Cross-connected switch having means for removing switching modules without interrupting service

Claim 1

A cross-connect switch having a plurality of cross-connect switch input lines and a plurality of cross-connect switch output lines, said cross-connect switch providing means for coupling specified ones of said input lines to specified ones of said output lines, said cross-connect switch comprising an input stage, an output stage, and one or more intermediate stages arranged in a linearly ordered array of stages between said input stage and said output stage, said input stage being the first stage in said ordered array and said output stage being the last stage in said ordered array, each of said input stage, output stage, and intermediate stage comprising a plurality of switch modules, each said switch module comprising a plurality of input lines, a plurality of output lines, and a plurality of switch points; each said intermediate stage switch module being coupled to a switch module in the immediately preceding stage by connecting an input line of said intermediate stage switch module to an output line of a switch module in said preceding stage, and each said intermediate stage switch module being coupled to a switch module in the stage immediately following the said intermediate stage containing said switch module by connecting an output line of said switch module to an input line of a said switch module in said following stage, wherein, each said input, output, and intermediate stage switch modules includes one said switch point corresponding to each possible combination of a said input line of said switch module and a said output line of said switch module, each said switch point having a first state in which said switch point makes a connection between said input line and said output line and a second state in which said switch point does not make a connection between said input line and said output line, said cross-connect switch further comprising: test means comprising one or more test ports, each said test port comprising either one of said output stage switch module output lines or one of said input stage switch module input lines; test cross-connect means for coupling a said test port to a specified cross-connect switch input line or output line; means for determining if a connection can be made between the said test port coupled to said specified input line and a first specified switch module in said cross-connect switch; and means coupled to said switch points for causing said connection to be made if said determining means determines that said connection exists.