ONE-SIDED SWITCHING NETWORK

Abstract: A one-sided switching network composed of one-sided switching modules, grouped in stages, in which the first stage comprises an even number of switching modules (1′, 1″ to n′, n″) grouped in pairs. The terminals of each module in all stages, are separated into incoming and outgoing PCM links. The incoming PCM links of the first modules (1′ to n′) in each of the switching blocks (1 to n) are used for connecting external signals, while the outgoing PCM links of these modules are used for connections to the switching modules (1‴ to n‴) of the next stage, and the incoming PCM links of the remaining modules (1″ to n″) of the blocks are used for the connections from modules (1‴ to n‴) of the next stage, while the outgoing PCM links of each of these first-stage modules are used for sending signals from the network. The incoming PCM links of the switching blocks (1 to n), which are used for connecting external signals to the network, are grouped with the outgoing PCM links of these blocks, which are used for sending signals from the network, and they constitute the terminals of the switching network. Such a structure enables to construct less material consuming one-sided multistage switching networks which are composed of standard elements.

Description: This invention relates to digital switching systems. In particular it relates to a one-sided multistage switching network composed of triangular switches, which is especially useful for the construction of a telecommunication system and for telephone exchanges. The structures of integrated switches which mix in the same chip or in the same printed board both time and space switching are well known. One-sided matrices lead to so-­ called triangular switches. These switches can be used for constructing a switching network whose capacity is greater than the capacity of a single switch. Structures of one-­ sided switching networks composed of triangular switches have been presented in several papers. In publications such as J. Cornu and M. Meinck "ITT 1240 Digital Exchange: Advanced Component Technology", Electrical Communication, 1981, 56, pages 161 to 172, and W. Frank, M. C. Rahier, D. Sallaerts and D. C. Upp "System 12: Dual Switch Port", Electrical Communication, 1985, 59, pages 54 to 59, the structures of triangular switches are described. Such switches were used for constructing a switching network as described in a publication of J. M. Cotton, K. Giesken, A. Lawrence and D. C. Upp "ITT 1240 Digital Exchange: Digital Switching Network", Electrical Communication, 1981, 56, pages 148 to 160. In this switching network the triangular switches are grouped into four stages. Some of the terminals of each switch in one stage are connected with the terminals of the switches in the next stage, while remaining terminals of these switches are connected with the terminals of the switches in the previous stage. The terminals of the switching network are formed by some terminals of the switches in the first stage of the switching network. In the described switching network there are no connections between switches in the same stage. In another solution as described in a publication of A. Jajszczyk "On Triangular Digital Switching Networks", Proc. 1987 Int. Conf. on Communication Technology, Nanjing, P.R.China, 1987, pages 982 to 985, switches in some stages or in all stages are replaced with one-stage full access switching blocks. These blocks are composed of triangular switches. In the switching network constructed in such a way, some of the switches in the same stage are connected to each other. A purpose of the invention is the construction of such one-­ sided multistage switching networks, which can be constructed of fewer number of triangular switches than those switching networks which were previously known. According to the invention, at least the first stage of the switching network contains an even number of one-sided switching modules which are grouped into pairs, and the terminals of each switching module in all stages of the network are separated into incoming and outgoing PCM links. The incoming PCM links of the first module of the pairs are used for connecting external signals which are sent to the network, while the outgoing PCM links are used for connections with the switching modules of the next stage. The incoming PCM links of the second module of the pairs are used for connections with the switching modules of the next stage, while the outgoing PCM links are used for sending signals from the network. The incoming PCM links of the switching modules of the next stage are sequentially connected to those modules of the input stage, outgoing PCM links of which are used for connections to the modules of the next stage, while the outgoing PCM links of these modules are sequentially connected to those modules of the input stage, incoming PCM links of which are used for connections from the modules of the next stage. The incoming PCM links of the first switching module of the pairs and the outgoing PCM links of the second switching module of the pairs are grouped respectively, and they serve as terminals of the switching network. The switching modules in each stage can be either triangular switches, or a set of n triangular switches, where n is an integer, or one-stage switching networks, or multi-stage switching networks. Such a structure makes it possible to construct a one-sided multistage switching network which is composed of standard switching elements and comprises fewer number of switches than switching networks previously known. Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a rearrangeable two-stage switching network, in which switching blocks of the first stage are composed of two switching modules, Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a nonblocking two-stage switching network, in which switching blocks of the first stage are composed of four switching modules, The switching network having the capacity of n x n PCM links, shown in Fig. 1, comprises n switching blocks, 1 to n, in the first stage, which are composed of a pair of one-­ sided switching modules (1′, 1″ to n′, n″). One of these two modules, 1′ to n′, is used for the connections to the second stage of the network, while another module of the pair, 1″ to n″, is used for the connections from the second stage, which comprises n one-sided switching modules, 1‴ to n‴. The terminals of each module 1′, 1″, 1‴ to n′, n″, n‴, in both stages, are separated into incoming and outgoing PCM links. The incoming PCM links of the modules 1′ to n′ in each of the switching blocks 1 to n are used for connecting external signals which are sent to the network, while the outgoing PCM links of these modules are used for the connections to the switching modules 1‴ to n‴ of the next stage. The incoming PCM links of the remaining modules 1″ to n″ of the blocks are used for the connections from the modules 1‴ to n‴ of the next stage, while the outgoing PCM links of each of these modules are used for sending signals from the network. The incoming PCM links of the modules 1‴ to n‴ of the second stage are sequentially connected with the modules 1′ to n′ of the first stage while the outgoing PCM links of these modules are sequentially connected with the remaining modules 1″ to n″ of the first stage. In each of the switching blocks 1 to n, the incoming PCM links which send external signals to the network and the outgoing PCM links which send signals from the network are grouped into pairs, and they constitute the terminals of the switching network. In case of switching network having the capacity of 256 PCM links the total number of switches is equal to 48, while the switching network of the same capacity, constructed in the way which was previously known comprises 64 such switches. The switching network of Fig. 2 has the capacity of 256 PCM links and is composed of triangular switches of capacity of 16 PCM links each. This switching network comprises 95 switches. There are 64 of these switches in the first stage, and they are grouped into 16 blocks, and the remaining 31 switches in the second stage. The optimal previously known switching network comprises 175 such switches.

Claims: 1. A one-sided multistage network composed of one-sided switching blocks which are grouped into stages, characterized in that at least the first stage of the switching network contains an even number of one-sided switching modules (1′, 1″ to n′, n″), which are grouped into switching blocks (1 to n) containing a pair of switching modules each, and the terminals of each switching module (1′, 1″, 1‴ to n′, n″, n‴) in all stages, are separated into incoming and outgoing PCM links; and, the incoming PCM links of the modules (1′ to n′) in each of the switching blocks (1 to n) are used for connecting external signals which are sent to the network, while the outgoing PCM links of these modules are used for connections to the switching modules (1‴ to n‴) of the next stage; and, the incoming PCM links of the second modules (1″ to n″) of the blocks (1 to n) are used for connections from the modules (1‴ to n‴) of the next stage, while the outgoing PCM links of each of these first-stage modules are used for sending signals from the network; and, the incoming PCM links of the switching modules (1‴ to n‴) of the next stage are sequentially connected with the modules (1′ to n′) of the first stage, while the outgoing PCM links of these modules (1‴ to n‴) are sequentially connected with the remaining modules (1″ to n″) of the first stage; and, the incoming PCM links of switching blocks (1 to n), which are used for connecting external signals, and the outgoing PCM links of these blocks, which are used for sending signals from the network, are grouped respectively into pairs, and they serve as the terminals of the switching network. 2. A one-sided switching network according to claim 1, wherein the switching modules (1′, 1″, 1‴ to n′, n″, n‴) in some or all stages are triangular switches. 3. A one-sided switching network according to claim 1, wherein the switching modules (1′, 1″, 1‴ to n′, n″, n‴) in some or all stages are composed of "n" triangular switches, where "n" is an integer. 4. A one-sided switching network according to claim 1, wherein the switching modules (1′, 1″, 1‴ to n′, n″, n‴) in some or all stages are one-sided single-stage switching networks. 5. A one-sided switching network according to claim 1, wherein the switching modules (1′, 1″, 1‴ to n′, n″, n‴) in some or all stages are one-sided multistage switching networks.

Inventors: JAJSZCZYK, ANDRZEJ, KABACINSKI, WOJCIECH
Applicants: POLITECHNIKA POZNANSKA
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H04Q11
IPC codes: H04Q3