US5329524A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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TDM circuit-switching arrangement that handles frames of different sizes
Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
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Filing: 1992-10-20
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Granted: 1994-07-12
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Expires: 2012-10-20
Abstract
Abstract A time-division multiplexed circuit switch (100) handles different-size time-division multiplex frames (30, 40, 50) in a single, shared, time-space-time switching fabric. Both time slot interchange stages (131,141) and a time-multiplexed space stage (120) of the switching fabric receive a plurality of overlapping different-size frames in each incoming superframe (30) of a succession of superframes and interleave switching of the different-size frames through the switching fabric to create a succession of outgoing superframes each one of which also has a plurality of the time-division-multiplex frames of different-sizes but from a plurality of incoming superframes. Switching of every individual received frame of any size commences as soon as the entire individual frame is received.
Inventors
- 👤 Marianne F. Paker
- 👤 Robert L. Pawelski
- 👤 William A. Payne, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04Q11/0478
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A switching arrangement comprising: means for receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; and time division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching means connected to the receiving means for interleaving the switching portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in a single TDM circuit-switching circuitry whose use is shared the different-size ones of the received frames; wherein the TDM circuit-switching means commence switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A switching arrangement comprising: means for receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; and time division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching means connected to the receiving means for interleaving the switching portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in a single TDM circuit-switching circuitry whose use is shared the different-size ones of the received frames; wherein the TDM circuit-switching means commence switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the receiving means comprise means for receiving a plurality of overlapping frames of different sizes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The arrangement of claim 2 wherein overlapping frames share time slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the frames of different sizes comprise different quantities of time slots.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The arrangement of claim 4 wherein the switching means interleave switching of time slots of the different-size frames.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The arrangement of claim 5 wherein the receiving means comprise means for receiving a plurality of frames of different sizes having overlapping time slots.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The arrangement of claim 4 wherein the TDM circuit switching means are enabled to switch time slots of a received individual frame of any type as soon as all time slots of the individual frame have been received.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the means for receiving receive a succession of incoming superframes each comprising a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes and the TDM circuit switching means interleave switching of different-size ones of the received frames to create a succession of outgoing superframes each comprising a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes from a plurality of incoming superframes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The arrangement of claim 8 wherein each superframe is either a SONET or an SDH STS-N frame where N is a positive integer,
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The arrangement of claim 8 wherein each superframe is either a SONET or an SDH STS-N frame, where N is a positive integer, comprising a plurality of overlapping STS-1, VT, and DS-0 frames.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the receiving means comprise: storage means for storing received frames; and means for storing each received different-size frame in virtually-separate storage means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
92 words
A switching arrangement comprising: means for receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; a time-division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching circuitry whose use is time-shared by the different-size frames; and means connected to the receiving means and to the TDM circuit-switching circuitry for interleaving the switching of portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in the shared TDM circuit-switching circuitry; wherein the means for interleaving switching commence switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
92 words
A switching arrangement comprising: means for receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; a time-division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching circuitry whose use is time-shared by the different-size frames; and means connected to the receiving means and to the TDM circuit-switching circuitry for interleaving the switching of portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in the shared TDM circuit-switching circuitry; wherein the means for interleaving switching commence switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the TDM circuit switching circuitry is a time-slot interchanger.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the TDM circuit switching circuitry is a time-multiplexed space switch.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The arrangement of claim 12 wherein the TDM circuit switching circuitry is a time switching fabric.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
A switching method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; commencing switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received; and interleaving of time-division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching of portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in a TDM circuit-switching circuitry whose use is shared by the different-size
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
A switching method comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; commencing switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received; and interleaving of time-division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching of portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in a TDM circuit-switching circuitry whose use is shared by the different-size
