarged flange at the proximal end of said tip, said jumper pins being in either an inserted or retracted position within said matrix holes;

wherein each of said arrays is sub-divided into a plurality of electrically unconnected sub-arrays in which the conductors in each sub-array are co-planar, wherein each conductor in each sub-array is electrically isolated from but co-linearly aligned with a respective conductor in another sub-array, wherein each sub-array on the first circuit board is aligned in juxtaposition with a corresponding sub-array on the second circuit board, and wherein the aligned sub-arrays define a respective plurality of electrically isolated sub-matrices.

10. The matrix system of claim 9 further comprising a pin positioning means for manipulating said jumper pins to said inserted position to establish a connection between conductors of said first and second circuit boards and manipulating said jumper pins to said retracted position to terminate a connection between conductors of said first and second circuit boards.

11. A method of transporting a jumper pin, by means of a pin picking and placing mechanism, to and from individual junction locations in a switching matrix, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) moving said mechanism selectively in either of two opposite directions along a first path by means of a drive motor and translating said mechanism along a first support extending along said first path;

(b) moving said mechanism selectively in either of two opposite directions along a second path by means of said drive motor and translating said mechanism along a second support extending along said second path, wherein said first and second paths are disposed in a transport plane parallel to said matrix;

(c) moving said mechanism in either of two selective opposite directions along a third path disposed perpendicular to said transport plane by means of said drive motor and rotating said mechanism about an axis oriented parallel to said transport plane;

(d) limiting movement of said mechanism to only a selectable one of said first, second and third paths at a time by selectively inhibiting movement of said mechanism along the other two of said paths, wherein said drive motor is the only source of motion-producing force for said drive mechanism along said first, second and third paths, and motion along only the selected path is effected by positively blocking movement of the mechanism along the two non-selected paths, and wherein step (d) further includes;

(d.1) interengaging said mechanism with said first support to inhibit movement of said mechanism along said first path;

(d.2) interengaging said mechanism with said second support to inhibit movement of said mechanism along said second path; and

(d.3) blocking rotation of said mechanism to inhibit movement of said mechanism along said third path;

wherein steps (a), (b) and (d) further include translating a single drive cable by means of said drive motor, and passing said drive cable over a series of idler pulleys secured to said mechanism and defining a cable path; and

(e) displaying an error indication in response to a detection of a slippage of said single drive cable or a malfunction of said drive motor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein one of said series of idler pulleys drives an opto-shutter counter, and wherein said detection of a slippage includes:

determining the number of steps of said drive motor during transportation of said pin;

determining the number of discrete length units of said drive cable passing over said one pulley by said opto-shutter counter;

comparing the number of drive motor steps to the number of discrete length units; and

indicating an error in response to the comparison yielding a non-matching result.