Cyclically Interconnected Switch Units for Petabit Packet Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current switching-routing apparatuses in telecommunication networks face challenges in scalability, complexity, and efficiency, particularly in handling high-capacity traffic and varying connection granularities, leading to increased hops and reduced network performance.
Innovation Solution
A packet switching system with scalable switch units and dual rotators, employing a contention-free switching mechanism and rotating-access switching mechanism, allowing for orthogonal connectivity and efficient data routing across multiple switch units, enabling scalability from gigabits to petabits per second capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the dimension of deployed router switches is increased, then the capacity increases, but the mean number of hops decreases sharply leading to cumulative degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a large-scale switching system into multiple smaller switch units organized in stages. Each switch unit handles a portion of the total traffic, and the system achieves high capacity through the coordinated operation of these segmented units rather than relying on a single large switch. This segmentation prevents cumulative degradation while maintaining scalability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a multi-dimensional switching architecture where traffic can be routed through different stages and paths. By adding spatial dimensions (multiple stages of switching) rather than simply increasing the size of individual switches, the system achieves high capacity while controlling the number of hops and avoiding cumulative degradation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional multi-stage switching systems are used, then routing capability is achieved, but complexity and cost increase with the number of switching processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the switching function into standardized switch units that can be replicated and combined. Each unit has simplified internal logic, and the overall routing capability emerges from the coordinated operation of these simple, modular units rather than complex monolithic switches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs universal switch units that can perform multiple routing functions depending on their position in the switching fabric and the configuration of interconnections. These standardized units provide adaptability and versatility through their flexible deployment in different stages and configurations rather than requiring specialized complex switches for each function.
3Quantity of substance
If router switches are deployed to achieve global broadband network capacity, then network capacity increases, but the number of hops between access points increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-stage switching fabric that provides multiple parallel paths for data transmission. By organizing switches in multiple stages with appropriate interconnections, the system achieves high capacity while providing direct or near-direct paths between access points, effectively reducing the number of hops despite the large network scale.
4Adaptability or versatility
If scalable router switches are deployed, then capacity expansion is enabled, but operational simplicity and ease of expansion must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into identical or similar switch units that can be added or removed independently. This modular segmentation allows capacity to be scaled by simply adding more of the same standardized unit rather than redesigning the entire system, maintaining operational simplicity while enabling expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic switching fabric where the effective capacity and configuration can be adjusted by adding or removing switch units and reconfiguring interconnections. The system adapts to changing capacity requirements through flexible deployment of standardized modules rather than requiring fixed complex configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A packet switching system of an access capacity scalable to multiple petabits per second is disclosed. A multiplicity of switch units, each of a relatively small dimension, is organized into orthogonal sets of switch units and the switch units of each set are cyclically interconnected through a respective dual rotator. Each switch unit has a contention-free switching mechanism and is coupled to a same number of dual rotators. Each switch unit has a switch-unit controller configured to route data received from external data sources to external data sinks coupled to any other switch unit by communicating with at most one switch-unit controller of an intermediate switch unit.