Patent ID: 7907610

Claim:
An integrated circuit comprising: a plurality of data processing circuits; a communication network, coupled between the data processing circuits, the communication network comprising connections and router circuits coupled between the connections, the communication network and/or the data processing circuits and/or further circuits in between the communication network and the data processing circuits being programmable to store definitions, for respective data streams, of respective paths along the connections, for controlling the router circuits to transmit each data item from each respective data stream along the respective path programmed for that respective data stream; a scheduling circuit coupled to the communication network, and/or the data processing circuits and/or the further circuits, for selecting and programming the respective paths, the scheduling circuit being arranged to service a request for adding an additional data stream to a plurality of original data streams after transmission of the original data streams has started, by rerouting the path or paths for at least one of the original data streams and selecting for the new data stream a new path that occupies a connection vacated by said rerouting of the path or paths for the at least one of the original data streams, and reprogramming the definition of the path or paths of the original data stream and programming the definition of the new path, without interrupting transmission of data items for original data streams other than said at least one of the original data streams.