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of receiving comprises the step of receiving a plurality of overlapping frames of different sizes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of receiving comprises the step of receiving a plurality of frames of different sizes that share time slots.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the frames of different sizes comprise different quantities of time slots.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of interleaving comprises the step of interleaving of time-division multiplex circuit-switching of the time slots of different-size ones of the received frames in the single switching circuitry.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of receiving comprises the step of receiving a plurality of frames of different sizes having overlapping time slots.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of interleaving includes the step of enabling switching of time slots of a received individual frame of any type as soon as all time slots of the individual frame have been received.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of receiving comprises the step of receiving a succession of incoming superframes each comprising a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; and the step of interleaving comprises the step of interleaving time-division multiplex circuit-switching of different-size ones of the received frames to create a succession of outgoing superframes each comprising a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes from a plurality of incoming superframes.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 23 wherein each superframe is either a SONET or an SDH STS-N frame where N is a positive integer.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 23 wherein each superframe is either a SONET or an SDH STS-N frame, where N is a positive integer, comprising a plurality of overlapping STS-1, VT, and DS-0 frames.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the step of receiving comprises the step of storing each received different-size frame in virtually-separate storage.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of switching flames in a time-division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching circuitry whose use is time- shared by all switched flames, comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; commencing switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received; and interleaving the time-division multiplex circuit-switching of portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in the shared TDM circuit-switching circuitry.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of switching flames in a time-division multiplex (TDM) circuit-switching circuitry whose use is time- shared by all switched flames, comprising the steps of: receiving a plurality of time-division multiplex frames of different sizes; commencing switching of a received individual frame of any size as soon as an entire said individual frame is received; and interleaving the time-division multiplex circuit-switching of portions of different-size ones of the received frames in a time-shared manner in the shared TDM circuit-switching circuitry.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the step of interleaving comprises the step of interleaving of time-slot interchanging of the different-size frames.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the step of interleaving comprises the step of interleaving of time-multiplexed space switching of the different size frames.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the step of interleaving comprises the step of interleaving of time-space-time switching of the different size frames.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for switching signals carried in time channels that are multiplexed in time-division multiplex (TDM) frames having frame periods and including sub-frames having sub-frame periods, the apparatus comprising: a single TDM circuit switch; means for conducting signals to and from the single TDM circuit switch; and means for operating the single TDM circuit switch in a plurality of cycles of operation, different ones of said plurality of cycles having the frame periods and the sub-frame periods and portions of said different one of said cycles being interleaved, thereby to switch the time channels of the signals through the single TDM circuit switch to provide, via the single TDM circuit switch, time channels of switched signals having different bandwidths, including means for causing the single TDM circuit switch to commence switching of individual signals that are multiplexed in a TDM frame of signals being conducted to the single TDM circuit switch as soon as entire sub-frames of the TDM frame which correspond to the individual signals are received by the single TDM circuit switch.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
173 words
Apparatus for switching signals carried in time channels that are multiplexed in time-division multiplex (TDM) frames having frame periods and including sub-frames having sub-frame periods, the apparatus comprising: a single TDM circuit switch; means for conducting signals to and from the single TDM circuit switch; and means for operating the single TDM circuit switch in a plurality of cycles of operation, different ones of said plurality of cycles having the frame periods and the sub-frame periods and portions of said different one of said cycles being interleaved, thereby to switch the time channels of the signals through the single TDM circuit switch to provide, via the single TDM circuit switch, time channels of switched signals having different bandwidths, including means for causing the single TDM circuit switch to commence switching of individual signals that are multiplexed in a TDM frame of signals being conducted to the single TDM circuit switch as soon as entire sub-frames of the TDM frame which correspond to the individual signals are received by the single TDM circuit switch.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of switching signals Carried in time channel that are multiplexed in time-division multiplex (TDM) frames having frame periods and including sub-frames having sub-frame periods, comprising the steps of: operating a single TDM circuit switch in a plurality of cycles of operation, different ones of said plurality of cycles having the frame periods and the sub-frame periods and portions of said different ones of said cycles being interleave, thereby to switch time channels of the signals through the single TDM circuit switch to provide, via the single TDM circuit switch, time channels of switched signals having different bandwidths, including commencing to switch individual signals that are multiplexed in a TDM frame of signals being conducted to the single TDM circuit switch as soon as entire sub-frames of the TDM frame which correspond to the individual signals are received by the single TDM circuit switch; and conducting signals to and from the single TDM circuit switch.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
156 words
A method of switching signals Carried in time channel that are multiplexed in time-division multiplex (TDM) frames having frame periods and including sub-frames having sub-frame periods, comprising the steps of: operating a single TDM circuit switch in a plurality of cycles of operation, different ones of said plurality of cycles having the frame periods and the sub-frame periods and portions of said different ones of said cycles being interleave, thereby to switch time channels of the signals through the single TDM circuit switch to provide, via the single TDM circuit switch, time channels of switched signals having different bandwidths, including commencing to switch individual signals that are multiplexed in a TDM frame of signals being conducted to the single TDM circuit switch as soon as entire sub-frames of the TDM frame which correspond to the individual signals are received by the single TDM circuit switch; and conducting signals to and from the single TDM circuit switch.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-07-11 | 1998-01-10 | 1998-07-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-07-11 | 2002-01-10 | 2002-07-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-07-11 | 2006-01-10 | 2006-07-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |