CROSS POINT SWITCH

• US 20100156504A1
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert P. Masleid, Scott Pitkethly
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Pitkethly, Scott, Masleid, Robert P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,178,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/415
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/002 Switching arrangements with several input- or output terminals code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/09429 one of the states being the high impedance or floating state

Abstract

A cross point switch, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes a plurality of tri-state repeaters coupled to form a plurality of multiplexers. Each set of corresponding tri-state repeaters in the plurality of multiplexers share a front end module such that delay through the cross point switch due to input capacitance is reduced as compared to conventional cross point switches.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an enable signal;

receiving an input signal;

if the enable signal is a first state, controlling an output to represent the input signal; and

if the enable signal is a second state, controlling the output to operate in an impedance mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal comprises:

driving the output to a hard first drive state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal comprises:

driving the output to a weak first drive state.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal comprises:

driving the output to a hard second drive state.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal comprises:

driving the output to a weak second drive state.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling the output to operate in the impedance mode comprises:

setting the output to a moderate impedance state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling the output to operate in the impedance mode comprises:

setting the output to a high impedance state.

8. A method comprising:

coupling to one of a plurality of select lines;

coupling to one of a plurality of input lines;

if a select signal in the coupled select line is a first state, controlling an output to represent an input signal in the coupled input line; and

if the select signal in the coupled select line is a second state, controlling the output to operate in an impedance mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal in the coupled input line comprises:

driving the output to a hard first drive state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal in the coupled input line comprises:

driving the output to a weak first drive state.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal in the coupled input line comprises:

driving the output to a hard second drive state.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said controlling the output to represent the input signal in the coupled input line comprises:

driving the output to a weak second drive state.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said controlling the output to operate in the impedance mode comprises:

setting the output to a moderate impedance state.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said controlling the output to operate in the impedance mode comprises:

setting the output to a high impedance state.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

outputting the output associated with the select signal being in the first state.

16. A method comprising:

coupling a plurality of circuits to one of a plurality of input lines;

coupling one of a plurality of select lines to each circuit;

if a select signal in any of the select lines is a first state, controlling an output of a corresponding circuit to represent an input signal in the input line coupled to the corresponding circuit; and

if the select signal in any of the select lines is a second state, controlling the output of the corresponding circuit to operate in an impedance mode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said controlling the output of the corresponding circuit to represent the input signal in the input line coupled to the corresponding circuit comprises:

driving the output of at least one corresponding circuit to a hard first drive state.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said controlling the output of the corresponding circuit to represent the input signal in the input line coupled to the corresponding circuit comprises:

driving the output of at least one corresponding circuit to a weak first drive state.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said controlling the output of the corresponding circuit to represent the input signal in the input line coupled to the corresponding circuit comprises:

driving the output of at least one corresponding circuit to a hard second drive state.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said controlling the output of the corresponding circuit to represent the input signal in the input line coupled to the corresponding circuit comprises:

driving the output of at least one corresponding circuit to a weak second drive state.