EP0446493A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Routing logic means for a communication switching element
Assignee: Nokia Bell NV
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Filing: 1990-03-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-03-14
Abstract
Abstract Routing logic means (RL) for a communication switching element (ISE) of a self- routing multi- stage switching network and able to transfer cells or packets of information from any of its inlets (I1-32) to any of its outlets (O1-32). The outlets of the switching element are arranged in routing groups containing one or more of them and of which the identity is derived by the routing logic means from an output- port- address (OPA) identifying an output of the switching network and contained in the self- routing- tag (SRT) associated to the cell. This cell is then transferred to one of the outlets belonging to the selected routing group. The routing logic means (RL) are also able to control the transfer of a cell through the switching element according to the execution of a predetermined routing function selected amongst a plurality of routing functions (RS, DI, MC, BH, IS). This routing function to be executed is selected by the routing logic means according to a routing- control- code (RCC) also contained in the self- routing- tag (SRT) and each value thereof identifies a specific transfer pattern constituted by a predetermined sequence of routing functions to be executed in the switching elements (ISE) through the switching network (SN).
Inventors
- 👤 Michel André Robert Henrion
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:46
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/51; H03K17/56; H03K17/60; H03K17/62; H04; H04L; H04L45/00; H04L12/00; H04L12/02; H04L12/16; H04L12/18; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L45/16; H04L49/00; H04L49/10; H04L49/104; H04L49/105; H04L49/106; H04L49/25; H04L49/256; H04L49/30; H04L49/3081; H04L49/309
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
Routing logic means (RL) for a communication switching element (ISE) of a self- routing multi- stage switching network, said switching element being able to transfer information from any one of a plurality of inlets (I1/32) thereof to at least one of a plurality of outlets (O1/32) thereof according to routing data included in a self- routing tag (SRT) associated to said information, characterized in that said switching element (ISE) is provided with at least three of said outlets (O1/32), in that in each of said switching element (ISE) said outlets (O1/32) are arranged in at least one routing group, each of said routing groups including from one to all of said outlets, in that said routing logic means (RL) select at least one of said routing groups by deriving the identity thereof from said routing data which contains at least one output- port- address (OPA) of said switching network, and in that said information is transferred to one of said outlets (O1/32) belonging to each of said selected routing group.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
50 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 1, characterized in that said self- routing tag (SRT) includes a distribution indicator (DI) specifying at which stage of said switching network the switching element (ISE) thereof may transfer said information to any of its outlets (O1/32) when said distribution indicator is set.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 1, characterized in that the split- up of said outlets (O1/32) in said routing groups is dependent on the stage of said switching element (ISE) in said switching network, and in that said split- up is specified by first routing- mode parameters predetermined for each of said switching elements (ISE).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 3, characterized in that said first routing- mode parameters further indicate to said switching element (ISE) when said information may be transferred to one of said routing groups including all said outlets (O1/32).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 3, characterized in that said first routing- mode parameters allow said routing logic means (RL) to extract said routing group identity from said output- port- address (OPA) by indicating a number of bits (RGS) to be read and their position (POS) in said output- port- address (OPA).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 1, characterized in that said self- routing tag (SRT) includes a multicast indicator (MC) indicating that said switching element (ISE) has to transfer said information to a plurality of its routing groups when said multicast indicator is set, and in that said self- routing tag (SRT) further includes a multicast- tree- reference- number (IRN) which allows said routing logic means (RL) to address a multicast- branch- point memory (MCM) also included in said switching element (ISE) and containing the identities of a plurality (MSK) of said routing groups for each of said multicast- tree- reference- numbers (IRN).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 6, characterized in that said multicast indicator (MC) further specifies at which stage of said switching network the switching element (ISE) thereof has to transfer said information to a plurality of its routing groups when said multicast indicator is set.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 1, characterized in that said self- routing tag (SRT) includes a physical- routing indicator (PH) indicating to said switching element (ISE) that said information has to be transferred to one of said outlets (O1/32) of which the identity is derived by said routing logic means (RL) from at least a portion of said routing data when said physical- routing distribution indicator is set.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 8, characterized in that said routing logic means (RL) derive said identity of said outlet (O1/32) from said portion of said routing data by means of second routing- mode parameters predetermined for each of said switching elements (ISE) and specifying the position (POS) and the size (RGS) of said portion of said routing data to be used.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 1, characterized in that said self- routing tag (SRT) includes a dedicated- routing indicator (ES) specifying at which stage of said switching network the switching elements (ISE) thereof has to transfer said information to a predetermined dedicated outlet distinct from said outlets (O1/32) when said dedicated- routing indicator (ES) is set.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 3, characterized in that said inlets (I1/32) are grouped in a first (I1/16) and in a second (I17/32) sets of inlets, in that said outlets (O1/32) are grouped in a first (O1/16) and in a second (O17/32) sets of outlets, in that said information is transferred from said first set of inlets (I1/16) to said said first set of outlets (O1/16) according to a first transfer direction (A), in that said information is transferred from said second set of inlets (I17/32) to said said second set of outlets (O17/32) according to a second transfer direction (B), and in that said routing logic means (RL) use distinct ones of said first routing- mode parameters for said first (A) and for said second (B) transfer direction respectively in order to perform different routing functions according to selected output direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
115 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 11, characterized in that said information is transferred from said first set of inlets (I1/16) to said said second set of outlets (O17/32) according to a third transfer direction (C), in that said information is transferred from said second set of inlets (I17/32) to said said first set of outlets (O1/16) according to a fourth transfer direction (D), and in that said self- routing tag (SRT) includes a reflection indicator (EF) specifying, when said reflection indicator (EF) is set, at which stage of said switching network the switching element (ISE) thereof has to transfer said information according to said third (C) or to said fourth (D) transfer direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
