Dar es Salaam institute of Technology

(DIT)
ETU 07420
Switching Systems
Ally, J
jumannea@gmail.com

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Telecommunication Switching
Systems

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Introduction

Telecommunication system is an important and integral part of

modern society.
In addition to public switched telephone network (PSTN), it plays
vital role in radio and television networks, internet and
Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks.
The switching system provides various services to the subscribers.
The switching system is a collection of switching elements arranged
and controlled in such a way as to setup a communication path
between any two distant points.
The process of transferring message from one place to another (or
line to line) is called switching related to outside the switching plant
or systems.
There are three types of switching namely a circuit switching,
message switching and packet switching.
In telecommunication switching, the circuit switching and message
switching are used.
The switching technique used in computer communication network
or data transfer is packet switching.

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Classes of Switching System

There are three classes of switching system based on the division of

information in space, time and frequency.
They are Space division switch, Time division switch and Frequency
division switch.
The space division switch provides fixed path for the entire duration
of a call. Simplicity, unlimited bandwidth, cross talk limitations are the
advantages of space division switches. But these space switches
are slow to operate, bulky, and involves large amount of wiring.
In time division switching, all inlets and outlet one connected to a
common switch mechanism. The switch is fast and compact. Thus
time division switches have more practical value only when the
signal is already in digital form.
In frequency division switching, the incoming signal is modulated
onto a different carrier frequency. Switching is achieved if each outlet
is provided with a demodulator which can have its carrier frequency
changed. Other than radio communication, until recently, there was
no practical applications with this switching. Frequency division
switching is now finding applications in demand assigned satellite
communication links.

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Requirements of Switching System

High availability. The telephone system must be very reliable. System reliability can
be expressed mathematically as the ratio of uptime to sum of the uptime and down
time.

High speed. The switching speed should be high enough to make use of the
switching system efficiently. The speed of switching depends on how quickly the
control signals are transmitted.
Low down time. The down time is the total time the switching system is not operating
satisfactorily. The down time is low enough to have high availability. The unavailability
of switching system may be due to failure of equipments, troubles in transmission
media, human errors in switching etc.
Good facilities. A switching system must have various facilities to serve the
subscriber. For example wake up calls, address identification on phone number or
phone number identification on address, recording facilities, quick service for the
emergency numbers, good accessibility etc. Also it should have good servicing
facilities in case of repair of equipments, skilled technicians, standby systems, etc.
Good facilities is possible any switching system whether it is at rural or town or in
cities, if that exchange is not overloaded.
High security. To ensure satisfied or correct operation (i.e. providing path and
supervising the entire calls to pass necessary control signals) provision should be
provided in the switching system. Duplicated common control circuits, registers,
processors and standby systems are used provide high security.

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Functions of Switching System

The switching office performs the following basic functions irrespective of the system
whether it is a manual or electromechanical or electronic switching system.
Identity. The local switching center must react to a calling signal from calling
subscriber and must be able to receive information to identify the required destination
terminal seize.
Addressing. The switching system must be able to identify the called subscriber from
the input information. .
Finding and pathsetup. Once the calling subscriber destination is identified and the
called subscriber is available, an accept signal is passed to the switching system and
calling subscriber. Based on the availability, suitable path will be selected.
Busy testing. If number dialled by the calling subscriber is wrong or the called
subscriber is busy (not attending the phone) or the terminal may be free (lifting the
phone) but no response (not willing to talk or children handling), a switching system
has to pass a corresponding voice message or busy tone after waiting for some time
(status).
Supervision. Once the path is setup between calling and called subscriber, it should
be supervised in order to detect answer and clear down conditions and recording
billing information.
Clear down. When the established call is completed, the path setup should be
disconnected.
Billing. A switching system should have a mechanism to meter to count the number
of units made during the conversation. The cumulative number of units made for a
particular duration by the calling subscriber is calculated. This information and if any
should be sent to the called subscriber.

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Classification of Switching System

In early days, the human exchange provided switching facilities.

In manual exchanges, a human operator and the elements like
switches, plugs and sacks were used to connect two
subscribers.
Around 1890s many electromechanical switching devices were
introduced.
Till 1940, different electromechanical switching system were
invented like strowger and cross bar switching system.
The later invention of electronic switching system (ESS) which
uses stored program control (SPC) and computer controlled
switching systems are presently dominating the worldwide
exchanges.

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Stored Program Control (SPC)

Exchange
In 1965, Bell system
installed the first computer
controlled switching system which uses a stored
program digital computer for its control functions.
The SPC concepts permits the features like
abbreviated dialing, call forwarding, call waiting etc.
The SPC provides significant advantages to end
users.
The SPC enables easier number changes,
automated call tracing message unit accounting (for
billing) etc.

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Basic of SPC

In Stored Program Control (SPC), a program or a set of

instructions are stored in its memory and executed automatically
one by one by the processor.

Carrying out the exchange control functions through programs

stored in the memory of a computer led to the name stored
program control.

A computer can be programmed to test the conditions of the

inputs and last states and decide on new outputs and states.

The decisions are expressed as programs which can be rewritten

to modify or extend the functions of control system.

All switching systems manufactured for use as public switching

systems now use computers and software programming to control
the switching of calls.

