Switching system having multiple parallel switching networks

Claim 2

A switching system for communicating data from a plurality of input ports to a plurality of output ports, comprising a first switching network responsive to a path request from one of said input ports for establishing the requested path through said first switching network; second switching network for communicating the data from said plurality of input ports to said plurality of output ports; said first switching network comprising means responsive to said path being set up through said first switching network for generating signals to control said second switching network; means for translating the generated signals to convert the path through said first network for use in controlling said second switching network; and said second switching network responsive to the translated signals for establishing a path for the communication of data from said one of said input ports to one of said output ports.

Claim 3

The switching system of claim 1 wherein said first switching network is of the self-routing switching type; and said second switching network utilizes a switching architecture other than said self-routing type.

Claim 4

The switching system of claim 2 wherein said first switching network further comprises means for indicating that a data path has been set up through said second switching network to said one of said output ports.

Claim 5

The switching system of claim 3 wherein said first switching network further comprises means for alerting said one of said input ports upon the requested path having been established.

Claim 6

The switching system of claim 4 wherein said first switching network is fabricated using one type of physical technology; and said second switching network is fabricated using another type of physical technology.

Claim 7

The switching system of claim 1 wherein said first switching network comprises a plurality of stages; said path request comprises a token having address signals designating one of said stages and control signals indicating a request function; means for transmitting another token for resolving contention within said designated stage to said designated stage; and said designated stage comprises means responsive to said token and said other token for generating said other signals.

Claim 8

The system of claim 6 wherein said designated stage further comprises means responsive to said token and said other token for modifying said control signals of said token; and means for communicating the modified token to said one of said input ports to indicate path set up.

Claim 9

The system of claim 7 wherein said designated stage further comprises means responsive to said token and said other token for modifying the control signals of said other token to indicate a path having been set up and to communicate the modified packet to said one of said output ports.

Claim 10

The switching system of claim 8 wherein said second switching network comprises a plurality of groups of switching nodes with each of said groups interconnecting one of said input ports to a individual one of said output ports; and said translation means responsive to a set of said generated signals for generating a path signal to control one of said switching nodes.

Claim 11

The switching system of claim 9 wherein said switching nodes comprise titanium diffused lithium niobate devices for photonically switching said data.

Claim 12

A switching system for communicating data from a plurality of input ports to a plurality of output ports, comprising a first switching network comprising a plurality of stages with each stage having a plurality of switch nodes; one of said switch nodes comprises a set of input and output terminals with the input terminal of said set interconnected to an individual switch node of the preceding stage and said output terminal of said set interconnected to an individual switch node of the subsequent stage; another set of input and output terminals with the input terminal of said other set connected to a preceding switch node of the same stage as said one of said switch nodes and said output terminal of said other set interconnected to the subsequent switch node of the same stage; means interconnected to said input and output terminals of said set responsive to a token indicating a request function from one of said input ports for determining that said token is designated for said one of switch nodes; means interconnected to said other set of input and output terminals responsive to another token received from the preceding switch node of said same stage for indicating path availability upon said other token being in the idle state; means responsive to receipt of the determined token and said other token indicating an idle function for generating a path signal to determine a path; second switching network for communicating the data from said plurality of input ports to said plurality of output ports; means for translating the generated path signal to convert said path through said first network for use to control said second switching network; and said second switching network responsive to the translated path signal for establishing a path for the communication of data from said one of said input ports to one of said output ports.

Claim 13

A switching system for communicating data from a plurality of input ports to a plurality of output ports, comprising a first switching network comprising a plurality of stages with each stage having a plurality of switch nodes; one of said switch nodes comprises a set of input and output terminals with the input terminal of said set interconnected to an individual switch node of the preceding stage and said output terminal of said set interconnected to an individual switch node of the subsequent stage; another set of input and output terminals with the input terminal of said other set connected to a preceding switch node of the same stage as said one of said switch nodes and said output terminal of said other set interconnected to the subsequent switch node of the same stage; means interconnected to said input and output terminals of said set responsive to a token indicating a request function from one of said input ports for determining that said token is designated for said one of switch nodes; means interconnected to said other set of input and output terminals responsive to another token received from the preceding switch node of said same stage for indicating path availability upon said other token being in the idle state; means responsive to receipt of the determined token and said other token indicating an idle function for generating a path signal to determine a path; second switching network for communicating the data from said plurality of input ports to said plurality of output ports; means for translating the generated path signal to convert said path through said first network for use to control said second switching network; and said second switching network responsive to the translated path signal for establishing a path for the communication of data from said one of said input ports to one of said output ports.

