Importance

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Abstract

This invention relates to arrangements for interconnecting a plurality of stand-alone switches by data and communication channels (the latter typically used for communicating voice signals) in such a way as to make the plurality of switches act as if they were one switch. The invention further relates to arrangements for permitting groups of lines, the groups connected to different stand-alone switches, to be treated essentially as if they were connected to a single switch. Each switch of a symbiotic network (a group of stand-alone switches) or a virtual symbiotic network (the grouping of the groups of lines) accesses pertinent data in its own data base or the data base of one of the other switches of the symbiotic or virtual symbiotic network and treats the results of such data base accesses as if they were made internally in the switch. For a symbiotic network the trunks of all the switches of the network going to a common destination (and one such common destination can be any of the switches of another symbiotic network) are grouped into a single group so that an outgoing call can readily be made over a trunk connected to any of the switches of the symbiotic network. Similarly, incoming trunks to any switch of the symbiotic network from a common external source can be grouped into a single trunk group at that external source (which can be another symbiotic network). Advantageously, such an arrangement provides a convenient way of achieving the advantages of a giant switch without requiring the capacity of such a switch and without requiring the geographic concentration of traffic necessary to keep the links to a giant switch reasonably short. Advantageously, a virtual symbiotic network provides an economical and flexible solution to the problem of providing services such as wide area Centrex.

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First Claim