| 摘要 |
A method of expanding a regular three-stage switching array. Original switching blocks of the first and third stages having a smaller number of crosspoints are enlarged to switching blocks having a larger number of crosspoints, by combining the original switching blocks. In addition, the three stages are expanded by adding additional switching blocks. After the enlarged blocks are formed, at least one additional block is added to the second stage, and some of the connection paths between the enlarged blocks and the blocks of the second stage are rerouted to the additional blocks. The rerouting is performed for the original blocks of the second stage one at a time. In order to avoid disruption of operations during the expansion, while the rerouting is being performed for any particular original block of the second stage, the connections between that original block and the enlarged blocks which would otherwise be established, are switched through redundant connection paths in the second stage. When the rerouting for the original block is complete, these connections are switched back to the connection paths of the original and added blocks of the second stage. After repeating the above for all original blocks of the second stage, the outputs of additional blocks of the first stage and the inputs of additional blocks of the third stage are respectively connected with the inputs and outputs that are still free in the now existing original and additional blocks of the second stage.
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