Patent ID: 8170040
Filing Date: 2012-05-01
Classification: H03K,H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A network having a plurality of multicast connections, said network comprising: N when N and a leaf stage comprising an input stage and an output stage; and said input stage comprising input switches, and each input switch comprising d inlet links and each said input switch further comprising x×d outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage where x>0; and said output stage comprising output switches, and each output switch comprising d 2 outlet links and each said output switch further comprising incoming links connecting from switches in its immediate succeeding stage; and a plurality of y middle stages, excepting a root stage, comprising middle switches in each of said y middle stages wherein one of said middle stages is an immediate succeeding stage to both said input stage and said output stage, where y>1, and said root stage comprising middle switches; and each middle switch in all said middle stages, excepting said root stage and said succeeding stage to both said input stage said output stage, comprising d incoming links (hereinafter “incoming middle links”) connecting from switches in its immediate preceding stage and d incoming links connecting from switches in its immediate succeeding stage, and each middle switch further comprising d outgoing links (hereinafter “outgoing middle links”) connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage and d outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage; and each middle switch in said succeeding stage to both said input stage and said output stage comprising d incoming links connecting from switches in said input stage and d incoming links connecting from switches it its immediate succeeding stage, and each middle switch further comprising outgoing links connecting to switches in said output stage and d outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage; and each middle switch in said root stage comprising d incoming links connecting from switches in its immediate preceding stage and each middle switch further comprising d outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate preceding stage; or when N and a leaf stage comprising an input stage and an output stage; said input stage comprising input switches, and each input switch comprising d 1 inlet links and each input switch further comprising outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage where x>0; and said output stage comprising output switches, and each output switch comprising d outlet links and each output switch further comprising x×d incoming links connecting from switches in its immediate succeeding stage; and a plurality of y middle stages, excepting a root stage, comprising middle switches in each of said y middle stages wherein one of said middle stages is an immediate succeeding stage to both said input stage and said output stage, where y>1, and said root stage comprising middle switches; and each middle switch in all said middle stages, excepting said root stage and said succeeding stage to both said input stage said output stage, comprising d incoming links (hereinafter “incoming middle links”) connecting from switches in its immediate preceding stage and d incoming links connecting from switches in its immediate succeeding stage, and each middle switch further comprising d outgoing links (hereinafter “outgoing middle links”) connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage and d outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage; and each middle switch in said succeeding stage to both said input stage and said output stage comprising incoming links connecting from switches in said input stage and d incoming links connecting from switches it its immediate succeeding stage, and each middle switch further comprising d outgoing links connecting to switches in said output stage and d outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate succeeding stage; and each middle switch in said root stage comprising d incoming links connecting from switches in its immediate preceding stage and each middle switch further comprising d outgoing links connecting to switches in its immediate preceding stage; and wherein each multicast connection from an inlet link passes through at most two outgoing links in the input switch, and said multicast connection further passes through a plurality of outgoing links in a plurality of switches in each said middle stage and in said output stage.