Patent ID: 8116332
Filing Date: 2012-02-14
Classification: G06F,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method of providing switch arbitration for the passing of packets between transmitters and receivers in a switch having a plurality of transmitters and receivers, the method comprising: globally distributing information about buffer contents and packet requests between transmitters and receivers, wherein buffer contents information is distributed through a set of first signals from a transmitter to all receivers, the first signals informing all receivers about the packets a transmitter holds to respective receivers, wherein packet request information is distributed through a set of second signals sent from a receiver requesting a packet transfer to all transmitters, the second signals informing the transmitters that a packet transfer is requested from this receiver, and from which transmitter the receiver is requesting a packet, wherein a transmitter having a packet to be transferred to a receiver and the receiver to receive that packet form a transfer pair, and wherein the transfer pairs pass information about pending packet transfers between them relative to pending packet transfers from other transmitters and to other receivers by associating a weight with the first and second signals.