The '''Commoncommon-network Networkinterface Interfacering''' (CNI ring) Ring''' provides [[Commoncommon-channel Channel Signalingsignaling]] (CCS) functionality on several [[Alcatel-Lucent]] SS7 products. It was introduced by [[Western Electric]] in the early 1980s but is still used today in all [[1AESS]] and [[4ESS]],<ref>[http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5592466/description.html US Patent 5592466 -– Network interconnect backup]</ref> offices, and most of the wireline [[5ESS]] offices.<ref>"Common channel signaling in the AT&T US 5ESS switch" Brown, R.B., Jr.; Holmes, C.V.; Lanoux, M.D.; Marciani, T.P. Proceedings of the IEEE, Volume 80, Issue 4, Apr 1992, pp. 618–627</ref>