Integrated automatic call distribution facility and PBX system

An automatic call distribution (ACD) and private branch exchange telecommunications switching system comprising:

• a switching network having a plurality of incoming trunks, including a group of ACD trunks, and a plurality of lines, a first group of which are coupled to voice communication positions and a second group of which are coupled to ACD positions;
• a PBX control circuit including means for detecting calls on non-ACD incoming trunks and for directing the switching network to establish connections between said trunks and said voice communication positions and for communicating information concerning incoming calls on ACD trunks;
• an ACD control circuit communicating asynchronously with said PBX control circuit including means for receiving from the PBX control circuit information of incoming calls on ACD trunks and for processing said information to produce a connection command which is coupled to the PBX control circuit for directing the switching network to connect an ACD trunk having an incoming call with an ACD position;
• and
• means for communicating data between said ACD control circuit and the ACD positions on separate data lines.

An integrated ACD and PBX system for a multiplicity of communication lines comprising:

• switching means for interconnecting pairs of said lines in response to interconnection instructions;
• PBX control means for producing said interconnection instructions and coupling them to the switching means, an interconnection instruction for an incoming communication on a line in a first group of said lines being determined by the PBX control means and an interconnection instruction for an incoming communication on a line in a second group of said lines being received by the PBX control means;
• ACD control means for producing an interconnection instruction for an incoming communication on a line in the second group of lines and for coupling said instructions to the PBX control means;
• and
• means for communicating data concerning an interconnection made by the switching means in response to said instruction to a position by means other than said interconnected lines.