TChapterl

4
Control of Switching Systems

INTRODUCTION TO CONTROL OF SWITCHING SYSTEM

1. Switching systems have evolved from being manually
by relays controlled to being controlled
2.
(Electromechanically
The change from the manual
controlled) and then electrically.
step-by-step switching switching system to the stronger
system brought about a change from centralised to the
distributed control.
3. However, as switching systems developed and offered more
became economic to perform particular functions in services to customers,it
specialised equipments that was
associated with connections only when requested; common
4. control was introduced.
After the development of the digital computer
functions to be performed by the same hardware technology which enabled different
by using
programs. Thus switching systems used Stored Program Controldifferent
(SPC).
software
5. An SPC telephone exchange can offer a much
wider range of services than electro
mechanically controlled telephone exchanges provide.
6. Since the SPCprocessor's stored data can be altered or
of these modified electronically, some
servicescan be controlled by customers. These services are:
() Optional Call Barring
(ii) Repeat Last Call
(iii) Reminder Call
(iv) Call Diversion
(u) Three-way Calls etc.
7. In the first generation of SPC switching
systems, the controlling processors were
Virtually mainframe computers. These computers were very large and expensive.
Consequently, it was uneconomic to provide more than mainframe computer. More
than one mainframe computer in standby mode of operation provide service if a
occured. Thus, cêntralised SPC control system was introduced. fault
 Control of Switching Systems
189
8. The cost of call processing was reduced by the
Microprocessor enabled various tasks to be developedadvent of the microprocessor.
from the central
small processors associated with different parts of the processor
to
9. In digital switching system, each of the system.
customers' concentrators and message transfer
system has its own controlling processor and central
coordination. Thus, a fully centralised control system processor provides overall
was converted to a more
distributed form of control.

w4.2 CALL PROCESSING FUNCTIONS

In this section we will study about-various
call-processing functions of a switching
system. In this section, we will cover following topics:
Sequence of operations
Signal exchanges
State transition diagrams.
These topics will be discussed one-by-one in subsequent
subsections.
O4.2.1 Sequence of Operations
" These basic processes must be performed by switching systems in any
telecommu
nication network that is circuit-switched to packet-switched.
We have already discussed various functions of switching systems (for telephony)
in chapter 1.
These functions will now be described in more detail for a simple telephone call
between two customers whose lines terminate on the same exchange.
"A sequence of operations takes place in which the calling and called customer's lines
and the connections to them change from one state to the another.
Description of sequence of operations is given as under:
" Idle state
Call Request Signal
Calling Line Identification (CLI)
Determination of Originating Class of Service
Identification of Calling Party
Connection to the Calling Line
Proceed to Send Signal
Address Signal
Selection of Outgoing Line Termination
190 Electronic Switching

" Determination of Terminating Class of Service

Testing Called Line Tormination
Status Signal
Connection to Called Line Termination
Altering Called Customer
" Answer Signal
" Completion of the Connection
" Conversational State
" Clear Signals
" Release of Connection
These sequence of operations are described in Table (4.1).
194
Electronic Switching

which thecalling
Uptonow we have discussed sequence of operations takes placeinfrom one state to
and called subscribers' lines and the connections to them change
another in normal way.
cope with abnormalsituations.
" However, the switching system alsoneeds tobe able to
connection establishment and
" There are various abnormal situations in telephony but the other does not."
release such as Difficulties arise when one party clears

Called Subscriber Held (CSH)

caller does not, then thecalled
" If the called subscriber replaces the handset but the
to originate or receive
line is still held and the subscriber or customer is unable
Held (CHS) condition.
further calls. This is known as the Called Subscriber

Permanent Loop Condition

but the called subscriber does not,
If the calling subscriber (caller) replaces the hand set
on the line looks to the telephone
the connection is released, but the loop still present
be made to it, but there will be
exchange ike a calling condition. A new connection will
response to dial tone. This is called the permanent loop condition. It is also known as
no
resulted in a lamp remaining alight on
the permanent Glow Condition (PG) because it
astrowger selector.
number arises from earth faults
The PG condition is particularly harmful ifa large
on lines when a cable is damaged.
exchange. All the registers
" The PG condition can result in congestion in telephonemade.
from being
can be held and genuine calls prevented
conditions in older systems
Called Subscriber Held (CSH) and Permanent Glow (PG)
maintenance technician.
can be removed through manual disconnection by a
abnormal conditions can be removed by
" In more modern switching systems, these
a time-out process.
" A time-out process is defined as:
of time, the connection is
If the condition persists for more than a certain period
automatically released.
necessary te
" Parked condition: When a line is forcibly released, it is therefore
replace the line termination in a state which the exchange can recognize as not
being a calling condition, but which the customer can remove by eventually replacn
the handset. This is called Parked Condition.
cireuit has two relays
" In an electromechanical switching system the customer's line
(i) Line Relay (L): This relay operates to the calling signal.
when connection
(ii) Cut-off Relay (K): T'his reluy removes the calling condition
is made to the ine.
Control of Switching Systems
195
" In SPCswitching system, these states correspond to two bits in the line store. The
combination can provide 22 = 4 states.
However, in normal operation, only 3 states out of 4 states are used. These are
given below in Table 4.2.
Table 4.2 Normal Operation of a Switching System
Line State Relay (L) States (K)
1. Line Idle 0

2. Line Calling 1
(But not yet connected)
3. Line Connected

Thus, the 4th State (1, 1) can be used to indicate that the line is Parked.

