Asynchronous transfer mode packet switch
First Claim
1. An asynchronous transfer mode packet switch for routing packets between a plurality of communication devices, said packet switch comprising:
- a plurality of input ports for receiving packets from a plurality of communication devices;
a plurality of output ports for delivering the received packets to a plurality of communication devices; and
routing means for routing the packets from said input ports to said output ports, said routing means includinga quantity of buffer groups equal to the quantity of said input ports for receiving and storing the packets from said input ports before delivery to said output ports, each of said buffer groups including a plurality of buffers for preventing packet blocking and packet loss within said routing means;
a buffer management module for allocating said buffers to the packets.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An asynchronous transfer mode packet switch for use in a Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network is disclosed. The asynchronous transfer mode packet switch is highly modular and allows expansion of the switch to handle applications having less than eight input and output devices to applications having up to 214 input and output devices. The preferred asynchronous transfer mode packet switch is constructed as either a single-stage switch for routing data packets between up to 26 input and output devices, a two-stage switch for routing packets between up to 210 input and output devices, or a three-stage switch for routing packets between up to 214 input and output devices.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An asynchronous transfer mode packet switch for routing packets between a plurality of communication devices, said packet switch comprising:
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a plurality of input ports for receiving packets from a plurality of communication devices; a plurality of output ports for delivering the received packets to a plurality of communication devices; and routing means for routing the packets from said input ports to said output ports, said routing means including a quantity of buffer groups equal to the quantity of said input ports for receiving and storing the packets from said input ports before delivery to said output ports, each of said buffer groups including a plurality of buffers for preventing packet blocking and packet loss within said routing means; a buffer management module for allocating said buffers to the packets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An asynchronous transfer mode packet switch for routing packets from a plurality of input communication devices to a plurality of output communication devices, said packet switch comprising:
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a plurality of input ports for receiving packets from a plurality of input communication devices; a plurality of output ports for delivering the received packets to a plurality of communication devices; a switch assembly for routing the packets from said input ports to said output ports, said switch assembly including a plurality of input group modules, each of said input group modules being coupled with a plurality of said input ports for receiving packets therefrom, said input group modules including a number of transfer paths for routing said packets, and a plurality of output group modules coupled with said input group modules for receiving packets routed over said transfer paths and for routing the packets to said output ports, each of said input group modules including means for separating the packets into unicast packets destined for a single output port, multicast packets destined for a plurality of output ports less than a pre-determined number, and broadcast packets destined for a plurality of output ports greater than a pre-determined number. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. The packet switch as set forth in claim said input processing module including means for attaching said routing tags to the packets for routing the packets to the appropriate buffer groups.
Specification