Telecommunication Switching Systems Automatic Switching system

Udhay Prakash Lecturer, Dept. Of ECE, JNTUH CEH uday3prakash@gmail.com

Content under consideration

Drawbacks of Manual switching system Why an Automatic switching system? Automatic Switching system
Strowger switching system Crossbar switching System

 Manually operated switch boards Cord pair

Manual Switching system

Cord pairs appeared in rows on a shelf in front of the operator, and the jacks (called line appearances) were mounted on a vertical panel. Connection establishment

A jack for each line and two plugs on a long flexible wire for making the connection.

operator picks up a cord & plugs into jack corresponding to line requesting service, obtained from calling party Then plugs other end of cord pair into the correct outgoing line jack.

Functions of a manual switching system

Functions
Interconnection Control Alerting Attending Information receiving

Information transmitting Busy testing supervisory

Limitations of Manual Switching system

1) Common language factor 2) Less degree of privacy 3) Wastage of time in connection establishment/release
Operator should know the languages spoken by subscriber, for communicating with them

4) At switching system, subscribers are recognized by their name, profession or organization

If the operator lately notices the end/initialization of conversation.

Automatic switching system

Automation achieved by utilization of signalling tones for Signalling is carried out with specific signals or messages that indicate to the other end what is requested of it by this connection. Signalling examples on subscriber lines :
Establishing, Maintainance, Releasing a telephone conversation

Off-hook condition: Exchange notices that subscriber has raised telephone hook (dc loop is connected) and gives a dial tone to the subscriber. Dial: Subscriber dials digits and they are received by the exchange. On-hook condition: Exhange notices that subscriber has finished call (subscriber loop is disconnected), clears the connection, and stops billing.

Signalling Tones
Functions of Signalling tones
Dial tone
Call in Progress Tone
Respond to calling subscriber to obtain the identification of called subscriber. Inform the calling subscriber that the call is being established. Ring the called party Inform the calling subscriber if the called party is busy Inform the calling subscriber if the called party is unobtainable for some reason

Ring Tone

Busy Tone

Number Unobtainable Tone

Signalling Tones
Dial Tone (33Hz/50Hz/400Hz)

Call in Progress Tone (400Hz/800Hz)

Signalling Tones
Ringing Tones (400Hz/133Hz)

Busy Tone (400Hz)

Signalling Tones
Number Unobtainable Tone (400Hz)

Strowger switching system

Why automatic switching system?
To improve the speed and carry more load

First electromechanical switching system was developed by connolly and Mcig in 1879. But, Strowgers step-by-step switching, developed in 1888, was most popular.

In

october

1891,

strowger

Automatic

telephone exchange was formed.

Strowger switching system

A moving wiper moved upto and around a bank of many other them. contacts, making a connection with any one of

Strowger switching system

Reasons of its success and survivability:
High system availability Comprehensibility Cheapness and simplicity Language independent (standard) High degree of privacy (security) Fast establishment/release (efficient)

 Subscriber identification

Rotary Dial Telephone

How to identify the subscribers? In Manual Switching system In Automatic Switching system
Name/department/profession Numbering Plan

How to transfer identity?

Pulse-dialling Multi-frequency dialling

Rotary Dial Telephone

Pulse dialling
A train of pulses is used to represent a digit in the subscriber number Successive digits are distinguished by a pulse (inter-digit gap)

Rotary Dial Telephone

Rotary or Pulse dialling

Rotary Dial Telephone

Subscriber signalling

Strowger switching components

Basic elements in performing switching function:
Uniselector - single rotary switch with a bank of contacts Two motion selector -

Strowger switching components

Strowger switching components

Typical Uniselector representation

Strowger switching components

Typical representation of a uniselector

Strowger switching components

Example of a uniselector scheme

Strowger switching components

Two-motion selector

Step-by-step switching
What does step-by-step mean?
The wiper steps forward by one contact at a time and moves as many contacts as the number of dial pulses received.
Using uniselector Using two-motion selector Combination of both

Construction

Step-by-step switching

Step by step switching

Configuration of a step-by-step switching system

Step-by-step switching
Line equipment part (pre-selector stage)
Function
Category
Provide access to common switching resources Selector hunters Line Finder

Step-by-step switching
Selector hunter
There is one dedicated selector hunter for each subscriber to search and seize a free selector from the switching matrix part. Usually 24-outlet uniselectors are used as selector hunters.

Step-by-step switching
Line finder
Associated with the first set of selectors in switching matric part, there is one line finder for each selector. Usually built using uniselectors or two-motion selectors.

