Patent ID: 7535897
Filing Date: 2009-05-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. Switching system for a telecommunication network node, comprising m input modules (IM 1 , IM 2 , IMi, IMm) and n output modules (OM 1 , OM 2 , OMj, OMn), each co-operating with a switching matrix and with a central controller ( 2 ) controlling said matrix ( 1 ), said system being capable of switching selectively, via the matrix ( 1 ), data packets received via said input modules, according to their respective destinations, to the respective destination output modules, a quantity of packets relating to a given pair of input and output modules (IMi, OMj) being defined as a quantity of data constituting the packet(s) received by this input module and intended for the output module of this pair, a request relating to a given pair of input and output modules being representative of a quantity termed “required” (RQij) defined as a quantity of packets queuing in this input module and candidates to be transferred to this output module, said central controller ( characterized in that all the input and output pairs (IMi, OMj) capable of being divided into N separate subsets such that neither an input module nor an output module belongs to more than one pair of a single subset, the central arbitration unit (CSC) is capable of activating for each arbitration cycle p successive phases (x) associated to p functions respectively, and incorporates a plurality of processing units (PUi) each capable of running said p functions, each function applying to at least three parameters called “residual required quantity” (RQ), “input capacity” (CI) and “output capacity” (CO) in which the values are relative to a single pair and are set respectively at the start of the cycle by a required quantity (Rqij) corresponding to a request, and said maximum input and output capacities (CIi, COj) relative to this pair, in that each phase consists of N successive steps (y) associated respectively to said subsets, each step being run in parallel by said processing units (PUi) in order to implement for each pair of the associated subset the following operation: calculation of a so-called “partial” accepted quantity value (dGR) by applying to the values of said parameters the function associated to the phase (x) which includes this step, calculation of revised values of said parameters by subtracting this partial accepted quantity value (dGR) from each of the values which said parameters had at the start of the step, said revised values providing parameter values for the next step, the sum (grij) of the partial accepted quantity values relative to a single pair and calculated during a complete cycle constituting the accepted quantity (Grij) relating to this pair, and in that said p functions are such that for the given positive values of said three parameters, the resultant partial accepted quantity value for a given phase is > the resultant value obtained for a preceding phase.