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Basic Control Structure of SPC

The SPC uses processors designed to meet the various requirements

of the exchange. More than one processors are used for the reliability.
Also the SPC system uses distributed software and hardware
architectures.
To carry over the maintenance functions of the switching system, a
separate processor is used.

There are two types in SPC exchanges, namely centralized SPC and
distributed SPC.

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How to organise stored program

There are two approaches
to organizing
stored program control
control
(SPC)
(SPC):

Centralized: In this control, all the control equipment is replaced by

a single processor which must be quite powerful.
Distributed: In this control, the control functions are shared by
many processors within the exchange itself.

Typically Centralized SPC Organization

Centralized SPC

Early electronic switching systems are centralized SPC exchanges and

used a single processor to perform the exchange functions.
Presently centralized exchanges uses dual processor for high reliability.
All the control equipments are replaced by the processors.
A dual processor architecture may be configured to operate in standby
mode, synchronous duplex mode, and Load sharing mode.
Standby mode: In this mode, one processor is active and the other is on
standby, both hardware and software wise. The standby processor
brought online when active processor fails.
Synchronous duplex mode: In this mode, hardware coupling is

provided between the two processors which execute the same set of
instructions and compare the results continuously. If a mismatch
occurs, the faculty processor is identified and taken out of service
immediately.
Load sharing mode: In load sharing operation, an incoming call is
assigned randomly or in a predetermined order to one of the
processors which then handles the call right through completion.
Thus both the processors are active simultaneously and share the
load and the resources dynamically.

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Availability

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Availability (2)
Dual Processor. A dual processor system is said to have failed only
when both processor fails and the total system is unavailable. The
MTBF of dual processor is given by

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Example
Given that MTBF = 2000 hrs and MTTR = 4 hrs. Calculate the
unavailability for single and dual processor systems for 10
years and 30 years.

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Distributed SPC

The introduction of distributed SPC enabled customers to be provided

with a wider range of services than those available with centralized and
electromechanical switching system.
The distributed SPC offers better availability and reliability than the
centralized SPC.
Vertical decomposition, the exchange environment is divided into
several blocks and each block is assigned to a processor that performs
all control functions related to that block of equipments.
Horizontal decomposition, each processor performs one or some of the
exchange control functions.

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Advantages of SPC in Telephone

Switching
Easy to control

Easy to maintain

Flexible

Wide range of services can be provided to

customers.

Increase level of automotive in switching

Switching Techniques

Switches are hardware and/or software devices used to connect

two or more users temporarily.
Message switching, circuit switching and packet switching are the
most important switching methods.
The terminals of the message switching systems are usually
teleprinters. This switching is also called store and forward
switching.
The circuit switching sets up connection between the telephone,
telex networks etc, which interchange information directly. Thus
circuit switching is also referred as lost call system.
The modified form of message switching is called packet switching.
Packet switching system carries data from a terminal or computer
as a short packets of information to the required destination.
This system is midway between message switching and circuit
switching.

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Message Switching

In message switching, there is no direct link between the sender and

the receiver.
A message delivered to the destination is rerouted along any path
before it reaches the destination. It was common in 1960s and 1970s.
In message switching no complete connection is required. Thus the
each message includes a header contains the destination address,
routing information and priority information (for special cases).

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Circuit Switching

Circuit switching creates a direct physical connection between

two devices such as phones or computers.

In order to setup a direct connection over many links it is

necessary that each link to be simultaneously free.

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Packet Switching

The first packet switching system Arpanet, was developed

by the U.S. Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) in 1969.
The data stream originating at the source is divided into
packets of fixed or variable size.
Each packet contains a portion of the users data plus
some control information.
Routing control decides how the network will handle the
stream of packets as it attempts to route them through the
network and deliver them to the intended destination.
The routing decision is determined in one of two ways.
They are
Datagram
Virtual circuit

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Datagram

In datagram, each packet within a stream is independently routed.

A routing table stored in the router (switch) specifies the outgoing link
for each destination. The table may be static or it may be periodically
updated.
In the second case, the routing depends on the routers estimate of the
shortest path to the destination.
Therefore each packet must contain bits denoting the source and
destination.

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Virtual Circuit

In virtual circuit, a fixed route is selected before any data is transmitted

in a call setup phase similar to circuit switched network.
All packets belonging to the same data stream follow this fixed route
called a virtual circuit.
Packet must now contain a virtual circuit identifier.
Once the virtual circuit is established, the message is transmitted in
packets.

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Circuit Switch and Packet Switch Comparison

Circuit Switching

Packet Switching

Dedicated transmission path.

No dedicated transmission path.

Transmission of data.

Transmission of packets.

Operate in real time.

Near real time.

Message not stored.

Message held for short time.

Path established for entire message.

Route established for each packet.

Call setup delay.

Packet transmission delay.

Busy signal if called party busy.

No busy signal.

Blocking may occur.

Blocking cannot occur.

User responsible for message-loss

protection.

Network may be responsible for each

packet but not for entire message.

No speed or code conversion.

Speed and code conversion.

Fixed bandwidth transmission.

Dynamic use of bandwidth.

No overload bits after initial setup

delay.

Overload bits in each packet.

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Thanks!

Technology changes but communication lasts.

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