Interprocessor switching network
First Claim
1. A switching network for providing data communication between user processors of processor-based communications equipment, where the user processors are arranged in clusters, each cluster having a node controller, comprising:
- a switching matrix for establishing point-to-point connections between originating processors and destination processors;
an interchange control system in communication with said switching matrix, said interchange control system having at least one request buffer for receiving service requests from said originating processors, and having a connection controller for maintaining a central queue of said service requests and for establishing connections within said switching matrix in accordance with said service requests;
a plurality of gateways for providing access from the node controllers to said switching matrix for transmissions of the data and for providing access from said node controllers to said interchange control system for transmissions of said control messages;
at least one gateway group controller for controlling the operation of said gateways;
wherein said interchange control system and said gateway group controller are programmed to recognize certain control messages, including said service requests;
a timing generator for providing a synchronization signal to said interchange control system and said gateway group controller, such that all processing of said control messages occurs in periodic cycles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A digital switching network for providing simultaneous connections among user processors of processor-based communications equipment. The user processors act as originators and destinations of data communications packets. Packet data connections are through node controllers, which communicate with gateways, which are connected to a switching network via packet links. Control messages are communicated between node controllers, gateways, and an interchange control subsystem via various control message links. All control message processing and packet data transmissions are synchronized with a packet frame synchronization signal, and processing tasks performed by each of the network subsystems are pipelined so that they occur simultaneously. Service requests are queued in a central queue in the interchange control system. The synchronization and queueing simplify the control messages that are required to set up and release the connections.
182 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A switching network for providing data communication between user processors of processor-based communications equipment, where the user processors are arranged in clusters, each cluster having a node controller, comprising:
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a switching matrix for establishing point-to-point connections between originating processors and destination processors; an interchange control system in communication with said switching matrix, said interchange control system having at least one request buffer for receiving service requests from said originating processors, and having a connection controller for maintaining a central queue of said service requests and for establishing connections within said switching matrix in accordance with said service requests; a plurality of gateways for providing access from the node controllers to said switching matrix for transmissions of the data and for providing access from said node controllers to said interchange control system for transmissions of said control messages; at least one gateway group controller for controlling the operation of said gateways; wherein said interchange control system and said gateway group controller are programmed to recognize certain control messages, including said service requests; a timing generator for providing a synchronization signal to said interchange control system and said gateway group controller, such that all processing of said control messages occurs in periodic cycles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 28)
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15. The switching network of claim i, wherein said connection controller has a state controller programmed to process a service request and its associated packet data transfer during a predetermined number of cycles.
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18. A switching network for providing data communication between user processors of a processor-based communication equipment, where the user processors are arranged in clusters, each cluster representing a communications node, comprising:
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a switching matrix for establishing point-to-point connections between originating processors and destination processors; an interchange control system in communication with said switching matrix, said interchange control system having a request buffer for receiving service requests from said originating processors and having a connection controller for generating connection commands in response to said service requests and sending said connection commands to said switching matrix; a plurality of gateways for sending and receiving packet data between said originating processors and said destination processors, wherein said gateways provide access by said processors to said switching matrix for transmission of said data and provide access by said processors to said interchange control circuit for transmission of said service requests; at least one gateway group controller for controlling the operation of said gateways; wherein said interchange control system and said gateway group controllers are programmed such that their operations are synchronized to a packet frame synchronization signal that defines a current frame period for each current data packet to be communicated; and a timing generator for providing a timing signal to said interchange control system and said gateway group controller that defines said packet frame synchronization signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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29. A switching network for providing data communication between user processors of processor-based communications equipment, where the user processors are arranged in clusters, each having a node controller, comprising:
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a switching matrix for establishing a point-to-point connections between originating processors and destination processors; an interchange control system in communication with said switching matrix, said interchange control system having a request buffer for queueing service requests from said originating processors, and having a connection controller for maintaining said queue and for establishing connections within said switching matrix in accordance with said service requests; a plurality of gateways for sending and receiving packet data between said originating processors and said destination processors and for sending and receiving control messages to and from said interchange control system, said control messages including said service requests, wherein said gateway circuits provide access from the node controllers to said switching matrix for transmissions of the data and provide access from said node controllers to said interchange control circuit for transmissions of said control messages; packet links connecting said switching matrix to said gateways, for transferring packet data; a gateway bus connecting said originating processors and said destination processors to said gateways; a first level of service request links connecting said gateways to said interchange control circuit; a second level of service request links connecting said request buffer to said connection controller within said interchange control circuit; a connect bus connecting said connection controller to said switching matrix; and timing lines for providing a synchronization signal to said switching network, said interchange control circuit, and said gateway circuit, such that all processing occurs in periodic cycles. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for providing connections between an originating processor and a destination processor for the purpose of communicating digital data, in accordance with a set of connection command protocols that need not include requests to release a connection, comprising the steps of:
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receiving packet data from an originating processor at an origination gateway, wherein said packet data includes an address of a server gateway and a destination processor; sending a service request from said origination gateway to an interchange control circuit; forming a point-to-point connection between said origination gateway and said server gateway if neither gateway is busy; transferring said data from said originating processor to said destination processor; wherein said receiving, sending, forming, and transferring steps are synchronized such that connection releases occur automatically as a result of lapsed interval of time. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for providing connections between an originating processor and a destination processor for the purpose of communicating digital data, in a network having an interchange control circuit for generating connection commands and gateways for providing an interface to origination and destination nodes, comprising the steps of:
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providing a timing signal representing a packet frame period; sending a path acknowledgement from an interchange control circuit to a gateway associated with a originating processor node within said packet frame period for a current data packet; transferring said current data packet within said packet frame period to a destination processor node, using a switching matrix in communication with said gateway; sending a release acknowledgement from said interchange control circuit to said gateway within said packet frame period for said current data packet; wherein each of said steps occurs during the same packet frame period. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification