Patent ID: 6574232
Filing Date: 2003-06-03
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A crossbar switching system for switching variable length unicast and broadcast packets, comprising:an NÃ—N crossbar switch matrix comprising N input ports and N output ports, the switch matrix adapted to couple data present at any input port to any output port in accordance with one or more switch configuration commands; and N interface (I/F) circuits, each I/F circuit coupled to a corresponding input port and output port on the switch matrix, each I/F circuit comprising: N unicast queues, each unicast queue corresponding to a different output port on the switch matrix; a broadcast buffer adapted to store a plurality of broadcast packets; and a broadcast buffer management unit adapted to periodically halt the transmission of unicast packets to said crossbar switch matrix to permit the consecutive transfer of broadcast packets thereto, said broadcast buffer management unit adapted to store broadcast packets arriving to said I/F circuit in said broadcast buffer, said broadcast buffer management unit operative to consecutively transfer the contents of said broadcast buffer to said crossbar switch matrix while the transmission of said unicast packets is suspended, the transmission of said unicast packets resuming following the completion of transmission of said broadcast packets.