Patent US4627048A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4627048A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Routing address bit selection in a packet switching network
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
•
Filing: 1984-10-09
•
Granted: 1986-12-02
•
Expires: 2004-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A multi-stage packet switching network (100) includes a plurality of packet switching nodes (110) each included in one stage of a sequence of stages (101, 102, 103) of the network. Each node (101-1-x) of a stage (101) is connected to a stage bus (220-1) that indicates to the node "how manieth" stage in the sequence of stages it is a part of, i.e., where in the sequence of stages that node appears. Each node includes circuitry (450) that responds to the information carried by the associated stage bus to select "that manieth" most significant bit (504) of the destination field (502) of a received packet (500) as the bit on the basis of whose value the packet is routed at the node. On a circuit pack (200) that includes nodes of a plurality of stages, the first stage bus is connected to a register (250) whose contents are the number of the first stage of the pack in the sequence of stages. Adders (210) interconnect the stage buses of sequential stages and act to increment by one the value carried by each sequential stages' stage bus.
Inventors
- 👤 Mikiel L. Larson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:57
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/296; H04; H04L; H04L49/00; H04L49/25; H04L49/10; H04L49/101; H04L49/15; H04L49/1507; H04L49/253; H04L49/254; H04L49/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A multi-stage packet switching network for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: a plurality of switching nodes, each node included in one stage; means for indicating to each node which stage includes the node; and means responsive to the indicating means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds with the node's stage as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A multi-stage packet switching network for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: a plurality of switching nodes, each node included in one stage; means for indicating to each node which stage includes the node; and means responsive to the indicating means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds with the node's stage as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
A multi-stage packet switching network, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: a plurality of interconnected switching nodes, each node included in one stage; means for indicating to each node which stage includes the node; each node including means responsive to the indicating means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds with the node's stage; and each node including means responsive to the selecting means for routing the packet from the node on the basis of the value of the selected element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
A multi-stage packet switching network, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: a plurality of interconnected switching nodes, each node included in one stage; means for indicating to each node which stage includes the node; each node including means responsive to the indicating means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds with the node's stage; and each node including means responsive to the selecting means for routing the packet from the node on the basis of the value of the selected element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The network of claim 2 wherein each address element comprises at least one address bit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The network of claim 2 wherein the indicating means comprise means for conducting to each node information identifying the stage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
113 words
A packet switching network, for switching packets each including an address field of a plurality of address elements arranged in their order of significance for routing the packet through the network, comprising: a plurality of switching nodes interconnected to define a sequence of a plurality of switching stages, each node included in one stage; means for indicating to each node how manieth in the sequence of stages is the stage that includes the node; and each node including means responsive to the indicating means for selecting that manieth most significant element of the address field of a packet as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
113 words
A packet switching network, for switching packets each including an address field of a plurality of address elements arranged in their order of significance for routing the packet through the network, comprising: a plurality of switching nodes interconnected to define a sequence of a plurality of switching stages, each node included in one stage; means for indicating to each node how manieth in the sequence of stages is the stage that includes the node; and each node including means responsive to the indicating means for selecting that manieth most significant element of the address field of a packet as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The network of claim 5 wherein each address element comprises at least one address bit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The network of claim 5 wherein the indicating means comprise means for conducting to each node information identifying the stage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
78 words
The network of claim 5 wherein the plurality of switching nodes are interconnected to define a sequence of n switching stages; wherein the indicating means comprise means for indicating the number r in the sequence of n stages of the stage that includes the node; and wherein the selecting means comprise means for selecting the rth most significant element of the address field as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
90 words
The network of claim 8 wherein the indicating means comprise: a plurality of conductor means each connected to the nodes of a stage for conveying thereto information identifying the associated stage; means for generating on one conductor means of the plurality of conductor means the number r of the associated stage; and means interconnecting the one conductor means with a second conductor means connected to the nodes of the next stage in the sequence of stages for generating on the second conductor means the number (r+1) of the associated stage.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
100 words
The network of claim 8 wherein each address element comprises one address bit; wherein the indicating means comprise a stage bus for conveying the number r to nodes included in the rth stage; and wherein the selecting means comprise storage means for storing at least n bits of the destination field of a packet, one-out-of (the at least n) select means connected to the stage bus and to the storage means and responsive to the number conveyed by the bus for selecting and outputting the value of the rth most significant bit of the bits stored by the storage means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
85 words
A packet switching node, for a multi-stage packet switching network having a plurality of nodes each included in one stage, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: means for determining which stage includes the node; and means responsive to the determining means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds to the node's stage as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
A packet switching node, for a multi-stage packet switching network having a plurality of nodes each included in one stage, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: means for determining which stage includes the node; and means responsive to the determining means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds to the node's stage as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
