Patent ID: 8675673

Claim:
A method for forwarding cells of partitioned data through a three-stage memory-memory-memory (MMM) input-queue Closnetwork (IQC) packet switch, the partitioned data received at an input port for the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch and destined for an output port for the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch, the cells stored in a virtual output queue maintained at the input port, the virtual output queue associated with the destination output port, the method comprising: associating a first time stamp value with a first cell from among the cells and associating a second time stamp value with a second cell from among the cells, the first time stamp value to indicate the first cell is older than the second cell; forwarding the first cell through the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch via an input module coupled to the input port, then via a first central module from among a plurality of central modules coupled to the input module and then via Q first virtual output port queue (VOPQ) maintained at an output module coupled to the first central module and coupled to the destination output port, wherein forwarding the first cell includes: receiving a request to match a link between the output module and the first central module, and granting the request based on an indication of an age of the first cell, wherein the indication of the age of the first cell comprises the indication of the age being based on the first time stamp value associated with the first cell at the input port of the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch; and forwarding the second cell through the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch via the input module coupled to the input port, then via a second central module from among the plurality of central modules and then via a second virtual output port queue (VOPQ) maintained at the output module coupled to the destination output port, wherein the first cell and the second cell are concurrently stored at the first VOPQ and the second VOPQ, respectively, and the first cell is forwarded to the destination output port from the output module prior to the second cell being forwarded to the destination output port from the output module, wherein forwarding the second cell includes: receiving another request to match a link between the output module and the second central module, and granting the other request based on an indication of an age of the second cell, wherein the indication of the age of the second cell comprises the indication of the age being based on the second time stamp value associated with the second cell at the input port of the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch.