At&t Bell Laboratories

John J Kulzer

Reinhard Metz

John R Colton

Charles D Gavrilovich

Richard N Kennedy, Jr

Teresa L Russell

Larry A Russel

This invention relates to apparatus and a method for controlling a Digital Access and Crossconnect System (DACS) from a connected toll switching system. All control messages from operations support systems (OSS) for making crossconnect changes in the DACS are first routed to the toll switch. The toll switch extracts information needed to update its database and sends a control message to the DACS. In addition, the toll switch responds to changes in traffic patterns, perhaps due to the loss of a transmission facility, to generate a crossconnect change message to the DACS to rearrange facilities for more optimum performance. Advantageously, the OSSs for DACS control and switch control is combined and the toll network is made more responsive to traffic pattern changes and to losses of transmission facilities. Also disclosed are embodiments where a DACS interconnection arrangement is integrated into a switching system, under a common control structure, in a local, central office wire center, and an embodiment where the interconnection arrangement is implemented using add/drop multiplexers connected in a fiber ring in a distributed architecture rather than using a DACS.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

John J Kulzer