Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
427 words
A broadband space-division switching network comprising: a board for arrangement of printed circuitry thereon, a first plurality of switching matrices disposed on a first side of said board, forming a first switching stage, a second plurality of switching matrices disposed on said first side of said board, forming a second switching stage, and a plurality of groups of connection links, connection links of each group being connected to a respective switching matrix of said first stage, and each connection link connecting a respective one of the switching matrices of the first switching stage to a respective one of the switching matrices of the second stage, characterized in that the connections links are arranged in a pattern of lines, first and third groups of connection links comprise respective first and third groups of line portions extending respectively from a first and a third switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said first side of said board, and second and fourth groups of connection links comprise respective second and fourth groups of line portions extending respectively from a second and a fourth switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said second side of said board, at least some of said line portions of said third group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said first group, at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said second group, line portions on one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, and line portions on a side opposite said one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, at least some of said line portions of said second group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and are electrically connected thereto at the respective positions, and at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said third group; and each of said at least some of said line portions of said fourth group is electrically connected to the respective one of said line portions of said first group and to the respective one of said line portions of said third group at the respective positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
427 words
A broadband space-division switching network comprising: a board for arrangement of printed circuitry thereon, a first plurality of switching matrices disposed on a first side of said board, forming a first switching stage, a second plurality of switching matrices disposed on said first side of said board, forming a second switching stage, and a plurality of groups of connection links, connection links of each group being connected to a respective switching matrix of said first stage, and each connection link connecting a respective one of the switching matrices of the first switching stage to a respective one of the switching matrices of the second stage, characterized in that the connections links are arranged in a pattern of lines, first and third groups of connection links comprise respective first and third groups of line portions extending respectively from a first and a third switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said first side of said board, and second and fourth groups of connection links comprise respective second and fourth groups of line portions extending respectively from a second and a fourth switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said second side of said board, at least some of said line portions of said third group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said first group, at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said second group, line portions on one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, and line portions on a side opposite said one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, at least some of said line portions of said second group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and are electrically connected thereto at the respective positions, and at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said third group; and each of said at least some of said line portions of said fourth group is electrically connected to the respective one of said line portions of said first group and to the respective one of said line portions of said third group at the respective positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A network as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said pattern is a canonical pattern, and each of total lengths of line portions extending between and forming respective connection links between said first and second stage matrices are substantially equal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A network as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that each of said lines is a multi-layer strip line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
436 words
A broadband space-division switching network comprising: a board for arrangement of printed circuitry thereon, a plurality of switching matrices disposed on a first side of said board, forming a first switching stage, an equal plurality of switching matrices disposed on said first side of said board, forming a second switching stage, and an equal plurality of groups of connection links, each group extending from a respective switching matrix of said first stage, and comprising an equal plurality of connection links each connecting to a respective one of the switching matrices of the second switching stage, characterized in that the connection links are arranged in a canonical pattern of multi-layer strip lines, first and third groups of connection links comprise respective first and third groups of strip line portions extending respectively from a first and a third switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said first side of said board, and second and fourth groups of connection links comprise respective second and fourth groups of strip line portions extending respectively from a second and a fourth switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said second side of said board, at least some of said strip line portions of said third group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said strip line portions of said first group, at least some of said strip line portions of said fourth group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said strip line portions of said second group, strip line portions on one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, and strip line portions on a side opposite said one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, at least some of said strip line portions of said second group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said strip line portions of said first group and are electrically connected thereto at the respective positions, and at least some of said strip line portions of said fourth group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said strip line portions of said first group and respective positions opposite respective ones of said strip line portions of said third group; and each of said at least some of said strip line portions of said fourth group is electrically connected to the respective one of said strip line portions of said first group and to the respective one of said strip line portions of said third group at the respective positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
436 words
