Patent ID: 7848341

Claim:
A switching method for data packets that comprise a payload, said data packets heading via one or more input ports of a switching device towards one or more dedicated output ports thereof, each of said output ports having at least one output queue, comprising the steps of: storing payload of each said data packet arriving at a set of input ports comprising at least one input port, at an address of at least one of a set of output buffers which belong to said dedicated output ports; storing a plurality of addresses comprising an output buffer address of each said payload stored in said output buffer in output queues forming a set comprising one output queue for each output port, wherein said addresses are sorted according to data packet destination information; determining a readout order of said stored addresses for all said output queues which pertain to the same said output port; and multiplexing according to the readout order the stored payloads from said output buffers to said output port to switch the packet payloads to the output port.