US5724352A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Terabit per second packet switch having assignable multiple packet loss probabilities
Assignee: Nokia of America Corp
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Filing: 1995-08-31
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Granted: 1998-03-03
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Expires: 2015-08-31
Abstract
Abstract A physically realizable one terabit or more ATM packet switch that has a large number of input interfaces connected to a single stage switching fabric which is in turn connected to a number of output modules, generally according to the growable packet switch architecture. This ATM packet switch is different from other growable packet switches in that it has a single stage switch fabric controlled by an out-of-band controller, yet it has significantly reduced complexity with respect to comparably sized electronic crossbar switches or their isomorphs. The out-of-band controller has multiple priority levels in order to provide high priority users with a near certainty that their packets will be successfully routed, while delivering an acceptably low packet or cell loss probability to users at the lowest priority level.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Jay Cloonan
- 👤 Gaylord Warner Richards
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 00:57
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5601; H04L49/00; H04L49/10; H04L49/104; H04L49/105; H04L49/106; H04L49/15; H04L49/1553; H04L49/1576; H04L49/25; H04L49/253; H04L49/255; H04L2012/5638; H04L2012/5646; H04L2012/5647; H04L2012/5651; H04L2012/5652; H04L2012/5678; H04L2012/5681
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
225 words
A packet switch for switching a telecommunication packet from a plurality of input lines to a plurality of output lines, comprising: a plurality of input interfaces, each having an input port connected to a respective input line of said plurality of input lines, and each of said input interfaces having an output port; a network for switching a plurality of I input ports to a plurality of P output ports; each of said plurality of input interface output ports is fanned out to a respective group of F of said I input ports of said network, said network having a plurality of C pipes, where C is an integer of a value equal to P/I; a plurality of output modules, said output modules together having a plurality of inputs, each of said output module inputs connected to respective output port of said plurality of P output ports, and together having a plurality of outputs, each of said output module outputs connected to a respective output line of said plurality of output lines; each pipe of said C pipes having a path from each of the plurality of inputs lines that is connectable to a respective output line of the plurality of output lines; and an out of band controller having multiple priority levels for hunting a path through said packet switch for a telecommunication packet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
225 words
A packet switch for switching a telecommunication packet from a plurality of input lines to a plurality of output lines, comprising: a plurality of input interfaces, each having an input port connected to a respective input line of said plurality of input lines, and each of said input interfaces having an output port; a network for switching a plurality of I input ports to a plurality of P output ports; each of said plurality of input interface output ports is fanned out to a respective group of F of said I input ports of said network, said network having a plurality of C pipes, where C is an integer of a value equal to P/I; a plurality of output modules, said output modules together having a plurality of inputs, each of said output module inputs connected to respective output port of said plurality of P output ports, and together having a plurality of outputs, each of said output module outputs connected to a respective output line of said plurality of output lines; each pipe of said C pipes having a path from each of the plurality of inputs lines that is connectable to a respective output line of the plurality of output lines; and an out of band controller having multiple priority levels for hunting a path through said packet switch for a telecommunication packet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein: each of said input interfaces has a store for storing a telecommunication packet; and said out-of-band controller rolls a request for a path for the telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a second pipe and the telecommunications packet is stored in said input interface while the controller is hunting an unblocked path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
83 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein: each of said input interfaces has a store for storing a telecommunication packet; and said out-of-band controller rolls a request for a path for the telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through both a first pipe and a second pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a third pipe and the telecommunication packet is stored in said input interface while the controller is hunting an unblocked path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein: each of said input interfaces has a store for storing a telecommunication packet; and said out-of-band controller rolls a request for a path for the telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe, a second pipe and a third pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a fourth pipe and the telecommunication packet is stored in said input interface while the controller is hunting an unblocked path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells to reduce a probability of losing an ATM cell by internal blocking.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells, and rolls a request for a path for a telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a second pipe.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells, and rolls a request for a path for a telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe and a second pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a third pipe.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 1, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells, and rolls a request for a path for a telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe, a second pipe and a third pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a fourth pipe.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
107 words
