Communications switching system

In a communication system comprised of a main controller, one or more peripheral subsystems, and a circuit switch matrix for performing time and space multiplex switching of time slot channels carrying digital voice and data signals between said peripheral subsystems under control of said main controller, a message system comprised of:

• (a) one or more communication controller means connected to said one or more subsystems and said circuit switch matrix, for transmitting and receiving network layer message signals in accordance with a bit-oriented data link protocool to and from said subsystems and in response transmitting and receiving link layer message signals to and from the circuit switch matrix during a predetermined one of said time slot channels,
• (b) a further communication controller means connected to said main controller and said circuit switch matrix, for transmitting and receiving said link layer message signals received and transmitted by said one or more communication controller means via said circuit switch matrix, and in response transmitting and receiving said network layer message signals in accordance with said bit-oriented data link protocol to and from the main controller, and
• (c) means included in each of said communication controller means for detecting errors in transmission of said link layer message signals and causing retransmission of said message signals in response thereto,
• whereby error free transmission and reception of message signals is effected simultaneously with voice and data signal transmission and reception.

A communication system, comprised of:

• (a) a main controller, for controlling time and space multiplex switching of voice and data signals,
• (b) one or more peripheral subsystems for transmitting and receiving said voice and data signals to and from a plurality of peripherals connected thereto during predetermined time slot channels, under control of respective peripheral control processors,
• (c) a circuit switch matrix connected to said main controller and said peripheral subsystems, for performing said time and space multiplex switching of said voice and data signals between said peripheral subsystems under control of said main controller, and
• (d) a plurality of communication controller means each connected to said circuit switch matrix, first predetermined ones of said communication controller means also being connected to respective ones of said peripheral control processors and a further one of said communication controller means also being connected to said main controller, for exchanging message signals between said respective ones of said peripheral control processors and said main controller via said circuit switch matrix in accordance with a bit-oriented data link protocol, during predetermined time shared ones of said time slot channels for each of said peripheral subsystems,
• whereby error-free transmission and reception of message signals is effected simultaneously with voice and data transmission and reception.