Claim 14

The system of claim 11 wherein said token comprises address signals and control signals for indicating the state of said token and said determining means comprises means responsive to said token for modifying said control signals to indicate a grant function; and means for communicating said modified token to another output port that signals said one of said input ports.

Claim 15

The system of claim 11 wherein said determining means further comprises means responsive to a second token received via said input terminal of said set whose control signals indicate a path tear down function of the determined path for ceasing to generate said path signal upon the receipt of a third token received via said input terminal of said other set indicating an idle state.

Claim 16

The system of claim 13 wherein said ceasing means comprises means for updating said control signals of said second token to indicate a path clear function; and said communicating means further responsive to the updated second token to communicate the latter token to said other output port that signals said one of said input ports to inform said one of said input ports that said path has been removed.

Claim 17

The system of claim 13 wherein said other token comprises address signals and control signals and said indicating means comprises means for modifying said control signals of said other token to indicate a path busy function; means for transmitting the modified other token to said one of said output ports thereby indicating that said path has been established.

Claim 18

The system of claim 15 wherein said indicating means further comprises means responsive to the receipt of said second token whose control signals indicate a clear path function to modify said third token whose control signals indicate an idle function so that said modified control signals indicate a clear path function; and said transmitting means further responsive to the modified third token for transmitting the latter token to said one of said output ports thereby indicating that the path has been removed.

Claim 19

The system of claim 16 wherein said second switching network comprises a plurality of groups of switch nodes with each of said groups capable of interconnecting one of said input ports to any of said output ports; and said translation means further responsive to said generated path signal for transmitting said translated path signal to one of said switch nodes of said second switching network thereby interconnecting said one of input ports to said one of said output ports.

Claim 20

The switching system of claim 17 wherein said switching nodes comprise titanium diffused lithium niobate devices for photonically switching said data.

Claim 21

The system of claim 16 wherein the switch nodes of each stage of said switch network are interconnected such that each of the input ports in comparison to each other have equal priority of being able to establish a path through said other switching network to all of said output ports.

Claim 24

The method of claim 20 wherein said path request comprises an address defining the path through said first network and said establishing step comprises the steps of: interrogating said address signals to determine said path through said first network by the latter network; and fixing said path through said first network by said latter network in response to said interrogated address signals.

Claim 25

The method of claim 21 further comprises the step of indicating that a data path has been set up through said second network to said one of said output ports by said first network.

Claim 26

The method of claim 22 further comprises the steps of alerting said one of said input ports upon the requested path having been established through said first network.

Claim 27

The method of claim 23 wherein said first network comprises a plurality of stages each having a plurality of switch nodes and said path request comprises a token having address signals designating one of said stages and control signals indicating a request function and a resolution control circuit for transmission of resolution control tokens for determining which switch node in a particular stage has priority, and said step of establishing comprises the steps of: transmitting one of said contention resolution tokens within the stage designated by said address signals of said token; and generating said path setup signals by one of said switch nodes within said designated stage in response to said token and said one of said contention resolution tokens.

Claim 28

The method of claim 24 wherein said alerting step further comprises the steps of: modifying the control signals of said token; and communicating the modified token to another output port that signals said one of said input ports to indicate path set up.

Claim 29

The method of claim 25 wherein said contention resolution token comprises contention control signals and said step of indicating comprises the steps of: modifying said contention control signals to indicate a path having been set up; and communicating the modified contention resolution packet to said one of said output ports.