A packet switch for switching telecommunication packets, comprising: a network for switching a plurality of I inputs to a plurality of P outputs; said network having a plurality of C pipes, where C is an integer of a value equal to P/I; each pipe having a respective pattern of switching its inputs to its outputs; each pattern of switching of a pipe is independent of the patterns of switching of the other pipes; a plurality of output modules connected to said plurality of P outputs; and an out of band controller having multiple priority levels for hunting a path through said packet switch for a telecommunication packet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
107 words
A packet switch for switching telecommunication packets, comprising: a network for switching a plurality of I inputs to a plurality of P outputs; said network having a plurality of C pipes, where C is an integer of a value equal to P/I; each pipe having a respective pattern of switching its inputs to its outputs; each pattern of switching of a pipe is independent of the patterns of switching of the other pipes; a plurality of output modules connected to said plurality of P outputs; and an out of band controller having multiple priority levels for hunting a path through said packet switch for a telecommunication packet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller rolls a request for a path of a telecommunication packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe to an input of a second pipe.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller rolls a request for a path of a telecommunication packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through both a first pipe and a second pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a third pipe.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller rolls a request for a path of a telecommunication packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe, a second pipe and a third pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a fourth pipe.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells to reduce a probability of losing an ATM cell by internal blocking.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells, and rolls a request for a path of a telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a second pipe.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells, and rolls a request for a path of a telecommunication packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe and a second pipe to an input of a pipe controller of a third pipe.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller assigns an order of preference to ATM cells, and rolls a request for a path of a telecommunications packet which was unable to find an unblocked path through a first pipe, a second pipe and a third pipe to an input of a fourth pipe.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The packet switch as set forth in claim 9, wherein said out-of-band controller controls finds and establishes paths through said packet switch for the telecommunication packets.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
187 words
An ATM switch for switching ATM packets, comprising: a plurality of ATM interface cards, each having a respective input connected to an ATM telecommunication line and an output; a network for switching a plurality of I inputs to a plurality of P outputs; said network having a plurality of F pipes, where F is an integer of a value equal to P/I; each of said outputs of said input interfaces is fanned out by a factor of F and connected a respective input of each of said F pipes; each pipe having a respective pattern of switching its inputs to its outputs; each pattern of switching of a pipe is independent of the patterns of switching of the other pipes; a plurality of output modules connected to said plurality of P outputs; each of said output modules having a plurality of outputs; and an out of band controller having multiple priority levels for hunting a path from an input of one of said plurality of input interfaces through said ATM switch for an ATM packet to a desired output of one of said plurality of output modules.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
187 words
An ATM switch for switching ATM packets, comprising: a plurality of ATM interface cards, each having a respective input connected to an ATM telecommunication line and an output; a network for switching a plurality of I inputs to a plurality of P outputs; said network having a plurality of F pipes, where F is an integer of a value equal to P/I; each of said outputs of said input interfaces is fanned out by a factor of F and connected a respective input of each of said F pipes; each pipe having a respective pattern of switching its inputs to its outputs; each pattern of switching of a pipe is independent of the patterns of switching of the other pipes; a plurality of output modules connected to said plurality of P outputs; each of said output modules having a plurality of outputs; and an out of band controller having multiple priority levels for hunting a path from an input of one of said plurality of input interfaces through said ATM switch for an ATM packet to a desired output of one of said plurality of output modules.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
85 words
The ATM switch according to claim 18, wherein an input interface of said plurality of input interfaces has a memory that stores an ATM packet for two ATM packet periods to allow an ATM packet which was blocked during the previous ATM packet period to hunt a path from an input of one of said plurality of input interfaces through said ATM switch for an ATM packet to a desired output of one of said plurality of output modules during the next ATM packet period.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
The ATM switch according to claim 19, wherein said ATM packet which was previously blocked for one ATM period is communicated through said ATM switch to its respective desired output of its output module in proper sequence without the use of a time stamp.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
55 words
The ATM switch according to claim 18, wherein an input interface of said plurality of input interfaces has a means for reading a priority field of each incoming ATM packet and means for releasing a request vector during a pipe hunting period assigned to its ATM packets according to the value in said priority field.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-09-01 | 2002-03-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-02 | 2005-09-01 | 2006-03-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-02 | 2009-09-01 | 2010-03-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |