Patent ID: 7046660

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a plurality of source ports, at least one of the source ports operable to receive complete data packets successively at a higher data rate and to output data via a plurality of source port outputs at a lower data rate; a plurality of switching elements that form a sequential switching fabric and operate at the lower data rate, at least one of the switching elements having a plurality of switching element inputs individually connected to each of the source port outputs a plurality of switching element outputs both the switching elements and the source ports operating to change a given one of the source port outputs successively from a given one of the switching elements to a next available switching element in response to a data packet event; a plurality of destination ports, at least one of the destination ports operable to receive the complete data packets successively at the lower data rate and having a plurality of destination port inputs individually connected to each of the switching element outputs a plurality of destination port outputs operable to output the complete data packets at the higher data rate both the switching elements and the destination ports operating to change a given one of the destination port inputs successively from the given one of the switching elements to the next available switching element in response to the data packet event wherein the effective data rate from the source port outputs to the switching element inputs and from the switching element outputs to the destination port inputs is the higher data rate and the complete data packets of variable or fixed size are transferred through a single serial link, the single serial link comprising a given one of the source ports, a given one of the switching elements and a given one of the destination ports wherein the ratio of higher to lower data rates is four to one and a minimum of four switching elements per source port is supplied wherein two additional switching elements provide for automatic redundancy and the apparatus is operable to respond to a busy or failed switching element.