Switching module for digital cross-connect systems

Claim 2

A switching module comprising: first and second groups of N input terminals, and first and second groups of N output terminals; first and second N×N space switches; a first group of N selectors each having a first input coupled to an associated one of the input terminals of the first group and an output coupled to an associated one of N inputs of the first N×N space switch; a first group of N splitters connected respectively to the input terminals of the second group, each of the splitters having a first output coupled to a second input of an associated one of the selectors of the first group and a second output coupled to an associated one of N inputs of the second N×N space switch; a second group of N selectors each having a first input coupled to an associated one of N outputs of the first N×N space switch and an output coupled to an associated one of the output terminals of the first group; and a second group of N splitters connected respectively to N outputs of the second N×N space switch, each of the splitters having a first output coupled to a second input of an associated one of the selectors of the second group and a second output coupled to an associated one of the output terminals of the second group.

Claim 3

A switching module as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the selectors of the first group permanently establishes a connection from the second input thereof to the output thereof and each of the selectors of the second group permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof to form an inlet-stage switch of a three-stage switching network.

Claim 4

A switching module as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the selectors of the first group permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof and each of the selectors of the second group permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof to form center-stage switches of a three-stage switching network.

Claim 5

A switching module as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the selectors of the first group permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof and each of the selectors of the second group permanently establishes a connection from one of the first and second inputs thereof to the output thereof to form an outlet-stage switch of a three-stage switching network.

Claim 6

A switching module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second groups of N input terminals receive time-division multiples signals and wherein each of the N×N space switches is a digital space switch for establishing a unique connection between N input and N outputs of the switch during each time slot of said time-division multiplex signals.

Claim 7

A space-division switching network comprising: an inlet stage having N switching modules of N×2N configuration; a center stage having 2N switching modules of N×N configuration; an outlet stage having N switching modules of 2N×N configuration; first connecting means for connecting N inputs of a first group of the center-stage modules respectively to a first group of N outputs of the inlet-stage modules, and connecting N inputs of a second group of the center-stage modules respectively to a second group of N outputs of the inlet-stage modules; second connecting means for connecting N outputs of the first group of the center-stage modules respectively to a first group of N inputs of the outlet-stage modules, and connecting N outputs of the second group of the center-stage modules respectively to a second group of N inputs of the outlet-stage modules; each module of said inlet, center and outlet stages comprising: first and second groups of N input terminals, and first and second groups of N output terminals; first and second N×N space switches; a first group of N selectors each having a first input coupled to an associated one of the input terminals of the first group and an output coupled to an associated one of N inputs of the first N×N space switch; a first group of N splitters connected respectively to the input terminals of the second group, each of the splitters having a first output coupled to a second input of an associated one of the selectors of the first group and a second output coupled to an associated one of N inputs of the second N×N space switch; a second group of N selectors each having a first input coupled to an associated one of N outputs of the first N×N space switch and an output coupled to an associated one of the output terminals of the first group; and a second group of N splitters connected respectively to N outputs of the second N×N space switch, each of the splitters having a first output coupled to a second input of an associated one of the selectors of the second group and a second output coupled to an associated one of the output terminals of the second group, wherein each selector of the first group of each inlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the second input thereof to the output thereof and each selector of the second group of each inlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof, and each selector of the first group of each center-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof and each selector of the second group of each center-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof, and each selector of the first group of each outlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof and each selector of the second group of each outlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from one of the first and second inputs thereof to the output thereof.

Claim 8

A space-division switching network comprising: an inlet stage having N switching modules of N×2N configuration; a center stage having 2N switching modules of N×N configuration; an outlet stage having N switching modules of 2N×N configuration; first connecting means for connecting N inputs of a first group of the center-stage modules respectively to a first group of N outputs of the inlet-stage modules, and connecting N inputs of a second group of the center-stage modules respectively to a second group of N outputs of the inlet-stage modules; second connecting means for connecting N outputs of the first group of the center-stage modules respectively to a first group of N inputs of the outlet-stage modules, and connecting N outputs of the second group of the center-stage modules respectively to a second group of N inputs of the outlet-stage modules; each module of said inlet, center and outlet stages comprising: first and second groups of N input terminals, and first and second groups of N output terminals; first and second N×N space switches; a first group of N selectors each having a first input coupled to an associated one of the input terminals of the first group and an output coupled to an associated one of N inputs of the first N×N space switch; a first group of N splitters connected respectively to the input terminals of the second group, each of the splitters having a first output coupled to a second input of an associated one of the selectors of the first group and a second output coupled to an associated one of N inputs of the second N×N space switch; a second group of N selectors each having a first input coupled to an associated one of N outputs of the first N×N space switch and an output coupled to an associated one of the output terminals of the first group; and a second group of N splitters connected respectively to N outputs of the second N×N space switch, each of the splitters having a first output coupled to a second input of an associated one of the selectors of the second group and a second output coupled to an associated one of the output terminals of the second group, wherein each selector of the first group of each inlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the second input thereof to the output thereof and each selector of the second group of each inlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof, and each selector of the first group of each center-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof and each selector of the second group of each center-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof, and each selector of the first group of each outlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from the first input thereof to the output thereof and each selector of the second group of each outlet-stage module permanently establishes a connection from one of the first and second inputs thereof to the output thereof.

Claim 9

A space-division switching network as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first connecting means connects N inputs of (2i-1)th center-stage module respectively to i-th outputs of the inlet-stage modules, where i is between 1 and N, and connects N inputs of 2ith center stage module respectively to (i+N)th outputs of the inlet-stage modules, and wherein said second connecting means connects N outputs of (2i-1)th center-stage module respectively to i-th inputs of the outlet-stage modules, and connects N outputs of 2ith center-stage module respectively to (i+N)th inputs of the outlet-stage modules.

Claim 10

A space switching network as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first and second groups of N input terminals receive time division multiplex signals and wherein each of said N×N space switches is a digital space switch for establishing a unique connection between N inputs and N outputs of the switch during each time slot of said time-division multiplex signals.