Patent ID: 7394806
Filing Date: 2008-07-01
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
1. A distributed space-time-space switch of comprising: an electronic time-switching stage including a plurality of electronic time switches; an input stage including a plurality of upstream optical space switches, where each upstream optical space switch of said plurality of upstream optical space switches receives upstream input signals on a plurality of input channels and transmits upstream output signals to at least one electronic time switch of said plurality of electronic time switches; and an output stage including a plurality of downstream optical space switches, where each downstream optical space switch of said plurality of downstream optical space switches receives downstream input signals from at least one electronic time switch of said plurality of electronic time switches and transmit downstream output signals on a plurality of output channels, wherein each of said optical space switches is associated with a controller for scheduling connections across said each of said optical space switches, and wherein each electronic time switch of the plurality of electronic time switches is operable to transmit an optical signal to a given downstream optical space switch in said output stage so that said optical signal arrives at said given downstream optical space switch at an instant of time specified by said controller associated with said, given downstream optical space switch.