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Low-latency switch using optical and electrical proximity communication

  • US 7,840,136 B1
  • Filed: 03/26/2007
  • Issued: 11/23/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A switch, comprising:

  • input ports configured to receive signals, wherein the signals include data;

    output ports configured to output the signals;

    switching elements, wherein a given switching element in the switching elements is coupled to a given input port in the input ports through a first optical signal path and is coupled to a given output port in the output ports through a second optical signal path;

    a flow-control mechanism configured to provide flow-control information associated with the data to the switching elements, wherein the flow-control mechanism is coupled to the switching elements through an electrical control path;

    wherein the electrical control path includes a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die, wherein proximity connectors proximate to a first surface of the first semiconductor die are coupled to proximity connectors proximate to a second surface of the second semiconductor die, and wherein the electrical control path is configured to use proximity communication to communicate the flow-control information; and

    wherein the switching elements are configured to selectively couple the input ports to the output ports based on the flow-control information.

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