Digital telecommunications network, cross-connect module

In a digital telecommunication network having the capability of transmitting digital signals at speeds in excess of 40 million bites per second (Mbps), a digital signal cross-connect terminal unit having a plurality of digital cross-connect modules for interconnecting various digital telecommunication apparatus within the network and for providing a central access point for monitoring, testing, and temporarily reconnecting the various digital telecommunication apparatus;

• in which one or more of the modules in such terminal unit comprises:
• (a) a compact, self-contained module housing having (1) a front panel, and (2) a back panel spaced a desired distance from the front panel;
• (b) at least four coaxial jacks mounted to the front panel for separately receiving electrical plugs, such as patch cord plugs and looping plugs, and defining an input jack, an output jack, a cross-connect input jack, and a cross-connect output jack;
• (c) at least four coaxial cable connectors mounted to the rear panel defining (1) an input connector normally connected through a coaxial cable to a signal input portion of one telecommunication apparatus, (2) an output connector normally connected through a coaxial cable to the signal output portion of the one telecommunication apparatus, (3) a cross-connect input connector normally connected through a coaxial cable to a signal input portion of a second telecommunication apparatus, and (4) a cross-connect output connector normally connected through a coaxial cable to a signal output portion of the second telecommunication apparatus;
• (d) a coaxial input conductor extending between the front and back panels having one end permanently connected to the input jack and an opposite end permanently connected to the input connector;
• (e) a coaxial output conductor extending between the front and back panels having one end permanently connected to the output jack and an opposite end permanently connected to the output connector;
• (f) a coaxial cross-connect input conductor extending between the front and back panels having one end permanently connected to the cross-connect input jack and opposite end permanently connected to the cross-connect input connector;
• (g) a coaxial cross-connect output conductor extending between the front and back panels having one end permanently connected to the cross-connect output jack and an opposite end permanently connected to the cross-connect output connector;
• (h) an input jack switch mounted internally within the module housing, (1) for electrically bridging the input conductor and the cross-connect input conductor to interconnect the signal input portion of the first and second telecommunication apparatus, when a plug is absent from both the input jack and the cross-connect input jack;
• and (2) for isolating the input conductor or the cross-connect input conductor from the other, when a plug is inserted into the respective jack;
• and
• (i) an output jack switch mounted internally within the module housing (1) for electrically bridging the output conductor and the cross-connect output conductor to interconnect the signal output portions of the first and second telecommunication apparatus, when a plug is absent from both the output jack and the cross-connect output jack;
• and (2) for isolating the output conductor or the cross-connect output conductor from the other, when a plug is inserted in the respective jack.