MODULE 2

DIGITAL SWITCHING SYSTEMS: Switching system hierarchy, Evolution of digital

Digital Switching Systems, Syed R. Ali, TMH Ed 2002.

1.1 Introduction

The three categories of telephone system are

• Circuit switching

• Station equipment

• Transmission

1.2 Digital switching system analysis

System analysis and design is defined as the process of developing user requirement and designing
systems to achieve them effectively. An exchange or central office (e.g., PBX-private branch
exchange) is a large complex system comprising many subsystems, each with unique
characteristics and functionalities. In order to analyze the DSS, basic understanding of the
subsystems and their functionality is necessary.

1.2.1 Purpose of analysis

The purpose of analyzing a DSS is to understand the reliability of the system. the modern private
branch exchange (PBX) support both telephone services and internet access to the user. Due to
increase in the usage of internet, the users always depend on the electronic data transfer. So in this
case the DSS should be reliable, data should be secured and efficient.

Modern DSSs are very complex systems. So an engineer requires guidance in order to analyze the
system. In order to understand the reliability of a DSS, a professional must know the working of
the DSS along with software and hardware reliability and architecture of DSS.

To analyze the DSS understanding of the following approaches is necessary.

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 • Understand the architecture of the DSS; a hypothetical generic DSS is developed. This
model has high-level subsystems.
• The path of some common calls through the generic DSS is traced.
• Understand the communication and control that are required for DSS.
• Understand the different types of call switching technologies used in the DSS.
• Explore the reliability models that describe the subsystems of a typical DSS.
• The software architecture of DSS along with assessment and prediction of software quality
are covered.
• Operational and maintenance issues of a DSS that may impact its operational reliability are
explored.
• Reliability models for network elements that interface with DSS are created

1.2.2 Basic central office linkages

Basic central office (CO) and its linkages to other facilities are shown in figure 2.13

Main distribution frame (MDF): It is the location where all lines and other related links are cross
connected to the CO switch. It is also called as line side of a switch.

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All the lines from subscriber terminate in the MDF. It has two sides: a vertical and a horizontal.
The subscriber cables terminate on the vertical side. The wiring from the DSS referred to as line
equipment terminates on the horizontal side. The assignment process for subscriber to line
equipment is usually automated.

Trunk distribution frame (TDF): It is the location where all trunks and other related links are
cross connected to the CO switch. It is also called as trunk side of a switch.

All trunk cabling from different location terminates in the TDF. TDF has two sides: a vertical and
a horizontal. The trunk cables terminate on the vertical side. The wiring from the DSS referred to
as trunk equipment terminates on the horizontal side. The assignment process for trunk to trunk
equipment is usually automated.

Power plant: A combination of power converters, battery systems and emergency power sources
with supply basic -48- V and +24-V DC power and protected AC power to a group of CO switches.
A PDF (power distribution frame) is used to provide special voltage conversions and protections
for the CO.

Carrier facilities: these provide the carrier or multiplex transmission mode between CO and with
other parts of the telephone network. These facilities use co-axial cables (land or undersea) and
radio and satellite systems. They terminate on TDF for cross connection to the DSS.

Digital cross connect: Digital X connect provides automatic assignment and cross connections
of trunks to DSS. It can be considered a small switching system for trunks.

Special services: these services include emergency calls, customer care services and data services.

1.2.3 Outside plant versus inside plant

In order to analyze the DSS, the classification of the inside plant and outside plant of switching
network element is necessary.

Any element of telephony equipment outside the CO box, such as MDF and carrier system, is
classified as outside plant. CO equipment such as central processors, switching fabric, and tone
generators, are called as inside plant.

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1.3 Switching system hierarchy

Calls through the switching network follow a hierarchical path. The search for a path is through
the class 5, class 4, class 3, class 2, and class 1. In addition, there is international gateway offices
(extension of class 1) used for international destination calls through cables, satellite, or
microwave. Below figure shows the switching system hierarchy.

