Modular telecommunication system

摘要

A modular telecommunication system comprises a plurality of switching blocks and a plurality of inter-connecting lines for interconnecting the switching blocks. Each of the switching blocks includes a multiplicity of line terminators each adapted to be connected to a respective data terminal. A communications controller is provided in each switching block for controlling local data exchange between pairs of line terminators connected thereto across real channels. A virtual channel controller is connected to the communications controller and controls remote data exchange across interconnecting lines via virtual channels between a locally associated data terminal and a data terminal associated with a different switching block. A central processing system is connected to the virtual channel controller and controls setting up switching operations within both the virtual channel controller and the communications controller. Interface units are arranged between the virtual channel controller and a respective one of the inter-connecting lines for providing remote data exchange between data terminals each associated with a different switching block. The virtual channel controller above all is a switching unit for routing information transfers from one of the devices connected thereto to one of the others and is provided with a direction memory for storing address control information for controlling communication links across the virtual channels.