Patent ID: 7139291

Claim:
A method for use in a switching network for changing from a first set of paths through said switching network to a second set of paths through said switching network, said switching network comprising a demultiplexer and a multiplexer, said method comprising: (a) switching via said demultiplexer and via said multiplexer according to said first set of paths; after one frame of data is switched; (b) switching via said demultiplexer according to said second set of paths and switching via said multiplexer according to said first set of paths; and after another frame of data is switched; (c) switching via said demultiplexer and via said multiplexer according to said second set of paths; wherein said switching network further comprises a first buffer and a second buffer, and wherein said (a) comprises said demultiplexer switching data from an input into said first buffer according to said first set of paths while said multiplexer switches data from said second buffer to an output according to said first set of paths.