Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for eliminating the need to access those telephone lines that do not have to be tested while still using the sequential line accessing capabilities of the central office switching equipment. As a result dial access time is minimized without the penalty of having to test non-operational lines. This is accomplished by creating an exceptions list which identifies each line that is not to be tested, by creating a record of the next telephone line to be tested, by comparing this record against the exceptions list. If the next line to be tested appears on the exceptions list, the record of the number of the line to be tested is again incremented and such record is again compared with the exceptions list. When a number is reached that does not appear on the exceptions list, that number is then tested, the record is incremented and the process continues. Advantageously, the record of the numbers being tested and the exceptions list are maintained in registers controlled by a microprocessor in the supervisor unit described in the above referenced applications, and the comparison between the record and the exceptions list is made by that microprocessor.

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First Claim