4.2.2 Signal Exchanges

In previous subsection (4.2.1), we have described various
processes (a sequence of
processes or operations) for a local call. These processes involve a number of actions
taken in response to signals.
The relative times of various signals involved in a local call are shown in Fig. 4.1.
Forward Signals: Signals sent in the direction away from the caller (calling line
subscriber) and towards the called subscriber line are called forward signals.
" Backward Signals: Signals sent towards the caller (calling line
away from the called subscriber line are called Backward Signals.
subscriber) and
" Forward signals pass from the caller to the telephone
exchange and from the
telephone exchange to the called subscriber (or customer). These signals are shown
in Fig. 4.2.
Backward signals pass from the telephone exchange to the caller and form the
called subscriber to the telephone exchange. There signals are
shown in Fig. 4.2.
" There is a handshake" protocol as shown in Fig. 4.2.
" Each signal should produce a response in the
opposite direction, thus verifying
correct operation, as follows:
O The call request signal is answered by the
O The address signal is answered by a proceed-to-send signal.
call-status signal.
U The answer signal is a response to the
alerting signal.
U The caller responds to the answer signal by
commencing the
The backward clear signal is a response to the forward clearconversation.
signal (or vice
versa).
196
Electronic Switching

Idle Idle
Call request (seize)
Connect to calling terminal
state
or
Event
Proceed tosend
Address signal
Connect tocalled terminal
Status signal
Alert called terminal
Answer
Connection
Clear signal
Disconnect

Time (not to scale)

Fig. 4.1 Various Timing of Signals Exchanged for a Local Call.
Call request
(seize)
Proceed to send

Address
Calling Status or Switching Alert
Called
terminal call progress system terminal
Answer
Answer
Forward clear Forward clear
Backward clear Backward clear

Fig. 4.2 Signal Exchange Diagram for a Local Call.

For a call over a junction between two

the customer's calling signal and
telephone exchanges, the actions between
connection to an outgoing line occur at the
originating telephone exchange.
" Then this originating exchange sends a seize signal to the terminating
" After the originating exchange has sent address information to the exchange.
exchange, the actions from receipt of the address terminating
subscriber take place at the terminating telephone information alerting the called
to
When the called subscriber sends the exchange.
angwer signal, this is extended back to the
originating exchange, in order that its supervision can
At the end of the call, the clear
signal commence.
originated
extended forward to the terminating telephone exchange by the callng subseriber
subscriber is sent back to and that from the called
the originating telephone exchange.
Control of Switching Systems
197
Roth exchanges then release their
The charging rate for a
connections.
long-distance call is
telephone exchange as part of the translation of normally determined at the trunk
or subscriber. the area code of the called
customer
For metering: lt is therefore
necessary for the supervisory apparatus at the trunk
telephone exchange to send meter pulses back over the junction to the originating
telephone exchange.
. For ticketing: When ticketing is employed the
Calling-Line dentification (CLI)
must be sent forward from the local telephone exchange at the start of the call
instead of meter pulses being sent back during it.
" In a electromechanical switching networks, signals
between telephone exchanges
are sent over the same inter-exchange circuits as thé calls to which they relate. This
is called Chanrel-Associated Signalling
(CAS).
" In SPC switching network, inter-exchange signals are generated by the SPC
in one exchange and asked upon by the processor in the other.
processor
" The signals can therefore be transferred over a high-speed data link diretly between
the two processors, instead of being transmitted over the speech connection. This is
called Common-Channel Signalling (CCS).
4.2.3 State Transition Diagrams

" We have studied in subsection 4.2.1that a call progresses from one sate to another
ln response to events.
"One event is the arrival of signal.
" An event may result in the performance of an action, often called task.
" The combination of the present state and a new event defines a task and performing
this results in the next state.
Sometimes there can be more than one possible next state, the choice depending on
the external information (e.g. depending on whether a called line is free or busy).
This sequence of operations can be clearly described by means of a state transition
diagram (STD).
" An international standard for STDs has been produced by the CCITT (New name
of CCITT is ITU-T).
" This standard is known as the Specification and Description Language (SDL).
" ITU-T is the International Telecommunication Union - Telephony.
Basic symbols defined by CCITT for the use in STDs are shown in Fig. 4.3(a). These
symbol% are defined as under:
(i) State Boxes:
" These are labelled with a number and title.
" Additional information may also be included in the box if
required.
198 Electronic Switching
(ii) Event Boxes:
These boxes have an intended arrow,indicating whether the event corresponds
to the receipt of a forward or backward signal.
(iii) Action Boxes:
These are rectangular boxes, except when the action is the sending of a
signal.
The box then has a protruding arrow, indicating whether the signal is sent
forward or backward.

Connector State
(from other diagram)
State no. Sate description
Idle
State box

Event name
Event box Seize

Operate
Normal action switch
Action
boxes
Send signal Accept

no
Decision box Test
yes

Connectors State State

(to other diagrams) 1 2

(a)

Line
state

*busy free invalid

(6)
Fig. 4.3 Symbols used in State Transition Diagram (STD) recommended by CCITT in their
Recommendation Z 101 (a) Basic Symbols, (b) Multiple Decision Box