Selector hunter based access

Suitable for large switches with fairly heavy traffic.

Selector hunter based access

Line finder based access

Suitable for small switches with low traffic

Line finder based access

Step-by-step switching
Switching network part
Group selector + final stage

Switching network & connection

Step-by-step switching
Control function
Performed by circuits associated with the selectors. Contact banks
Control and supervisory signals are carried from stage to stage by means of contacts in one of the banks. A selector X is said to have seized another selector Y in the next stage when positive, negative and private wires have been connected to those of Y.
Control and supervisory signals (P[private]-wire) Voice signals(positive & negative wires)

Limitations of strowger switching system

1)

Inability to use tone dialling (DTMF) directly

Possible only if the central office is equipped with a conversion device.

2)

The switch requires the successful sequential (step-by-step, time related) operation of several relays, and a sizable voltage and current is switched each time a switch is stepped.
Mechanical reliability of the switches is low Requires regular maintenance by skilled people Also, generates large amounts of electrical and mechanical noise.

3)

No flexibility to address new subscribers, as it is a hard-wired switching

arrangement.

Limitations of strowger switching system

4) 5) 6) As all switches (except the first one) are shared among many incoming lines in tandem operation, a call may be blocked partway through dialling sequence, even though the called line is free. Dependence on moving parts and contacts that are subject to wear and tear. Difficulties in maintenance and adjustments.

Solution: Switching systems requiring less maintenance and

adjustment after installation are expected

How to address the limitations of strowger switching system?

CROSSBAR SWITCHING

Cross bar switching system

Development of crossbar switching
First patent, USA, 1915 Second patent, Sweden, 1919 First crossbar switching system, AT&T, 1938. Common Control subsystems were first introduced in crossbar exchanges

Typical crossbar switch

Principles of common control

Common control provides more sophistication and flexibility

Uniform numbering

in the way calls are routed.

The same number is dialled, no matter from which exchange the call originates It is convenient for customer to make phone call to a specific party any where. It is difficult to implement uniform numbering in direct control switching system unless as Director is available.

A Multi-exchange network

A Multi-exchange Network
Partly connected network (direct control)
A level is reserved in each strowger exchange for outgoing calls. The corresponding outlets are connected to a specific neighbour exchange.
Called subscriber:1457 Route 1: A-B-C-J-F

Call from A to F

Route 2: A-I-H-G-F

Dialling sequence: 01-04-03-01-1457 Dialling sequence: 02-05-01-02-1457

A Multi-exchange Network
Difficulties faced by direct control Identification number of a subscriber is route dependent A user must have knowledge of the topology of the network and the outlet assignments in each exchange. Depending on from which exchange the call originates, the number and its size vary for the same called subscriber.

A Multi-exchange Network
How to overcome these difficulties in a strowger exchange?
The routing is done by the exchange instead of dialling A uniform numbering scheme is used Exchange identifier + subscriber line identifier

Uniform Numbering Scheme

Common Control
Fundamental features
A user is assigned a logical number which is independent of the physical line number used to establish a connection to him. The logical address is translated to actual physical address for connection establishment by an address translation mechanism. Call processing takes place independent of the switching network.

Common control
Diagram of common control subsystem
Call processing subsystem
Digit receiver and storage register Register sender Initial translator Final translator

Charging circuits Operation control Maintenance circuits Event monitor

Common control

Common control
Control functions
Event monitoring

Events at line units Events at trunk junctors Events at interexchange signalling receiver/sender units

Common control
Control functions
Call processing
Digit receiver and storage register: receive and store the dialling number from calling party. Initial translator (office code translator): determine the route for the call through the network, charging method/rate. Final translator (subscriber code translator): determine the line unit to which a call must be connected and category of the called line. Register sender: transfer the route digit and dialled digit using proper signalling.

Common control
Control functions
Charging
Depends on the type of subscriber Depends on the service of the subscriber Controlling of the switching network

Operation and maintenance

Administration & Maintenance

Map-in-memory & Map-in-Network Exchange equipment, subscriber lines, trunks

Touch tone dial telephone

Disadvantages of rotary dial telephone
Low dialling rate Limited usage Limited signalling capacity
Development in 1950s Applied in 1964

Development of touch tone dial phone Touch dial arrangement

DTMF: Dual Tone Multi-Frequency

Touch tone (push button) dial arrangement

Touch tone dial telephone

Typical DTMF circuit

Typical IC based DTMF circuit

Tone dialling advantages

It is quicker and dialling of all digits takes the same time. Fewer dialling errors result. End-to-end signalling is possible. Additional push buttons are available (*, #, A, B, C, D) for activation of supplementary services.

