Method and apparatus for isolating faults in a switching matrix
First Claim
1. A signal router comprising:
- a first switching matrix, wherein said first switching matrix has a first number of inputs and a second number of outputs;
an error detector, coupled to one of said second number of outputs and selectable coupled to one of the first number of inputs, and configured to generate error information by virtue of being configured to detect errors in an information stream; and
a controller, coupled to said first switching matrix and said error detector, wherein said controller is configured to select one of said first number of inputs from said first number of inputs, receive error information from said error detector, and configure said first switching matrix to couple said one of said first number of inputs to said one of said second number of outputs, and said first switching matrix is configured to receive said information stream at said one of said first number of inputs.
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Abstract
A signal router is described. The signal router includes a switching matrix, an error detector and a controller. The switching matrix includes a first number of inputs and a second number of outputs, and is configured to receive an information stream. The error detector is coupled to one of the second number of outputs, and is configured to generate error information by virtue of being configured to detect errors in the information stream. Likewise, the controller is coupled to the switching matrix and error detector. The controller is configured to select one of the first number of inputs, receive error information from the error detector, and configure the switching matrix to couple the selected input to one of the outputs.
272 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A signal router comprising:
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a first switching matrix, wherein said first switching matrix has a first number of inputs and a second number of outputs;
an error detector, coupled to one of said second number of outputs and selectable coupled to one of the first number of inputs, and configured to generate error information by virtue of being configured to detect errors in an information stream; and
a controller, coupled to said first switching matrix and said error detector, wherein said controller is configured to select one of said first number of inputs from said first number of inputs, receive error information from said error detector, and configure said first switching matrix to couple said one of said first number of inputs to said one of said second number of outputs, and said first switching matrix is configured to receive said information stream at said one of said first number of inputs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 38)
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20. An error detection method comprising:
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sending a first command to a controller, said controller coupled to control a switching matrix and to an error detector, said command causing said controller to configure said switching matrix to selectably couple one of a plurality of inputs to one of a plurality of outputs, said one of said plurality of inputs configured to receive an information stream and said one of said plurality of outputs coupled to said error detector, wherein said one of said plurality of outputs is less than all of said plurality of outputs;
generating error information by detecting errors, if any, in said information stream using said error detector; and
retrieving said error information from said error detector using said controller. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A failure detection method comprising:
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sending a command to a plurality of controllers, wherein each one of said controllers is coupled to control a corresponding one of a plurality of switching matrices, said each one of said controllers is coupled to control a corresponding one of a plurality of error detectors, each one of said switching matrices is coupled to at least one other of said switching matrices, said command causes said controller to configure said corresponding one of said switching matrices to selectably couple one of a plurality of inputs of said corresponding one of said switching matrices to one of a plurality of outputs of said corresponding one of said switching matrices, and said one of said inputs is configured to receive an information stream and said one of said outputs is configured to output said information stream by virtue of being coupled to said one of said inputs;
generating error information corresponding to said information stream by detecting errors, if any, in said information stream using said one of the plurality of error detectors, wherein said one of the plurality of error detectors is coupled to said one of the plurality of outputs of said corresponding one of said switching matrices; and
identifying failed ones of said switching matrices by retrieving said error information corresponding to each one of said switching matrices. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A signal router comprising:
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a switching matrix, wherein said switching matrix has a first number of inputs and a second number of outputs;
an error detector, coupled to one of said second number of outputs and configured to generate error information by virtue of being configured to detect errors in an information stream; and
a controller, coupled to said switching matrix and said error detector, wherein said controller is configured to select one of said first number of inputs from said first number of inputs, receive error information from said error detector, and configure said switching matrix to couple said one of said first number of inputs to said one of said second number of outputs, and said switching matrix is configured to receive said information stream at said one of said first number of inputs;
wherein said information stream comprises a plurality of frames and said error detector comprises;
an error checker, coupled to said switching matrix and said controller, wherein said error checker is configured to generate error check information, and said error check information is included in said error information;
a framing circuit, coupled to said switching matrix, said controller, and said error checker, and configured to detect a start-of-frame condition for each one of said plurality of frames, indicate said start-of-frame condition to said error checker, detect an end-of-frame condition for each one of said plurality of frames, indicate said end-of-frame condition to said error checker, and detect framing error, said framing error included in said error information;
an integrator, coupled between said error checker and said controller, and coupled between said framing circuit and said controller, wherein said integrator is configured to determine an error rate, said error rate is determined by counting said occurrence of said error during a period of time, and said error information comprises said error rate. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A signal router comprising:
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a switching matrix, wherein said switching matrix has a first number of inputs and a second number of outputs;
an error detector, coupled to one of said second number of outputs and configured to generate error information by virtue of being configured to detect errors in an information stream; and
a controller, coupled to said switching matrix and said error detector, wherein said controller is configured to select one of said first number of inputs from said first number of inputs, receive error information from said error detector, and configure said switching matrix to couple said one of said first number of inputs to said one of said second number of outputs, and said switching matrix is configured to receive said information stream at said one of said first number of inputs;
wherein said information stream comprises a plurality of frames and said error detector comprises;
an error checker, coupled to said switching matrix and said controller, wherein said error checker is configured to generate error check information, and said error check information is included in said error information; and
a framing circuit, coupled to said switching matrix, said controller, and said error checker, and configured to detect a start-of-frame condition for each one of said plurality of frames, indicate said start-of-frame condition to said error checker, detect an end-of-frame condition for each one of said plurality of frames, indicate said end-of-frame condition to said error checker, and detect framing error, said framing error included in said error information;
said error checker and said framing circuit are coupled to an error counter, said error counter is configured to maintain an error count by virtue of being configured to count an occurrence of an error detected by at least one of said error checker and said framing circuit, and reset said error count upon said error count being read, said controller is configured to periodically read an error count from said error counter, and calculate an error rate based on said error count, said error information comprising said error count. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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Specification