Patent ID: 8218575

Claim:
A method for shortening the length of time gaps between data units in a data switching network; the method comprising: arranging a group of K data units received consecutively at an input of a first device in a time period of K units, where K is a positive integer, and where a timer period of one unit is a period of time necessary for receiving one data unit at the input of the first device; sending the arranged K data units to the inputs of M devices, where M is a positive integer; transferring a group of H j data units of the arranged K data units by a device j of the M devices from its inputs to its outputs within a time unit T x where the time period T x is less than or equal to one unit and, where H j is a positive integer and the sum of H j for j=1, . . . M is equal to K, where H j K; arranging the data units sent to the devices of the M devices transferring during the time period T x such that no two inputs of the devices of the M devices transferring during the time period T x receive the same data unit at any moment; and repeatedly combining and arranging the K data units from the outputs of the M devices by a second device such that the K data units appear at the output of the second device consecutively.