Multipoint polling technique

摘要

A multipoint polling system wherein a multipoint switch selectively connects a plurality of remote terminals to a central station in response to remote terminal addresses transmitted on a signaling path to the multipoint switch. Polling apparatus stores portions of a remote terminal address list provided by the central station and transmits individual ones of the stored remote terminal addresses on to the signaling path. The polling apparatus periodically requests different portions of the remote terminal address list and replaces the stored remote terminal address portion with the requested remote terminal address portion.