← Back to Patent Explorer
US5469154A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multiconnection switching networks

Assignee: DVA Ltd
•
Filing: 1993-09-30
•
Granted: 1995-11-21
•
Expires: 2013-09-30
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Multi-stage switching networks for connecting any one of N2 output ports to any one of N1 input ports that are strictly non-blocking or are rearrangeable to provide a wide-sense non-blocking connecting path between any one output port and any selected one of N1 input ports without restriction on the number of output ports which may selectively connect to a single input port.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard M. Karp

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 10:07
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/64; H04Q3/68

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 109 words
A switching network for selectively connecting any one of N 2 output ports to any one of N 1 input ports, wherein N 1 and N 2 are positive integers, comprising a plurality of first-stage crossbars collectively having a total of said N 1 input ports and each crossbar having multiple outputs; a plurality of second-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and multiple outputs; means connecting each output of each first-stage crossbar to one input of two second-stage crossbars; a plurality of third-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and collectively having a total of said N 2 output ports; and means connecting each second-stage crossbar to each third-stage crossbar.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 109 words
A switching network for selectively connecting any one of N 2 output ports to any one of N 1 input ports, wherein N 1 and N 2 are positive integers, comprising a plurality of first-stage crossbars collectively having a total of said N 1 input ports and each crossbar having multiple outputs; a plurality of second-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and multiple outputs; means connecting each output of each first-stage crossbar to one input of two second-stage crossbars; a plurality of third-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and collectively having a total of said N 2 output ports; and means connecting each second-stage crossbar to each third-stage crossbar.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
The switching network of claim 1, wherein each crossbar is a n·m generalized connector of depth one consisting of n crossbar inputs, m crossbar outputs and a crosspoint connected between each crossbar input and crossbar output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The switching network of claim 1, wherein more than one output port may selectively connect to the same input port.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 54 words
The switching network of claim 2, further comprising control means for selectively rearranging the crosspoint connections in each of said first, second and third-stage crossbars in accord with a routing algorithm to satisfy all requests to connect any one of said N 2 output ports to any one of said N 1 input ports.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 87 words
The switching network of claim 4, wherein for a particular selection of input port by an output port said routing algorithm attempts to route a signal path for that selection by first determining all switching patterns possible in the crosspoints of the second and third-stage crossbars to satisfy all selections of input ports made by all output ports without switching any crosspoint in said first-stage crossbars and then implements the switching pattern which results in the minimum number of switched crosspoints in the second and third-stage crossbars.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 74 words
The switching network of claim 4 further comprising a routing algorithm wherein failing to determine any switching pattern in the crosspoints of the second and third-stage crossbars which satisfies all of said selections, the algorithm then determines an exchange of first-stage outputs which does satisfy all of said selections and implements the exchange in said first-stage outputs which results in the minimum number of switched crosspoints in all of said second and third-stage crossbars.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 101 words
A switching network for selectively connecting any one of N 2 output ports to any one of N 1 input ports, wherein N 1 and N 2 are positive integers, comprising: a plurality of first-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and multiple outputs; a plurality of second-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and collectively having a total of said N 2 output ports; a set of said N 1 input ports; means connecting each of said N 1 input ports of the set to one input in each of two first-stage crossbars; means connecting each first-stage crossbar to each second-stage crossbar.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 101 words
A switching network for selectively connecting any one of N 2 output ports to any one of N 1 input ports, wherein N 1 and N 2 are positive integers, comprising: a plurality of first-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and multiple outputs; a plurality of second-stage crossbars each having multiple inputs and collectively having a total of said N 2 output ports; a set of said N 1 input ports; means connecting each of said N 1 input ports of the set to one input in each of two first-stage crossbars; means connecting each first-stage crossbar to each second-stage crossbar.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 49 words
The switching network of claim 7, further comprising control means for selectively rearranging the crosspoint connections in each second-stage crossbar in accord with a routing algorithm to satisfy all requests to connect any one of said N 2 output ports to any one of said N 1 input ports.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 36 words
The switching network of claim 8, wherein each crossbar is a n·m generalized connector of depth one consisting of n crossbar inputs, m crossbar outputs and a crosspoint connected between each crossbar input and crossbar output.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The switching network of claim 8, wherein more than one output port may selectively connect to the same input port.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3674938A Cited
US4566007A Cited
US4817083A Cited
US5285444A Cited
US5311506A Cited
US5319639A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-11-20 1999-05-22 1999-11-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-11-20 2003-05-22 2003-11-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-11-20 2007-05-22 2007-11-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag