Charles O Allison

US Patent:

41091132, Aug 22, 1978

Filed:

Oct 31, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/847214

Inventors:

Charles Eugene Allison - Holmdel NJ
Francis Michael Fenton - Middletown NJ
Tse Lin Wang - Matawan NJ
Carl Dennis Weiss - Little Silver NJ

Assignee:

Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated - Murray Hill NJ

International Classification:

H04Q 364

US Classification:

179 99

Abstract:

There is disclosed a communication system arrangement whereby the efficiency with which pooled facilities are used can be increased by reducing the number of lines that are dedicated to the pool. This is accomplished by making available to the pool, on a priority basis, lines that have been installed for other purposes, such as, for example, conference lines and private two-way lines. The system is arranged such that dedicated pooled lines have a higher priority than other lines which are available to the pool on a decreasing priority basis. In addition, each pooled set of lines at each station is given a visual indication using the system available lamp to indicate whether an idle line remains in the pool. This arrangement allows each station user to determine, without unnecessary seizure attempts, whether or not an available line exists in the pool.