Priority interrupt switching apparatus for real time systems
First Claim
1. A multi-stage bufferless switching network, the network comprising:
- a plurality of bufferless switching apparatuses cascaded into stages, each said switching apparatus including a plurality of switch inputs and a plurality of switch outputs, each of the switch outputs of each said switching apparatus coupled to a different switch input of others of said switching apparatuses, switch outputs of last stage switching apparatuses comprising network output ports and switch inputs of first stage switching apparatuses comprising network input ports; and
a plurality of nodes each coupled to one of the network output ports and to one of the network input ports, each node comprising means for receiving a data message and means for sending a data message including a connection request, the means for sending a data message and the means for receiving a data message including a computer system device, the means for sending a data message including means for selectively assigning a priority level to the data message;
said switching apparatuses each including;
connection means for establishing a communication path between any one of the network input ports and any one of the network output ports in response to said connection request received at said any one of the network input ports, said communication path for transmitting a data message received at said any one of the network input ports to said any one of the network output ports,said connection means including asynchronous connection means for establishing asynchronously a plurality of simultaneously active communication paths between a plurality of network input ports and a plurality of network output ports in response to a plurality of connection requests received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of network input ports, said simultaneously active communication paths for transmitting a plurality of data messages received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of network input ports to said plurality of network output ports; and
priority connection means for detecting a priority level assigned to any data message received at any of the network input ports, for terminating a communication path established for a lower priority level data message or a non-prioritized data message if said communication path established for a lower priority level data message or a non-prioritized data message blocks a same switch output as requested by a node having a higher priority level data message, and for enabling the connection means to establish a communication path through the requested switch output for the higher priority level data message.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for implementing intelligent priority functions at individual switching apparatus devices which comprise switching networks. The intelligent switching functions are capable of operating in real time systems with high efficiency. The switching apparatus has the capability at each stage of the network to make and/or break connections on a priority basis. If a connection is requested at a switch stage and the connection is being used by a lower priority device, the low priority connection is interrupted (broken) and the requested higher priority connection is established. After the high priority connection has completed its usage of the connection, the high priority connection is broken and the lower priority connection is re-established.
146 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A multi-stage bufferless switching network, the network comprising:
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a plurality of bufferless switching apparatuses cascaded into stages, each said switching apparatus including a plurality of switch inputs and a plurality of switch outputs, each of the switch outputs of each said switching apparatus coupled to a different switch input of others of said switching apparatuses, switch outputs of last stage switching apparatuses comprising network output ports and switch inputs of first stage switching apparatuses comprising network input ports; and a plurality of nodes each coupled to one of the network output ports and to one of the network input ports, each node comprising means for receiving a data message and means for sending a data message including a connection request, the means for sending a data message and the means for receiving a data message including a computer system device, the means for sending a data message including means for selectively assigning a priority level to the data message;
said switching apparatuses each including;connection means for establishing a communication path between any one of the network input ports and any one of the network output ports in response to said connection request received at said any one of the network input ports, said communication path for transmitting a data message received at said any one of the network input ports to said any one of the network output ports, said connection means including asynchronous connection means for establishing asynchronously a plurality of simultaneously active communication paths between a plurality of network input ports and a plurality of network output ports in response to a plurality of connection requests received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of network input ports, said simultaneously active communication paths for transmitting a plurality of data messages received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of network input ports to said plurality of network output ports; and priority connection means for detecting a priority level assigned to any data message received at any of the network input ports, for terminating a communication path established for a lower priority level data message or a non-prioritized data message if said communication path established for a lower priority level data message or a non-prioritized data message blocks a same switch output as requested by a node having a higher priority level data message, and for enabling the connection means to establish a communication path through the requested switch output for the higher priority level data message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A bufferless switching network comprising:
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a bufferless switching apparatus comprising a plurality of switch inputs and a plurality of switch outputs; a plurality of nodes each coupled to one of the switch outputs and to one of the switch inputs, each node comprising means for receiving a data message from a coupled switch output and means for sending a data message to a coupled switch input, including a connection request, the means for sending data messages and the means for receiving data messages including a computer system device; said bufferless switching apparatus including connection means for establishing a communication path between any one of the switch inputs and any one of the switch outputs in response to said connection request received at said any one of the switch inputs, said communication path for transmitting a data message received at said any one of the switch inputs to said any one of the switch outputs; said connection means including asynchronous connection means for establishing asynchronously a plurality of simultaneously active communication paths between a plurality of switch inputs and a plurality of switch outputs in response to a plurality of connection requests received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of switch inputs, said simultaneously active communication paths for sending a plurality of data messages received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of switch inputs to said plurality of switch outputs; and priority connection means for detecting a priority level of any data messages received at any of the switch inputs, for terminating an established communication path transmitting a lower priority level data message or a non-prioritized data message if said lower priority level data message or non-prioritized data message is being sent over a same switch output as requested by a connection request sent by a node having a higher priority level data message, and for enabling the connection means to establish a communication path for the higher priority level data message.
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14. A bufferless switching apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of switch inputs and a plurality of switch outputs; connection means for establishing a communication path between any one of the switch inputs and any one of the switch outputs in response to a connection request received at said any one of the switch inputs, said communication path for transmitting a data message received at said any one of the switch inputs to said any one of the switch outputs; said connection means including asynchronous connection means for establishing asynchronously a plurality of simultaneously active communication paths between a plurality of switch inputs and a plurality of switch outputs in response to a plurality of connection requests received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of switch inputs, said simultaneously active communication paths for transmitting a plurality of data messages received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of switch inputs to said plurality of switch outputs; and priority connection means for detecting a data priority level of any data messages received at any of the switch inputs, for terminating an established communication path transmitting a lower priority level data message or a non-prioritized data message if said lower priority level data message or said non-prioritized data message is being transmitted to a same switch output as requested by a data message having a higher priority level received at any other of the switch inputs, and for enabling the connection means to establish a communication path for the higher priority level data message.
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Specification