Patent Document ID: 5542048
Application ID: 07946514
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A multi-stage bufferless switch network comprising: a final stage; initial stages; said initial stages comprising: a plurality of selectable switch apparatuses operably coupled in a cascaded manner to include at least a first selectable switch apparatus and a last selectable switch, each of the plurality of selectable switch apparatuses including a plurality of switch inputs and a plurality of switch outputs, each of the plurality of switch outputs of each of the plurality of selectable switch apparatuses, except for the plurality of switch outputs of the last selectable switch apparatus, is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of switch inputs of another one of the plurality of selectable switch apparatuses; the final stage comprising: a plurality of crossbar switch apparatuses each of which includes a plurality of crossbar switch inputs and a plurality of crossbar switch outputs, each one of the plurality of switch outputs of the last selectable switch apparatus coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of crossbar switch inputs, the plurality of crossbar switch outputs comprising network output ports and the plurality of switch inputs of the first selectable switch apparatus comprising network input ports; a plurality of nodes each coupled to one of the network output ports and to one of the network input ports, each of said nodes comprising means for receiving a data message from a coupled network output port and means for sending a data message to a coupled network input port, said data message including a path connection request; said selectable and crossbar switch apparatuses each including: connection means for establishing one communication path between any one of the network input ports and any one of the network output ports in response to said path connection request received at said coupled network input port, said communication path for transmitting a data message received at said any one of the network input ports to said any one of the network output ports; and said connection means including asynchronous connection means for establishing asynchronously a plurality of simultaneously active communication paths between a plurality of the network input ports and a plurality of the network output ports in response to a plurality of connection requests received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of the network input ports, said simultaneously active communication paths for transmitting a plurality of data messages received separately or simultaneously at said plurality of the network input ports to said plurality of the network output ports; and said plurality of selectable switch apparatuses each further including: a plurality of alternative switch outputs selectable by the connection means in response to a connection request for establishing said one communication path arriving at one of the plurality of switch inputs of one of the plurality of selectable switch apparatuses, the connection means selecting one of the plurality of alternative switch outputs for establishing said one communication path.