Automatic ISDN switch

Abstract

An automatic ISDN switch for connection to at least one ISDN-BRI line and a plurality of different videoconferencing locations for automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to one videoconferencing location of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, comprising: a control unit for being placed in circuit communication with each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, the control unit generating a location signal corresponding to a particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations; and a switch bank in circuit communication with the control unit for receiving the location signal, for being placed in circuit communication with the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, and further for being placed in circuit communication with the at least one ISDN-BRI line, said switch bank automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to the particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations corresponding to the location signal generated by the control unit. In one embodiment of the present invention, an automatic ISDN switch automatically determines the location of the target videoconferencing location and switches the incoming ISDN-BRI lines to the target location without requiring any manual routing of ISDN-BRI lines. In another embodiment of the present invention, an automatic ISDN switch is in circuit communication with an external communication device via a communications link, with which a user causes the switch to automatically switch the incoming ISDN-BRI lines to the target location without requiring any manual routing of ISDN-BRI lines. Both embodiments eliminate the need for manual patch panels and dedicated, costly ISDN-BRI lines to all locations.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An automatic ISDN switch for connection to at least one ISDN-BRI line and a plurality of different videoconferencing locations for automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to one videoconferencing location of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, comprising: 
 (a) a control unit for being placed in circuit communication with each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, said control unit generating a location signal corresponding to a particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations; and    (b) a switch bank in circuit communication with said control unit for receiving the location signal, for being placed in circuit communication with the plurality of different videoconferencing locations, and further for being placed in circuit communication with the at least one ISDN-BRI line, said switch bank automatically switching the at least one ISDN-BRI line to the particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations corresponding to the location signal generated by the control unit.    
     
     
         2 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , 
 (a) wherein each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations comprises an ISDN receptacle, each of said plurality of ISDN receptacles for being placed in circuit communication with said control unit; and    (b) wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to an ISDN connector being inserted into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location.    
     
     
         3 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 2   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to an ISDN connector being inserted into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         4 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , 
 (a) wherein each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations comprises an ISDN receptacle, each of said plurality of ISDN receptacles for being placed in circuit communication with said control unit via at least first and second conductors; and    (b) wherein the insertion of an ISDN connector into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location significantly reduces the impedance between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location; and    (c) wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the impedance between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.    
     
     
         5 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 4   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the impedance between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         6 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , 
 (a) wherein each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations comprises an ISDN receptacle, each of said plurality of ISDN receptacles for being placed in circuit communication with said control unit via at least first and second conductors; and    (b) wherein the insertion of an ISDN connector into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location causes a change in the electrical relationship between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location; and    (c) wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the electrical relationship between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.    
     
     
         7 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 6   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the electrical relationship between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         8 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         9 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         10 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user turning on at least a portion of videoconferencing equipment in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         11 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user turning on at least a portion of videoconferencing equipment in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         12 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , wherein said control unit is located in an installed location and said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in a location different from the installed location where the control unit is located.  
     
     
         13 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 1   , wherein said control unit is located in an installed location and said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in a location different from the installed location where the control unit is located.  
     
     
         14 . An automatic ISDN switch for automatically switching at least one signal input, said signal input corresponding to at least one ISDN-BRI line, to at least one particular signal output of a plurality of signal outputs, each of said signal outputs corresponding to one videoconferencing location of a plurality of different videoconferencing locations, comprising: 
 (a) a control unit, said control unit generating a location signal corresponding to a particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations; and    (b) a switch bank in circuit communication with the at least one signal input and with the plurality of signal outputs, and further in circuit communication with said control unit for receiving the location signal, said switch bank automatically switching the at least one signal input to the at least one particular signal output of the plurality of signal outputs corresponding to the location signal generated by the control unit.    
     
     
         15 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to an ISDN connector being inserted into an ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         16 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 18   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to an ISDN connector being inserted into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         17 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , 
 (a) wherein each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations comprises an ISDN receptacle, each of said plurality of ISDN receptacles for being placed in circuit communication with said control unit via at least first and second conductors; and    (b) wherein the insertion of an ISDN connector into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location significantly reduces the impedance between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location; and    (c) wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the impedance between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.    
     
     
         18 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 20   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the impedance between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         19 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , 
 (a) wherein each of the plurality of different videoconferencing locations comprises an ISDN receptacle, each of said plurality of ISDN receptacles for being placed in circuit communication with said control unit via at least first and second conductors; and    (b) wherein the insertion of an ISDN connector into the ISDN receptacle in the particular one videoconferencing location causes a change in the electrical relationship between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location; and    (c) wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the electrical relationship between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.    
     
     
         20 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 22   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to detecting the change in the electrical relationship between the first and second conductors for the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         21 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         22 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         23 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user turning on at least a portion of videoconferencing equipment in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         24 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user turning on at least a portion of videoconferencing equipment in the particular one videoconferencing location.  
     
     
         25 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said control unit is located in an installed location and said control unit generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in a location different from the installed location where the control unit is located.  
     
     
         26 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said control unit is located in an installed location and said control unit automatically generates the location signal corresponding to the particular one videoconferencing location responsive to a user performing at least one action in a location different from the installed location where the control unit is located.  
     
     
         27 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 14   , wherein said signal outputs are hybrid ISDN lines.  
     
     
         28 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 15   , wherein said signal outputs are hybrid ISDN lines.  
     
     
         29 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 22   , wherein said signal outputs are hybrid ISDN lines.  
     
     
         30 . An automatic ISDN switch for automatically switching at least one signal input, said signal input corresponding to at least one hybrid ISDN line, to at least one particular signal output of a plurality of signal outputs, each of said signal outputs corresponding to one videoconferencing location of a plurality of different videoconferencing locations, comprising: 
 (a) a control unit, said control unit generating a location signal corresponding to a particular one videoconferencing location of the plurality of videoconferencing locations; and    (b) a switch bank in circuit communication with the at least one signal input and with the plurality of signal outputs, and further in circuit communication with said control unit for receiving the location signal, said switch bank automatically switching the at least one signal input to the at least one particular signal output of the plurality of signal outputs corresponding to the location signal generated by the control unit.    
     
     
         31 . The automatic ISDN switch of    claim 30   , wherein said signal outputs are hybrid ISDN lines.