Superconductive crossbar switch
First Claim
1. A superconducting crossbar switch, comprising:
- a plurality of input lines;
a matrix of a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being coupled to one of the plurality of input lines, wherein each cell includes;
a first circuit portion containing a first superconducting switch; and
a second circuit portion, wherein a first signal via the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch;
a plurality of output lines, each of the plurality of output lines coupled to one of the plurality of cells;
wherein the second circuit portion includes a second superconducting switch;
wherein the second circuit portion comprises a first leg and a second leg, the second leg including the second superconducting switch, wherein a signal via the first leg of the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A superconductor crossbar switch for connecting a plurality of inputs with a plurality of outputs, including a switching cell having an input, an output and a circuit for connecting the input with the output for bidirectionally transmitting data therebetween. The connection of the retaining and releasing circuitry of a plurality of cells enables the switch to simultaneously retain a selected cell or cells of a group of cells and disable the remaining cells of that group, whereby a subsequent query on a disabled cell is inoperative until the selected cell or cells is released. The crossbar switch is characterized by latency on the order of nanoseconds, a data rate per channel on the order of gigabits per second, essentially zero crosstalk, and detection of contention in nanoseconds or less and resolution of contention in nanoseconds or less.
42 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A superconducting crossbar switch, comprising:
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a plurality of input lines;
a matrix of a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being coupled to one of the plurality of input lines, wherein each cell includes;
a first circuit portion containing a first superconducting switch; and
a second circuit portion, wherein a first signal via the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch;
a plurality of output lines, each of the plurality of output lines coupled to one of the plurality of cells;
wherein the second circuit portion includes a second superconducting switch;
wherein the second circuit portion comprises a first leg and a second leg, the second leg including the second superconducting switch, wherein a signal via the first leg of the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 8, 10)
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3. A superconducting crossbar switch, comprising:
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a plurality of input lines;
a matrix of a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being coupled to one of the plurality of input lines, wherein each cell includes;
a first circuit portion containing a first superconducting switch; and
a second circuit portion, wherein a first signal via the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch;
a plurality of output lines, each of the plurality of output lines coupled to one of the plurality of cells;
wherein the first circuit portion includes a second resistor coupled in series with a first resistor. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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7. A superconducting crossbar switch, comprising:
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a plurality of input lines;
a matrix of a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being coupled to one of the plurality of input lines, wherein each cell includes;
a first circuit portion containing a first superconducting switch; and
a second circuit portion, wherein a first signal via the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch;
a plurality of output lines, each of the plurality of output lines coupled to one of the plurality of cells;
wherein the first signal is produced via a first current in the second circuit portion.
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9. A superconducting crossbar switch, comprising:
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a plurality of input lines;
a matrix of a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being coupled to one of the plurality of input lines, wherein each cell includes;
a first circuit portion containing a first superconducting switch; and
a second circuit portion, wherein a first signal via the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch;
a plurality of output lines, each of the plurality of output lines coupled to one of the plurality of cells;
wherein the first signal is an optical signal.
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11. A superconducting crossbar switch, comprising:
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a plurality of input lines;
a matrix of a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being coupled to one of the plurality of input lines, wherein each cell includes;
a first circuit portion containing a first superconducting switch; and
a second circuit portion, wherein a first signal via the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch;
a plurality of output lines, each of the plurality of output lines coupled to one of the plurality of cells;
wherein the matrix of a plurality of cells includes 32 rows and 32 columns of cells, and wherein the plurality of input lines includes 32 input lines and the plurality of output lines includes 32 output lines.
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12. A superconducting crossbar switch, comprising:
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a plurality of input lines;
a matrix of a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells being coupled to one of the plurality of input lines, wherein each cell includes;
a first circuit portion containing a first superconducting switch; and
a second circuit portion, wherein a first signal via the second circuit portion triggers the first superconducting switch;
a plurality of output lines, each of the plurality of output lines coupled to one of the plurality of cells;
further comprising a plurality of summing devices, wherein each of the plurality of output lines is coupled in series with one from the plurality of summing devices. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A crossbar switch for connecting a plurality of inputs with a plurality of outputs, comprising:
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at least one switching cell, comprising;
at least one input device;
at least one output device; and
at least one connecting switch for bi-directionally transmitting data between the at least one input device and the at least one output device, each of the at least one connecting switch comprising;
a first superconductive switch; and
a first control switch to control operation of the connecting switch;
a second superconductive switch; and
a second control switch for retaining and releasing operation of the first superconductive switch.
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47. A crossbar switch for connecting a plurality of inputs with a plurality of outputs, comprising:
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at least one switching cell, comprising;
at least one input device;
at least one output device; and
at least one connecting switch for bi-directionally transmitting data between the at least one input device and the at least one output device, each of the at least one connecting switch comprising;
a first superconductive switch; and
a first control switch to control operation of the connecting switch;
a switching cell, comprising;
a plurality of cells arranged in a matrix with the at least one input device coupled to the plurality of cells, and the at least one output device coupled to the plurality of cells;
wherein the switching cell further comprises;
a feedback mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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49. A crossbar switch for connecting a plurality of inputs with a plurality of outputs, comprising:
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at least one switching cell, comprising;
at least one input device;
at least one output device; and
at least one connecting switch for bi-directionally transmitting data between the at least one input device and the at least one output device, each of the at least one connecting switch comprising;
a first superconductive switch; and
a first control switch to control operation of the connecting switch;
wherein the at least one output device comprises;
a summing device for summing output currents. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. A crossbar switch for connecting a plurality of inputs with a plurality of outputs, comprising:
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at least one switching cell, comprising;
at least one input device;
at least one output device; and
at least one connecting switch for bi-directionally transmitting data between the at least one input device and the at least one output device, each of the at least one connecting switch comprising;
a first superconductive switch; and
a first control switch to control operation of the connecting switch;
further comprising;
a sensing apparatus coupled to the at least one connecting switch for detecting simultaneous pulses to cells, generating an indication of conflict from the simultaneous pulses, and resolving the conflict.