174 words
Routing logic means (RL) for a communication switching element (ISE) of a self- routing multi- stage switching network, said switching element being able to transfer information from any one of a plurality of inlets (I1/32) thereof to at least one of a plurality of outlets (O1/32) thereof according to the execution of a predetermined routing function selected by said routing logic means (RL) amongst a plurality of routing functions (RS, DI, MC, PH, ES), characterized in that said switching element (ISE) is provided with at least three of said outlets (O1/32) and in that said information is associated to a self- routing tag (SRT) including a routing- control- code (RCC) which, in each of said switching elements (ISE), is used by said routing logic means (RL) to select one of said routing functions (RS, DI, MC, PH, ES) to be executed, each value of said routing- control- code (RCC) identifying a specific transfer pattern constituted by a predetermined sequence of routing functions to be executed by said switching elements (ISE) through said switching network.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 13, characterized in that said outlets (O1/32) are arranged in at least one routing group, each of said routing groups including from one to all of said outlets (O1/32), in that said routing logic means (RL) further select at least one of said routing groups according to said selected routing function, and in that said information is transferred to one of said outlets (O1/32) belonging to said selected routing group.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
116 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 14, characterized in that different routing group arrangements are defined in various stages of switching elements (ISE) in said switching network, in that said information is associated to an output- port- address (OPA) of said switching network, and in that said routing- control- code (RCC) allows said routing logic means (RL) to indicate to its associated switching element (ISE) that a point- to- point routing has to be performed and to select the corresponding routing group identity in said output- port- address (OPA) by means of derived pre- assigned routing- mode parameters (POS, RGS) for the concerned value of said routing- control- code (RCC) in said switching element (ISE).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
65 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 15, characterized in that said pre- asigned routing- mode parameters (POS, RGS) used to extract said routing group identity from said output- port- address (OPA), include parameters defining in each switching element (ISE) the position (POS) and size (RGS) of a portion of said output- port- address (OPA) which allows to identify the routing group to be selected.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
74 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 16, characterized in that other values of said routing- control- code (RCC) indicate that multicast routing has to be performed, said routing logic means (RL) then use a multicast- tree- reference number (IRN) included in said self- routing tag (SRT) to address a multicast- branch- point memory (MCM) and obtain the identities of the routing groups to which a copy of said information has to be transferred.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
71 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that still other values of said routing- control- code (RCC) indicate that said routing logic means (RL) have to perform a physical transfer to one of said outlet (01/32), the analysis of said routing- control- code (RCC) then provides position (POS) and size (RGS) parameters for physical- routing pointing to an address field in the self- routing tag (SRT).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 16, 17 or 18, characterized in that still other values of said routing- control- code (RCC) indicate that said routing logic means (RL) have to perform a dedicated routing to a predetermined dedicated outlet distinct from said outlets (01/32).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
146 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 16, 17, 18 or 19, characterized in that said inlets (I1/32) are grouped in a first (I1/16) and in a second (I17/32) sets of inlets, in that said outlets (O1/32) are grouped in a first (O1/16) and in a second (O17/32) sets of outlets, in that said information is transferred from said first set of inlets (I1/16) to said said first set of outlets (O1/16) according to a first transfer direction (A), in that said information is transferred from said second set of inlets (I17/32) to said said second set of outlets (O17/32) according to a second transfer direction (B), and in that said routing- control- code (RCC) is used differently depending on the required one of said transfer direction (A, B) so that distinct routing functions can then be performed for each of said transfer directions (A, B).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 20, characterized in that different sets of said routing mode parameters (POS, RGS) are used depending on the selected one of said transfer directions (A, B).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
89 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 20, characterized in that said information is transferred from said first set of inlets (I1/16) to said said second set of outlets (O17/32) according to a third transfer direction (C), in that said information is transferred from said second set of inlets (I17/32) to said said first set of outlets (O1/16) according to a fourth transfer direction (D), and in that said routing- control- code (RCC) allows to derive a reflection indicator (EF) to control the change of the selected output direction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
69 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to any claim from 13 to 22, characterized in that said routing- control- code (RCC) is used to address a routing- control- code translation memory (RCCTM) containing for each value of said routing- control- code (RCC) appropriate routing parameters (RT, EF, POS, RGS) to be used by said routing logic means (RL) to identify the appropriate routing group or individual outlet to be selected.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 23, characterized in that said appropriate routing parameters include said reflection indicator (EF), said routing- mode parameters and the type of routing to be executed.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
55 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 11 or 20, characterized in that said first (A) or said second (B) transfer direction is derived in each switching element (ISE) from the fact that said information is received on an inlet (I1/32) belonging to said first (I1/16) or to said second (I17/32) set of inlets respectively.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 11 or 20, characterized in that said first (A) or said second (B) transfer direction is explicitely indicated by a direction bit in said self- routing tag (SRT).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 26 and to claim 12 or 22, characterized in that said change of said transfer direction (A, B, C, D) modifies accordingly the status of said direction bit in said self- routing tag (SRT).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 15 16, 17, 20, 21, 22 or 23, characterized in that each of said routing groups only comprises one of said outlets (O1/32).
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said information is constituted by information cells or packets.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
Routing logic means (RL) according to claim 29, characterized in that the data of said self- routing tag (SRT) is contained in a control header of said cells or packets of information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
WO1986003355A1
Cited
EP0260364A2
Cited
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