Building-block architecture of a multi-node circuit-and packet-switching system
First Claim
1. A circuit- and packet-switching unit of a switching node for a switching system having one or more communication switching nodes each including a plurality of circuit- and packet-switching units comprising:
- means connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for receiving simultaneously a plurality of multiplexed circuit- and packet-switched communications in a same format from a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node;
means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for broadcasting all communications received by the receiving means to each unit within the switching node;
means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit and responsive to receipt of communications broadcast by the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for determining which of the received broadcast communications are destined for receipt or transmission by the unit and discarding all other received broadcast communications;
means responsive to information included in received broadcast communications that are destined for receipt by the unit, for multiplexing together received broadcast circuit- and packet-switched communications that are received from a plurality of the units of the switching node that includes the unit and are destined for transmission by the unit; and
means connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for transmitting simultaneously a plurality of circuit- and packet-switched communications multiplexed together by the multiplexing means in the same format to a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modular, substantially infinitely-growable, multi-node switching system operates under distributed control to serve integrated circuit-switched and packet-switched traffic at the data rates appropriate for each type of traffic. The system comprises a plurality of interconnected identical switching units that form at least one communication switching node. A communication switching node is a modular building block of the system; a switching unit is a modular building block of a switching node, and hence also of the system. A plurality of communication endpoint nodes--illustratively PBXs--is connected to the one or more switching nodes for communicating with each other through the switching nodes. A plurality of communication links each connect a different one of the system'"'"'s switching units to either (a) one of the communication endpoint nodes or (b) a unit of another switching node. All of the links have the same communication format. Each switching node includes a plurality of different ones of the identical switching units, and a communication medium that interconnects all of the units of the switching node to allow each unit of a node to broadcast all communications received from a connected link to all of the units of the node.
205 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A circuit- and packet-switching unit of a switching node for a switching system having one or more communication switching nodes each including a plurality of circuit- and packet-switching units comprising:
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means connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for receiving simultaneously a plurality of multiplexed circuit- and packet-switched communications in a same format from a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node; means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for broadcasting all communications received by the receiving means to each unit within the switching node; means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit and responsive to receipt of communications broadcast by the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for determining which of the received broadcast communications are destined for receipt or transmission by the unit and discarding all other received broadcast communications; means responsive to information included in received broadcast communications that are destined for receipt by the unit, for multiplexing together received broadcast circuit- and packet-switched communications that are received from a plurality of the units of the switching node that includes the unit and are destined for transmission by the unit; and means connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for transmitting simultaneously a plurality of circuit- and packet-switched communications multiplexed together by the multiplexing means in the same format to a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A circuit and packet switching system comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected identical switching units forming one or more communication switching nodes, each switching node including a plurality of different ones of the identical switching units, and a communication medium interconnecting all of the units of the switching node;
each unit comprisingmeans connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for receiving simultaneously a plurality of multiplexed circuit- and packet-switched communications in a same format from a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node; means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for broadcasting all communications received by the receiving means to each unit within the switching node; means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit and responsive to receipt of communications broadcast by the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for determining which of the received broadcast communications are intended for receipt or transmission by the unit and discarding all other received broadcast communications; means responsive to information included in received broadcast communications that are intended for receipt by the unit, for multiplexing together received broadcast circuit- and packet-switched communications that are received from a plurality of the units of the switching node that includes the unit and are intended for transmission by the unit; and means connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for transmitting simultaneously a plurality of circuit- and packet-switched communications multiplexed together by the multiplexing means in the same format to a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A circuit- and packet-switching network comprising:
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a plurality of interconnected identical switching units forming one or more communication switching nodes, each switching node including a plurality of different ones of the identical switching units, and a communication medium interconnecting all of the units of the switching node; a plurality of communication endpoints each connected to the one or more switching nodes for at least one of transmitting communications to others of the endpoints or receiving communications from others of the endpoints through at least one of the one or more switching nodes; and a plurality of communication links each connecting a different one of the units of a switching node to either (a) one of the communication endpoints or (b) a unit of another switching node, all of the links having an identical communication format; each unit comprising means connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for receiving simultaneously a plurality of multiplexed circuit- and packet-switched communications in a same format from a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node; means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for broadcasting all communications received by the receiving means to each unit within the switching node; means connectable to the units of the switching node that includes the unit and responsive to receipt of communications broadcast by the units of the switching node that includes the unit, for determining which of the received broadcast communications are intended for receipt or retransmission by the unit and discarding all other received broadcast communications; means responsive to information included in received broadcast communications that are intended for receipt by the unit, for multiplexing together received broadcast circuit- and packet-switched communications that are received from a plurality of the units of the switching node that includes the unit and are intended for retransmission by the unit; and means connectable to either one of a communication endpoint or a unit of another switching node, for transmitting simultaneously a plurality of circuit- and packet-switched communications multiplexed together by the multiplexing means in the same format to a connected either one of the endpoint or the unit of the other switching node. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification