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Abstract

This invention provides a method of assigning a first control processor to the service set of a second control processor in a distributed-control communications system having control processors coupled with ports of the system. The method comprises the step of transmitting through the system a service-set assignment message in a control burst to the first control processor, the assignment message including the port address of the second control processor. The assignment message may be sent by a third control processor or by the second control processor. The assignment message may be sent as a result of the failure of some control processor, the addition of a new control processor, or to make the workloads of the control processors more evenly distributed. There is also provided a method of installing a second control processor into a distributed-control communications system having at least one first control processor. The method comprises the steps of installing the hardware, installing the software, and assigning as above the second control processor to the service set of the first control processor. In preferred embodiments, the software may be downloaded and/or started-up within the system. These methods are not dependent on any particular control structure. In the disclosed control hierarchy, a port processor may be assigned to the service set of a call or administrative processor, and a call processor may be assigned to the service set of an administrative processor. A control burst is a communication between control processors for administrative purposes in a burst-switching communications system.

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First Claim