Patent ID: 8902887

Claim:
A method for constructing load-balancing packet switches, the method comprising: constructing a distributed self-routing concentrator structure wherein a first stage switching fabric uniformly distributes any pattern of incoming traffic to load-balance all output group ports of the first stage switching fabric, while a second stage switching fabric just self-routes and forwards data coming from the first stage switching fabric to final destinations; appending a virtual output group queue (VOGQ) at each input group port of the first stage switching fabric, and a reordering buffer (RB) configured behind each output group port of the second stage switching fabric, wherein each said VOGQ stores data slices which carry self-routing address information, and each said RB reorders the data slices according to a corresponding input group self-routing address for subsequent treatment; storing packets in the VOGQ as data slices of fixed size, and wherein a line group (MG) tag, an output group (OG) tag, and an input group (IG) tag are appended, in order, before each data slice and delivering the packets to the first stage switching fabric for routing; passing the packets configured with the OG tag, the IG tag, and the MG tag appended, in order, before the data slice from the first stage switching fabric to the second stage switching fabric; and recombining the data slices according to the IG and MG tags carried by the packets once the packets have reached the corresponding RB through the second stage switching fabric.