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52. A method for transmitting information via a superconducting crossbar switch, the switch including a plurality of cells, each of the cells including a first superconducting switch in a first circuit portion, a coupling to an input line, a coupling to an output line, and a second circuit portion, the method comprising:
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transmitting a control signal to the second circuit portion;
the second circuit portion producing a first switching signal in response to receiving the control signal;
the first switching signal triggering the first superconducting switch; and
the triggering of the first superconducting switch allowing transmission of an output signal via the output line;
wherein the switching signal comprises an optical signal.
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53. A method for transmitting information via a superconducting crossbar switch, the switch including a plurality of cells, each of the cells including a first superconducting switch in a first circuit portion, a coupling to an input line, a coupling to an output line, and a second circuit portion, the method comprising:
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transmitting a control signal to the second circuit portion;
the second circuit portion producing a first switching signal in response to receiving the control signal;
the first switching signal triggering the first superconducting switch; and
the triggering of the first superconducting switch allowing transmission of an output signal via the output line;
wherein the second circuit portion includes a second superconducting switch, and wherein each of the cells includes a third circuit portion, the method further comprising;
transmitting a clamp line signal to the third circuit portion;
the third circuit portion producing a second switching signal in response to receiving the clamp line signal;
the second switching signal triggering the second superconducting switch; and
the triggering of the second superconducting switch allowing the second circuit portion to produce the first switching signal.
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54. A method for transmitting information via a superconducting crossbar switch, the switch including a plurality of cells, each of the cells including a first superconducting switch in a first circuit portion, a coupling to an input line, a coupling to an output line, and a second circuit portion, the method comprising:
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transmitting a control signal to the second circuit portion;
the second circuit portion producing a first switching signal in response to receiving the control signal;
the first switching signal triggering the first superconducting switch; and
the triggering of the first superconducting switch allowing transmission of an output signal via the output line;
further comprising;
transmitting an input to the superconducting crossbar switch; and
the transmission input producing the output signal via the output line;
wherein a plurality of output lines are associated with the plurality of cells, and wherein transmitting an input to the superconducting crossbar switch includes;
selecting one from the plurality of output lines for which data is to be transmitted; and
identifying at least one from the plurality of cells corresponding to the selected one from the plurality of output lines.
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55. A method for transmitting information via a superconducting crossbar switch, the switch including a plurality of cells, each of the cells including a first superconducting switch in a first circuit portion, a coupling to an input line, a coupling to an output line, and a second circuit portion, the method comprising:
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transmitting a control signal to the second circuit portion;
the second circuit portion producing a first switching signal in response to receiving the control signal;
the first switching signal triggering the first superconducting switch; and
the triggering of the first superconducting switch allowing transmission of an output signal via the output line;
further comprising;
transmitting an input to the superconducting crossbar switch; and
the transmission input producing the output signal via the output line;
wherein each output line for the plurality of cells is coupled to a summing device, the summing device including a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion, wherein the second circuit portion includes a third superconducting switch, the method further comprising;
transmitting the output signal via the output line to the first circuit portion of the summing device;
the first circuit portion of the summing device producing a summing device control line signal;
the control line signal triggering the third superconducting switch; and
the triggering of the third superconducting switch producing a transmission to a memory input. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
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59. A method for resolving contention in a crossbar switch having a plurality of inputs, at least one output, a plurality of switching devices, and at least one contention sensor, wherein each of the switching devices is coupled to at least one of the plurality of inputs, and wherein each of the at least one contention sensor is coupled to one of the at least one output, the method comprising:
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a first one of the plurality of inputs transmitting a first input signal to a first one of the plurality of switching devices;
a second one of the plurality of inputs, concurrently with transmission of the first input signal, transmitting a second input signal to a second one of the plurality of switching devices;
transmitting a combined switch output from the first and the second switching devices to one of the at least one output;
the contention sensor sensing the combined switch output; and
upon sensing the combined switch output, the contention sensor preventing generation of an output signal via the one of the at least one output. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method for providing a broadcast signal via a crossbar switch having a plurality of inputs, at least one output, and a plurality of switching devices, wherein each of the switching devices is coupled to at least one of the plurality of inputs, the method comprising:
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transmitting a control signal to each of the plurality of switching devices from which a switch output is to be transmitted;
transmitting an input signal to at least one of the plurality of switching devices; and
for each of the plurality of switching devices receiving the control signal and receiving the input signal, the switching device generating an output signal to any of the at least one output, wherein each of the plurality of switching devices comprises a superconducting switch;
wherein the switching device preventing generation of an output signal to any of the at least one output includes;
generating a current in the switching device; and
the generated current causing the superconducting switch to conduct.
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65. A method for transmitting a signal via a crossbar switch having a plurality of inputs, at least one output and a plurality of switching devices, wherein each of the switching devices is coupled to at least one of the plurality of inputs, the method comprising:
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transmitting an input signal to each of the plurality of switching devices;
transmitting a control signal to each of the at least one of the plurality of switching devices from which an output is to be generated; and
for each of the plurality of switching devices receiving the control signal and receiving the input signal, the switching device generating an output signal to one of the at least one output;
wherein, each of the plurality of switching devices receiving the input signal and receiving no control signal is prevented from generating the output signal to any of the at least one output. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67)
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Specification