Patent ID: 6487171
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A crossbar switching system for use with variable length data 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 to any output port in accordance with switch configuration commands; N interface (I/F) circuits, each I/F circuit coupled to a corresponding input port on the switch matrix; N broadcast/unicast (BC/UNI) buffer circuits, each BC/UNI buffer circuit coupled to a corresponding output port on the switch matrix, the BC/UNI buffer circuit comprising: a unicast buffer adapted to store and forward unicast packets output of the egress of the switch matrix to a corresponding I/F circuit; and a broadcast buffer adapted to store a broadcast packet output of the egress of the switch matrix; a controller adapted to steer unicast packet data to the unicast buffer, the controller operative to halt the transmission of unicast packet data to the unicast buffer in each of N BC/UNI buffer circuits upon the arrival of a broadcast packet, wherein the broadcast packet data output of the switch matrix is stored in the broadcast buffer in each of N BC/UNI buffer circuits and subsequently transmitted to each of the N I/F circuits, and wherein the transmission of unicast packet data is resumed following the completion of transmission of the broadcast packet.