Wescom switching
Encyclopedia
Wescom Switching Incorporated was a designer and manufacturer of PBXs and ACDs (under the 501 and 580 product name) from 1974 until its sale (along with Wescom Inc.) to Rockwell International
in 1980. Rockwell continued the development and marketing of the 580 product line until the 580 technology was sold to Ditran in 1982.
Wescom had a major presence in the T1 transmission industry at the time, and also was marketing the 501 Analog PBX.
Sam Pitroda
hired on at Wescom Inc around 1974, initiating the company on the path to the 580 Digital Switching System product which was a distributed processing stored program control PBX.. In addition to an Intel 8080 CPU complex, the heart of the 580 was the digital network frame which implemented a 64 kb Time-Division Multiplexing
digital network as the basic switching fabric of the 580 DSS. The first product in the family was the 3072 timeslot 580L-PBX which had a set of six Intel 8080
microprocessor pairs, for handling individual tasks in its control complex(State, Database, Console, Register, Trunk and Line micro complexes(CPU, memory, IPBs). Each of these actually consisted of redundant processor cards, and each micro card had dual 8080 chips using hardware matching between two 8080 chips. Faults detected on any of the online micros would automatically switch to its standby copy. Intercommunication between the various micros was loaded into the appropriate software queues and sent via the hardware Interprocessor buffers (IBPs). The 580L, M and S systems also incorporated a standby Network block which could switch seamlessly into operation without dropping existing calls if a Network fault was detected. The network blocks used memory locations to contain voice data. In smaller sized systems the tasks were combined in fewer physical processors. This led to the term "monogeneric" software and hardware for the various sized systems.
In about 1978 the development of the Automatic Call Distributor
s began, with the MACD (medium ACD) being released first at Frontier Airlines, followed by small and very small systems in short succession. By 1980, the 580 PBX and ACD development effort had effectively bankrupted Wescom with many vendors having placed the company on credit hold. Rockwell Intl purchased Wescom in 1980 solving Wescom's cash problems and embarking the company onto the common carrier market, creating the SCX product line. SCX provided the early backbone for the early MCI network after the break-up of AT&T. Rockwell already had a successful ACD business with the "Galaxy" system through their Collins Radio arm. Rockwell's interest in the 580 product line centered around its 100% non-blocking network frame that connected the voice paths within the system. The network frame actually had additional switching capability that would later be utilized to process digital connections.
The last of the 580 product line was probably sold in the early to mid 1990s by Ditran's successor Digital Transmission Inc. (DTI) who developed additional hardware and software to utilize the ACD platform for Enhanced 911
PSAPs and remote PSAPs.
Wescom Switching, Inc. had 16 patents issued which all related to the 580 product line. Some additional patents were issued after the sale to Rockwell as well.
Rockwell International
Rockwell International was a major American manufacturing conglomerate in the latter half of the 20th century, involved in aircraft, the space industry, both defense-oriented and commercial electronics, automotive and truck components, printing presses, valves and meters, and industrial automation....
in 1980. Rockwell continued the development and marketing of the 580 product line until the 580 technology was sold to Ditran in 1982.
Wescom had a major presence in the T1 transmission industry at the time, and also was marketing the 501 Analog PBX.
Sam Pitroda
Sam Pitroda
Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda popularly known as Sam Pitroda is an inventor, entrepreneur and policymaker. Currently Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure & Innovations, he is also widely considered to have been responsible for India’s communications revolution...
hired on at Wescom Inc around 1974, initiating the company on the path to the 580 Digital Switching System product which was a distributed processing stored program control PBX.. In addition to an Intel 8080 CPU complex, the heart of the 580 was the digital network frame which implemented a 64 kb Time-Division Multiplexing
Time-division multiplexing
Time-division multiplexing is a type of digital multiplexing in which two or more bit streams or signals are transferred apparently simultaneously as sub-channels in one communication channel, but are physically taking turns on the channel. The time domain is divided into several recurrent...
digital network as the basic switching fabric of the 580 DSS. The first product in the family was the 3072 timeslot 580L-PBX which had a set of six Intel 8080
Intel 8080
The Intel 8080 was the second 8-bit microprocessor designed and manufactured by Intel and was released in April 1974. It was an extended and enhanced variant of the earlier 8008 design, although without binary compatibility...
microprocessor pairs, for handling individual tasks in its control complex(State, Database, Console, Register, Trunk and Line micro complexes(CPU, memory, IPBs). Each of these actually consisted of redundant processor cards, and each micro card had dual 8080 chips using hardware matching between two 8080 chips. Faults detected on any of the online micros would automatically switch to its standby copy. Intercommunication between the various micros was loaded into the appropriate software queues and sent via the hardware Interprocessor buffers (IBPs). The 580L, M and S systems also incorporated a standby Network block which could switch seamlessly into operation without dropping existing calls if a Network fault was detected. The network blocks used memory locations to contain voice data. In smaller sized systems the tasks were combined in fewer physical processors. This led to the term "monogeneric" software and hardware for the various sized systems.
In about 1978 the development of the Automatic Call Distributor
Automatic call distributor
In telephony, an Automatic Call Distributor , also known as Automated Call Distribution, is a device or system that distributes incoming calls to a specific group of terminals that agents use. It is often part of a computer telephony integration system.Routing incoming calls is the task of the ACD...
s began, with the MACD (medium ACD) being released first at Frontier Airlines, followed by small and very small systems in short succession. By 1980, the 580 PBX and ACD development effort had effectively bankrupted Wescom with many vendors having placed the company on credit hold. Rockwell Intl purchased Wescom in 1980 solving Wescom's cash problems and embarking the company onto the common carrier market, creating the SCX product line. SCX provided the early backbone for the early MCI network after the break-up of AT&T. Rockwell already had a successful ACD business with the "Galaxy" system through their Collins Radio arm. Rockwell's interest in the 580 product line centered around its 100% non-blocking network frame that connected the voice paths within the system. The network frame actually had additional switching capability that would later be utilized to process digital connections.
The last of the 580 product line was probably sold in the early to mid 1990s by Ditran's successor Digital Transmission Inc. (DTI) who developed additional hardware and software to utilize the ACD platform for Enhanced 911
Enhanced 911
Enhanced 911, E-911 or E911 in North America is one example of the modern evolution of telecommunications based system meant as an easy way to link people experiencing an emergency with the public resources that can help. The dial-three-digits concept first originated in the United Kingdom in 1937....
PSAPs and remote PSAPs.
Wescom Switching, Inc. had 16 patents issued which all related to the 580 product line. Some additional patents were issued after the sale to Rockwell as well.