Local exchange (class 5): It is also called to as End Office (EO) or Central office (CO). The
purpose of class 5is to connect the subscriber to toll centers via trunks and records the subscriber
billing information.

Tandem or toll office (class 4): A class 5 Cos interfaces with the tandem offices. Class 4 switches
primarily switch the trunk traffic between class 5 offices.

Primary toll center (class 3): the class 3 switches can be directly served by the class 4and class
5 offices, depending on the trunk deployment. Class 3 offices have the capability of storing,
modifying prefixing, translating, or code converting received digits as well as finding the most
efficient routing to higher-level toll offices.

Sectional toll center (class 2): class 2 switch acts as a toll center and can home into class 1 offices.

Regional toll center (class 1): class 1 switch acts as a toll center and can home into international
gateway offices. International gateway: These offices have direct access to International gateway
offices in other countries. They provide international operators assistance.

Advantages: It provides the efficient way of searching path via the network.

Disadvantages: If the primary network goes down, then entire network is inaccessible.

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1.4 Evolution of digital switching systems

Most of the design concepts of DSS come from the electro-mechanical telephony switching system
of the past. For instance, the control structure, call handling, alternative routing, billing, etc., all
evolved from earlier crossbar switching system. The early electronics system used crossbar
switches as its switching matrix or switching fabric.

1.4.1 Stored program control switching systems

The modern switching systems are controlled by the microcontrollers. It is a software-controlled

The earlier electronic switching system had temporary memory for storing transient call
information and some permanent memories to carry programming information. Simplified view
of telephony switch is shown in figure 2.15. it is also called as Stored Program control switching
system

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The basic function of an SPC system is to control line originations and terminations and to provide
trunk routing to other central or tandem offices. SPC also controls features and functions of a CO,
called as ancillary control. SPC system consists of central processor and all its peripherals are
controlled by central processor. These processors were duplicated for reliability.

The modern DSS consists of a number of processor and uses distributed software and hardware
architecture. The maintenance functions of a modern DSS are originated from SPC. A separate
processor will take care of the maintenance functions.

1.4.2 Digital switching system fundamentals

The concept of SPC is extended to modern DSSs. The basic element of DSS is similar to that of
SPC switching system. A switching system is called digital when the input and output from
switching system network can directly support digital signals. A digital signal can be defined as
coded pulses that can be used for signaling and control. However, analog signal can still be
processed through the DSS via analog to-digital (A/D) or digital-to-analog converters (D/A).

The evolution of digital switching from analog switching is shown in figures (a) to (d)

Figure (a) shows a typical analog switch with analog lines and trunks. It shows the trunk side and
line side of a switch. The basic functionality of switching system is to switch lines and trunks. The
main objective of the DSS is to switch the subscriber and trunk facilities.

Figure (b) shows the next step in the evolution of the DSS. This phase uses analog lines and analog
trunks but employs A/D and D/A converters for digital call processing of calls. The switching
element is digital means that digital signals are sent through the switch.

Figure (c) shows the next step in the digital switch; where digital switches talk to other digital
switch using digital trunks simultaneously supporting analog lines and trunks.

Figure (d) shows the ultimate, an all-digital linkage. Here there is no analog lines and trunks
involved; all communication between digital switches via digital signaling. This plan assumes that
all incoming and outgoing calls from the digital switch are digital.

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The modern DSS supports both audio, video and internet support. So still the modern DSSs support
analog and digital conversions. Optical switching is the future of the telephony switching. Optical
switching systems provide high-speed large bandwidth switching.

Optical switches are under development. In case of optical switching, optical-to-electrical (O/E)
and electrical-to-optical (E/O) conversions will be required.

1.4.3 Building blocks of a digital switching system:

Figure: (a) First stage with lines and trunk

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The development of DSS model is described in four stages. The four different stages are explained
below.

