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Method for handling redundant switching planes in packet switches and a packet switch for carrying out the method

  • US 5,485,453 A
  • Filed: 02/15/1995
  • Issued: 01/16/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a packet switch comprising an input side including an input unit for receiving a sequence of data packets arriving at the switch;

  • an output side including an output unit for forwarding the sequence of data packets from the switch; and

    at least two identical switching planes, each having an input coupled to receive the sequence of data packets from the input unit and coupled to provide the sequence of data packets to the output unit, a method for forwarding, from the output unit, the sequence of data packets, comprising the steps of;

    at the input unit receiving the sequence of data packets and supplying the sequence of data packets to each of the switching planes;

    at each of the switching planes, supplying the sequence of data packets to the output unit; and

    at the output unit, for each arriving data packet in the sequence of data packets, selecting a preferred switching plane from the at least two identical switching planes, and receiving from the preferred switching plane a preferred data packet to be forwarded from the output unit, wherein the step of selecting comprises;

    generating, for each of the switching planes, a corresponding quality value based on earlier arriving data packets that have been supplied to the output unit, the quality value indicating to what extent the switching plane has transmitted without error, from the input unit to the output unit, the earlier arriving data packets;

    using the quality values to select the preferred switching plane.

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