Supplementary(call transfer, ...) and value added services (telebanking,..)

Design considerations
Choice of code
Imitation of code signal by speech and music should be difficult.
Easy to recognize a specific frequency Easy to regulate Reduce the probability of false response

Band separation

Design considerations
Choice of frequencies
Attenuation and delay distortion characteristics of the telephone network circuits
High enough for reliability Power level should be planned according to attenuation characteristics of the channel Longer duration is helpful to combat talk-off, but inefficient. Dialling habit

Choice of power level

Signalling duration

Design considerations

Crossbar switching
Also called coordinate switching system

Principle: to provide a matrix of m*n sets of contacts with only n+m

activators or less. Intersecting horizontal and vertical wires form a set of contact points A contact point pair acts as a cross-point switch and remains separated or open when not in use. Contact points are mechanically mounted (and electrically insulated) on a set of horizontal and vertical bars.

Typical Crossbar switch

Crossbar Switching
To activate a crosspoint, the

corresponding
energised.

vertical

and

horizontal electromagnets must be

Encircled
activated.

crosspoint

shows

the

unenergised crosspoint, that was

Cross point switching

Establishment of a connection
Scheme1
Step 1: Energize horizontal bar Step 2: Energize vertical bar Step 3: De-Energize horizontal bar Step 1: Energize vertical bar Step 2: Energize horizontal bar Step 3: De-Energize vertical bar

Scheme 2

Crossbar switch configurations

Non-blocking crossbar configuration N2 switching elements for N subscribers N/2 simultaneous conversations Cross-point used depends on the calling

66 crossbar matrix

Crossbar switch configurations

Modified non-blocking scheme
Diagonal cross-point matrix N(N-1)/2 elements The number of elements is the same as that of fully connected network Connection establishment Energize the corresponding horizontal bar Energize the corresponding vertical bar

Diagonal (lower triangle) cross point matrix

Crossbar switch configurations

Comments on non-blocking schemes
Large number of switching elements Difficult to implement in practice Not cost-effective
Blocking crossbar switching

Solution

Crossbar switch configurations

Blocking crossbar switches
Aiming to reduce the number of cross-point switches Category: Single stage/Multistage Methodology:
Two subscribers share one vertical bar
Number of bars reduced Number of cross-point switches remains the same

All subscribers share a number of vertical bars

Numbers of bars and cross-point switches reduced

Blocking crossbar switches

Scheme 1
2NK switches
N denotes the number of subscribers K is the number of simultaneous connections Energize horizontal bar A Energize free vertical bar P De-Energize horizontal bar A Energize horizontal bar B Energize free vertical bar P De-Energize horizontal bar B

Operate four bars to establish a connection (eg: A-B)

Blocking Crossbar switches

Scheme 2
NK switches

Operate three bars to establish a connection (eg: A-B)

Energize horizontal bar A and B Energize free vertical bar P De-Energize horizontal bar A and B

N denotes the number of subscribers K is the number of simultaneous connections

Transfer line support

Locally non-blocking and externally blocking

Transfer Line support

Blocking both locally and externally

Crosspoint Technology
The cost of crossbar system increases in proportion to the number of crosspoints Challenges Reduction of the size of a crosspoint Reduction of the cost of a crosspoint Improvement of switching time

Crosspoint Technology
Category of crosspoint technology

Reed Relay crosspoint

Crossbar exchange organization

Basic building blocks of crossbar exchange
Link frames
Primary stage crossbar witches Secondary stage crossbar switches Links Control the connections between inlets and outlets

Control markers

Registers

Link frames

Crossbar Exchange organization

Organization of a crossbar exchange Line unit (two-way units) Line link frames Markers and registers Originating or terminating calls Group unit (unidirectional) Trunk link frame and associated hardware Handling local, outgoing, incoming, terminating and transit calls

Crossbar Exchange organization

Crossbar Exchange organization

Call processing (three stages)
Stage 1
Stage 2 Stage 3
Preselection (performed by originating marker) Group selection (performed by registers, translators and senders)

Line selection (performed by terminating marker)

References
Thyagarajan Viswanathan, Telecommunication switching systems, PHI. Roger L. Freeman, Fundamentals of Telecommunications, 2e, Wiley-interscience, ISBN 0-471-71045-8. Stephen J Bigelow, joseph J Carr, steve winder, Understanding Telephone Electronics, 4e, Newness, 2001.