Stage1: Stage 1 of conceiving DSS are shown in figure (a) at this stage, all inputs and outputs to
(i.e., lines and trunks) DSS are defined. This stage explains the very basic kernel of a DSS, with
the switching fabric. The switching fabric switches lines and trunks under the control of a central
processor and network controller. Switching fabric is a “switched” path through the CO.

Stage2: Stage 2 of a DSS is shown in figure (b). The concepts of line modules (LMs) and trunk
modules (TMs) are introduced here. These are building blocks of a modern DSS. The lines or
trunks grouped together on circuit packs, called as line or trunk equipment, and connected to the
switching fabric through a controlling interface. Some DSS allow termination of only one line on
one line module, while others allow termination of multiple lines on a single line module. Both
schemes have pros and cons. The advantage of first method is, if a line module becomes defective,
the line can be easily assigned to a new piece of line equipment. The disadvantage of later method
is, if a line goes defective, this may impact a number of multiple lines if the line module carries
multiple lines. Similar schemes used for trunk and trunk modules.

Figure: (b) second stage with line modules and trunk modules

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Stage3: Stage 3 of a DSS is shown in figure (c). This stage introduces the concept of interface
controllers for LMs and TMs and distributed processing system. This stage replaces the Network
controller by Network control processors (NCP).

The task of controlling the switching fabric is usually assigned to a series of NCPs that control a
part of the switching matrix and a group of LMs and TMs. The central processor controls all the
network processors. Most of the DSS use the concept of central processor and the many NCP. this
helps in easy increase of network size.

Figure:(c) third stage with Network Control Processors

Stage4: Stage 4 is a final stage of a DSS and is shown in figure (d). This level presents the high
level design of a DSS equipped with interface controller and service circuits to the line and trunk
modules. In reality, it is an initial model of a DSS. Here duplicated scheme is introduced. Since
telephony processing is a nonstop process requires high reliability, and memory for processing the
telephonic events. Interface controller connects the LMs and TMs. The purpose of the service
circuits is to provide dial tone, ringing and other functions.

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 Figure:(d) fourth stage with redundant processor

1.5 Basic call processing

There are four types of calls processed through a digital switching system. They are

• Intra-LM calls

• Inter LM calls

• Incoming calls

• Outgoing calls

Intra-LM calls: It is a call within the digital switching system (DSS). For example when a
customer goes off -hook and dials a telephone number of another person who is connected to the
same line module. Intra LM call path is shown in figure (a)

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 Figure:(a) intra LM call (calls inside the line module)

The off-hook condition is detected by the line modules and service circuit provides the dial tone
to the calling customers. The LM requests the path through the switching matrix and processed by
the interface controller (IC), which in turn control the network control processor to assign the path.
Consequently a path is established between the called party and calling party through the switching
matrix and the service circuit provides the ringing tone.

Inter LM calls: Inter line module call is nothing but a call processing between two DSSs. For
example when a customer goes off -hook and dials a telephone number of another person who is
connected to another line module. Inter LM call path is shown in figure: (b)

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 Figure: (b) Inter LM calls (calls outside the line module)

Outgoing calls: When a line module processes a call which has terminating equipment outside the
central office (CO), the LM requests for the path through the switching matrix to a trunk module
via the interface controller (IC). IC works with the NCP to establish a path to an outgoing trunk.
Once a path is established through the switching matrix, the trunk module (TM) connects a service
circuit for the controlling the call to the called CO.

The special functions such as DTMF and out pulsing are provided trunk service circuits. An
outgoing call from an originating office is an incoming call to a terminating office. The paths for
the incoming and outgoing calls are shown in figure (c).

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 Figure: (c) incoming / outgoing call

Incoming calls: when a TM detects a incoming call, the trunk module requests for a path through
the switching matrix from the interface controller and the NCP. Once the path is detected the
switching matrix to LM that has the terminating line, the service circuit provides the ring to the
called telephone equipment.

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