Analog signal summing conference circuit

A method for establishing a simultaneous interchange of information among plural conference ports, each of which ports contains terminals for transmitting the analog information signal of a respectively associated conferee and terminals for receiving the combined analog information signals from the other ports, a portion of which combined analog information signals is retransmitted through such port to the transmitting terminal thereof, the method comprising the steps of:

• 1. combining the information signals transmitted by first and second sets of ports to create respective first and second composite signals,
• 2. combining the first composite signal with the information signals transmitted by a selectable third set of ports, excluded from the first set of ports, in selectable phases to create a third composite signal,
• 3. distributing the first composite signal to the third set of ports via resistive electrical pathways,
• 4. distributing the second and third composite signals respectively to fourth and fifth sets of ports via resistive electrical pathways, and
• 5. distributing the information signals transmitted by the ports to selectable ones of the ports via resistive electrical pathways, which pathways bear resistance value relationships to the pathways which conduct the composite signals to each port.