Patent ID: 7461167
Filing Date: 2008-12-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for multicasting a data cell received in a crossbar switch structure, comprising: registering an address and priority corresponding to the data cell at an ingress port in a memory cell, the memory cell being addressable by the priority of the data cell, the ingress port being one of a plurality of ingress ports for the crossbar switch; controlling a flow of the data cell based on the priority of the data cell; asserting a multicast service request for the data cell using the memory cell; in response to the asserting of the multicast service request, comparing a request priority for the data cell with request priorities of one or more other multicast data cells asserted for ingress ports of the crossbar switch; responsive to the comparing of request priorities, selecting the data cell for transmission and granting the multicast service request for the ingress port; arranging a multicast fan-out for the data cell; and in response to the arranging of the multicast fan-out for the data cell, configuring the crossbar switch structure for the transfer of the data cell to a plurality of egress ports of the crossbar switch.