A broadband space-division switching network comprising: a board for arrangement of printed circuitry thereon, a plurality of switching matrices disposed on a first side of said board, forming a first switching stage, an equal plurality of switching matrices disposed on said first side of said board, forming a second switching stage, and an equal plurality of groups of connection links, each group extending from a respective switching matrix of said first stage, and comprising an equal plurality of connection links each connecting to a respective one of the switching matrices of the second switching stage, characterized in that the connection links are arranged in a canonical pattern of multi-layer strip lines, first and third groups of connection links comprise respective first and third groups of strip line portions extending respectively from a first and a third switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said first side of said board, and second and fourth groups of connection links comprise respective second and fourth groups of strip line portions extending respectively from a second and a fourth switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said second side of said board, at least some of said strip line portions of said third group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said strip line portions of said first group, at least some of said strip line portions of said fourth group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said strip line portions of said second group, strip line portions on one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, and strip line portions on a side opposite said one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, at least some of said strip line portions of said second group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said strip line portions of said first group and are electrically connected thereto at the respective positions, and at least some of said strip line portions of said fourth group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said strip line portions of said first group and respective positions opposite respective ones of said strip line portions of said third group; and each of said at least some of said strip line portions of said fourth group is electrically connected to the respective one of said strip line portions of said first group and to the respective one of said strip line portions of said third group at the respective positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
418 words
A broadband space-division switching network comprising: a board for arrangement of printed circuitry thereon, a plurality of switching matrices disposed on a first side of said board, forming a first switching stage, an equal plurality of switching matrices disposed on said first side of said board, forming a second switching stage, and an equal plurality of groups of connection links, each group extending from a respective switching matrix of said first stage, and comprising an equal plurality of connection links each connecting to a respective one of the switching matrices of the second switching stage, characterized in that the connection links are arranged in a canonical pattern of lines, first and third groups of connection links comprise respective first and third groups of line portions extending respectively from a first and a third switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said first side of said board, and second and fourth groups of connection links comprise respective second and fourth groups of line portions extending respectively from a second and a fourth switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said second side of said board, at least some of said line portions of said third group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said first group, at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said second group, line portions on one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, and line portions on a side opposite said one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, at least some of said line portions of said second group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and are electrically connected thereto at the respective positions, and at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said third group; and each of said at least some of said line portions of said fourth group is electrically connected to the respective one of said line portions of said first group and to the respective one of said line portions of said third group at the respective positions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
418 words
A broadband space-division switching network comprising: a board for arrangement of printed circuitry thereon, a plurality of switching matrices disposed on a first side of said board, forming a first switching stage, an equal plurality of switching matrices disposed on said first side of said board, forming a second switching stage, and an equal plurality of groups of connection links, each group extending from a respective switching matrix of said first stage, and comprising an equal plurality of connection links each connecting to a respective one of the switching matrices of the second switching stage, characterized in that the connection links are arranged in a canonical pattern of lines, first and third groups of connection links comprise respective first and third groups of line portions extending respectively from a first and a third switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said first side of said board, and second and fourth groups of connection links comprise respective second and fourth groups of line portions extending respectively from a second and a fourth switching matrix of said first stage in respective directions along said second side of said board, at least some of said line portions of said third group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said first group, at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend in respective directions which are inclined with respect to a direction of at least some of said line portions of said second group, line portions on one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, and line portions on a side opposite said one side of the board are free from crossings over each other, at least some of said line portions of said second group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and are electrically connected thereto at the respective positions, and at least some of said line portions of said fourth group extend to respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said first group and respective positions opposite respective ones of said line portions of said third group; and each of said at least some of said line portions of said fourth group is electrically connected to the respective one of said line portions of said first group and to the respective one of said line portions of said third group at the respective positions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A network as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that each of the total lengths of line portions extending between and forming respective connection links between said first and second stage matrices are substantially equal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A network as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that each of said line portions is a straight multi-layer strip line portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A network as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that at least some of the strip line portions of each group extend in directions which are inclined to at least some of the strip line portions of every other group.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
A network as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the strip line portions of each group fan out in a plurality of directions inclined with respect to each other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A network as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that at least some of the line portions of each group extend in directions which are inclined to at least some of the line portions of every other group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A network as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that each line portion is a straight line portion.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A network as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the line portions of each group fan out in a plurality of directions inclined with respect to each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A network as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the line portions of each group fan out in a plurality of directions inclined with respect to each other.