92 words
A packet switching node for a multi-stage switching network having a plurality of nodes each included in one stage, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: means for determining which stage includes the node; means responsive to the determining means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds with the node's stage; and means responsive to the selecting means for routing the packet at the node on the basis of the value of the selected element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
92 words
A packet switching node for a multi-stage switching network having a plurality of nodes each included in one stage, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of network stages, comprising: means for determining which stage includes the node; means responsive to the determining means for selecting from the address elements of a packet the element that corresponds with the node's stage; and means responsive to the selecting means for routing the packet at the node on the basis of the value of the selected element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The node of claim 12 wherein each address element comprises at least one address bit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The node of claim 12 wherein the determining means comprise means for receiving information identifying the stage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
111 words
A packet switching node, for a switching network having a plurality of nodes interconnected to define a sequence of a plurality of switching stages, with each node included in one stage, for switching packets each including an address field of a plurality of address elements arranged in their order of significance for routing the packet through the network, comprising: means for determining how manieth in the sequence of stages is the stage that includes the node; means responsive to the determining means for selecting that manieth most significant element of the address field of a packet as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
111 words
A packet switching node, for a switching network having a plurality of nodes interconnected to define a sequence of a plurality of switching stages, with each node included in one stage, for switching packets each including an address field of a plurality of address elements arranged in their order of significance for routing the packet through the network, comprising: means for determining how manieth in the sequence of stages is the stage that includes the node; means responsive to the determining means for selecting that manieth most significant element of the address field of a packet as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The node of claim 15 wherein each address element comprises at least one address bit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The node of claim 15 wherein the determining means comprise means for receiving information identifying the stage.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
78 words
The node of claim 15 wherein the plurality of switching nodes are interconnected to define a sequence of n switching stages; wherein the determining means comprise means for determining the number r in the sequence of n stages of the stage that includes the node; and wherein the selecting means comprise means for selecting the rth most significant element of the address field as the element on the basis of which the packet is routed at the node.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
104 words
The node of claim 18 wherein each address element comprises one address bit; wherein the determining means comprise input port means for receiving the number r of the stage that includes the node; and wherein the selecting means comprise storage means for storing at least n bits of the address field of a packet, and one-out-of (the at least n) select means connected to the input port means and to the storage means and responsive to the number received by the input port means for selecting and outputting the value of the rth most significant bit of the bits stored by the storage means.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of address element selection in a multi-stage packet switching network having a plurality of nodes each included in one stage, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of stages of the network, comprising the steps of: determining at each node which stage includes the node; selecting at each node from the address elements of a packet received by the node the element that corresponds with the node's determined stage; and routing the packet at each node on the basis of the value of the element selected at the node.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of address element selection in a multi-stage packet switching network having a plurality of nodes each included in one stage, for switching packets each including a plurality of address elements corresponding with the plurality of stages of the network, comprising the steps of: determining at each node which stage includes the node; selecting at each node from the address elements of a packet received by the node the element that corresponds with the node's determined stage; and routing the packet at each node on the basis of the value of the element selected at the node.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of address element selection in a packet switching network having a plurality of nodes interconnected to define a sequence of a plurality of switching stages, with each node included in one stage, for switching packets each including an address field of a plurality of address elements arranged in their order of significance for routing the packet through the network, comprising the steps of: determining at each node how manieth in the sequence of stages is the stage that includes the node; selecting at each node that manieth most significant element of the address field of a packet received by the node; and routing the packet at each node on the basis of the value of the element selected at the node.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of address element selection in a packet switching network having a plurality of nodes interconnected to define a sequence of a plurality of switching stages, with each node included in one stage, for switching packets each including an address field of a plurality of address elements arranged in their order of significance for routing the packet through the network, comprising the steps of: determining at each node how manieth in the sequence of stages is the stage that includes the node; selecting at each node that manieth most significant element of the address field of a packet received by the node; and routing the packet at each node on the basis of the value of the element selected at the node.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 21 in a network further having the plurality of nodes interconnected to define a sequence of n switching stages, wherein the step of determining comprises the step of determining the number r in the sequence of n stages of the stage that includes the node; and wherein the step of selecting comprises the step of selecting the rth most significant element of the address field.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 22 wherein each address element comprises one address bit, wherein the step of determining comprises the step of receiving the number r; and wherein the step of selecting comprises the steps of storing at least n bits of the address field of the received packet; selecting from the stored bits the rth most significant bit; and outputting the value of the selected bit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-01 | 1990-06-02 | 1990-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-01 | 1994-06-02 | 1994-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-01 | 1998-06-02 | 1998-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |