Patent ID: 6993017

Claim:
An apparatus for time and space switching data from a first and a second input signal to a first and a second output signal, said apparatus comprising at least four switch elements ( 100 ; 500 ), each having a first ( 110 ; 510 ) and a second ( 120 ; 520 ) input port and an output port ( 150 ; 550 ) and comprising: switching means ( 130 ; 530 ) arranged to provide for time-switching of data received from said first input port to provide an output referring to said output port; and selecting means ( 140 ; 540 ) for defining a signal to be outputted from said output port by selectively combining said output from said switching means and data received via said second input port, mutual order of said data received via said second input port being the same when incorporated into said signal as when received via said first input port, wherein said elements are arranged so that: the first input port of a first one of said switch elements and the first input port of a second one of said switch elements are connected to receive said first input signal; the first input port of a third one of said switch elements and the first input port of a fourth one of said switch elements are connected to receive said second input signal; the output port of said first switch element is connected to the second input port of said third switch element; the output port of said second switch element is connected to the second input port of said fourth switch element; and the output ports of said third switch element and said fourth switch element thereby provides said first and second output signal, respectively.