Reprogrammable switching apparatus and method
US5892932A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 21, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 6, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 21, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L49/50
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
There is shown an apparatus for switching. The apparatus for switching comprises L switching modules which switch packets, where L.gtoreq.2 and is an integer. In an embodiment, each of the L switching modules switch packets independent of any other switching module such that there is distributed switching of packets across the L switching modules. The apparatus also comprises an interconnection module which is connected to each of the L switching modules. The interconnection module that provides a passive backplane provides connectivity between the L switching modules. In an embodiment, the interconnection module provides space and time multiplexed connectivity between the L switching modules. In an other embodiment, the interconnection module is expandable without a priori knowledge of a final number of switching modules. In yet another embodiment, the interconnection module is reprogrammable in regard to connectivity between the L switching modules. The present invention pertains to a method for creating a switching apparatus. The method comprises the steps of connecting a first and at least a second switching module to an interconnection module. Next, there is the step of progra…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.