Patent ID: 7283556

Claim:
A method for managing the assignment of Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) timeslots of a TDM cycle in a network switch comprising a plurality of ports, the method comprising: programming the network switch to support a first TDM timeslot assignment scheme for a first subset of the plurality of ports in a first port configuration; reprogramming the network switch to support a second TDM timeslot assignment scheme for a second subset of the plurality of ports in a second port configuration; wherein, in a current port configuration, a subset of the plurality of ports are configured to receive input data and to convey output data for the network switch; wherein the network switch is configured to schedule the receiving of the input data and the conveying of the output data through the subset of the plurality of ports in the current port configuration using a currently programmed TDM timeslot assignment scheme associated with the current port configuration; and wherein, in the current port configuration, the subset of the plurality of ports are each assigned one or more timeslots of the currently programmed TDM timeslot assignment scheme.