Method and system for distributing data communications utilizing a crossbar switch

• US 7,161,936 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2001
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barrass, Hugh, Schwartz, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou; Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rose; Kerri M.
• Application Number:
  US10/035,353
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 370/357, 370/359, 370386-388, 370/351
• US Class Current: 370/387
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL

Abstract

A solid-state crossbar switch for transmitting data traffic includes a first number of input ports. Each input port is operable to receive DSL data from a data switch. The crossbar switch also includes a second number of output ports. Each output port is capable of being coupled to a customer premise equipment (CPE) device. The crossbar switch includes a third number of 1×N solid-state analog switches. Each 1×N solid-state analog switch is operable to couple one of the input ports with N output ports. Each input port may be coupled to one of the analog switches. The second number of output ports may be greater than N. The crossbar switch may include a sweeper port coupled to each output port. The sweeper port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

Claims

1. A solid-state crossbar switch for transmitting data traffic, comprising:

a first number of input ports, each input port operable to receive DSL data from a data switch;

a second number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a customer premise equipment (CPE) device;

a third number of 1×

N solid-state analog switches, each 1×

N solid-state analog switch operable to couple one of the input ports with N output ports; and

a catcher port coupled to each output port, wherein the catcher port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports and form an active connection with one of the output ports to alleviate a bad cluster.

2. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein each input port is coupled to one of the 1×

N solid-state analog switches.

3. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein the second number of output ports is greater than N.

4. The crossbar switch of claim 1, further comprising a sweeper port coupled to each output port, wherein the sweeper port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

5. The crossbar switch of claim 4, wherein the first number is twenty-three.

6. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein the first number is twenty-two.

7. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein the first number is twenty-three.

8. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein the first number is twenty-four.

9. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein the second number is ninety-six.

10. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein N is approximately between twelve and thirty-two.

11. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein N is sixteen.

12. The crossbar switch of claim 1, wherein N is twenty-four.

13. The crossbar switch of claim 1, further comprising a sweeper port coupled to each output port, wherein the sweeper port is operable to continuously cycle through each output port, establishing an active connection for a period of time to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

14. A solid-state crossbar switch for transmitting data traffic, comprising:

a first number of input ports, each input port operable to receive DSL data from a data switch;

a second number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a customer premise equipment (CPE) device;

a first number of solid-state analog switches, each solid-state analog switch operable to couple one of the input ports with each output port; and

a sweeper port coupled to each output port, wherein the sweeper port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

15. The crossbar switch of claim 14, wherein the first number is twenty-three.

16. The crossbar switch of claim 14, wherein the second number is ninety-six.

17. A method for transmitting DSL data between a data switch and a CPE device using a solid-state crossbar switch, comprising:

receiving DSL data from the data switch at a first number of input ports;

receiving the DSL data from the input ports at a second number of 1×

N solid-state analog switches, wherein each 1×

N solid-state analog switch comprises N outlets;

switching the DSL data received at each analog switch to an outlet of each analog switch;

receiving the switched DSL data at a third number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device; and

monitoring each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports using a sweeper port, wherein the sweeper port is coupled to each output port.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each input port is coupled to one of the analog switches.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the third number of output ports is greater than N.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first number is twenty-four.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the third number is ninety-six.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein N is approximately between twelve and thirty-two.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the first number is twenty-three.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the first number is twenty-two.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising monitoring each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports and forming an active connection with one of the output ports to alleviate a bad cluster using a catcher port, wherein the catcher port is coupled to each output port.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first number is twenty-three.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the sweeper port continuously cycles through each output port, establishing an active connection for a period of time to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

28. An apparatus for transmitting DSL data between a data switch and a CPE device using a solid-state crossbar switch, comprising:

means for receiving DSL data from the data switch at a first number of input ports;

means for receiving the DSL data from the input ports at a second number of 1×

N solid-state analog switches, wherein each 1×

N solid-state analog switch comprises N outlets;

means for switching the DSL data received at each analog switch to an outlet of each analog switch;

means for receiving the switched DSL data at a third number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device; and

means for monitoring each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports using a sweeper port wherein the sweeper port is coupled to each output port.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for monitoring each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports and means for forming an active connection with one of the output ports to alleviate a bad cluster using a catcher port, wherein the catcher port is coupled to each output port.

30. A program encoded in a computer readable medium for transmitting DSL data between a data switch and a CPE device using a solid-state crossbar switch, the program, when executed, performing the following steps:

receive DSL data from the data switch at a first number of input ports;

receive the DSL data from the input ports at a second number of 1×

N solid-state analog switches, wherein each 1×

N solid-state analog switch comprises N outlets;

switch the DSL data received at each analog switch to an outlet of each analog switch;

receive the switched DSL data at a third number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device; and

monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports using a sweeper port, wherein the sweeper port is coupled to each output port.

31. The program encoded in a computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the program, when executed, is further operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports and form an active connection with one of the output ports to alleviate a bad cluster using a catcher port, wherein the catcher port is coupled to each output port.

32. A crossbar switch for transmitting data traffic, comprising:

a first number of input ports, each input port operable to receive data from a data switch;

a second number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a customer premise equipment (CPE) device;

a third number of 1×

N analog switches, each 1×

N analog switch operable to couple one of the input ports with N output ports, wherein N is less than the second number; and

a sweeper port coupled to each output port, wherein the sweeper port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

33. The crossbar switch of claim 32, wherein the first number is twenty-four.

34. The crossbar switch of claim 32, wherein the second number is ninety-six.

35. The crossbar switch of claim 32, wherein N is sixteen.

36. A method for transmitting data between a data switch and a CPE device using a crossbar switch, comprising:

receiving data from the data switch at a first number of input ports;

receiving the data from the input ports at a second number of 1×

N analog switches, wherein each 1×

N analog switch comprises N outlets;

switching the data received at each analog switch to an outlet of each analog switch;

receiving the switched data at a third number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device, wherein the third number is greater than N; and

monitoring each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports using a sweeper port, wherein the sweeper port is coupled to each output port.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first number is twenty-four.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the third number is ninety-six.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein N is sixteen.

40. An apparatus for transmitting data between a data switch and a CPE device using a crossbar switch, comprising:

means for receiving data from the data switch at a first number of input ports;

means for receiving the data from the input ports at a second number of 1×

N analog switches, wherein each 1×

N analog switch comprises N outlets;

means for switching the data received at each analog switch to an outlet of each analog switch;

means for receiving the switched data at a third number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device, wherein the third number is greater than N; and

means for monitoring each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports using a sweeper port, wherein the sweeper port is coupled to each output port.

41. A program encoded in a computer readable medium for transmitting data between a data switch and a CPE device using a crossbar switch, the program, when executed, performing the following steps:

receive data from the data switch at a first number of input ports;

receive the data from the input ports at a second number of 1×

N analog switches, wherein each 1×

N analog switch comprises N outlets;

switch the data received at each analog switch to an outlet of each analog switch;

receive the switched data at a third number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device, wherein the third number is greater than N; and

monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports using a sweeper port, wherein the sweeper port is coupled to each output port.

42. A solid-state crossbar switch for transmitting DSL data traffic, comprising:

twenty-two input ports, each input port operable to receive DSL data from a data switch;

ninety-six output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device; and

twenty-four 1×

16 solid-state analog switches, each 1×

16 solid-state analog switch operable to couple one of the input ports with sixteen output ports.

43. The crossbar switch of claim 42, further comprising a sweeper port coupled to each output port, wherein the sweeper port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

44. The crossbar switch of claim 42, further comprising a catcher port coupled to each output port, wherein the catcher port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports and form an active connection with one of the output ports to alleviate a bad cluster.

45. The crossbar switch of claim 44, further comprising a sweeper port coupled to each output port, wherein the sweeper port is operable to monitor each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports.

46. A method for transmitting DSL data between a data switch and a CPE device using a solid-state crossbar switch, comprising:

receiving DSL data from the data switch at a first number of input ports;

receiving the DSL data from the input ports at a second number of 1×

N solid-state analog switches, wherein each 1×

N solid-state analog switch comprises N outlets;

switching the DSL data received at each analog switch to an outlet of each analog switch; and

receiving the switched DSL data at a third number of output ports, each output port capable of being coupled to a CPE device; and

monitoring each output port to detect an active connection of a CPE device to one of the output ports and forming an active connection with one of the output ports to alleviate a bad cluster using a catcher port, wherein the catcher port is coupled to each output port.