Method and apparatus for an expandable switching element

摘要

An embodiment of the invention may comprise pairing a first switching module with a second switching module such that the first switching module is enabled to switch signals received via its first input ports and its second input ports to its first output ports and second output ports, wherein the signals received by the first input ports of the first switching module are communicated from the first output ports of the second switching module, and the signals communicated by the first output ports of the second switching module are signals received by the second input ports of the second switching module and forwarded to the first output ports of the second switching module.

主权项

1. A module for processing signals, comprising:
first input ports of a first switch element accessible via a module front panel; first output ports of the first switch element accessible via the module front panel; second input ports of the first switch element accessible via connections on the module other than connections on the module front panel; second output ports of the first switch element accessible via connection on the module other than connections on the module front panel; and the first switch element configured to switch signals received by the first input ports and the second input ports to the first output ports and the second output ports; the module further comprising at least one second switch element forming a pair with the first switch element, the pair formed without modifying one or more connections to at least one of the first input ports and the first output ports of the first switch element, the module providing an aggregate switching capacity for a combination of the first switch element and the at least one second switch element, the aggregate switching capacity being increased at least with respect to a number of ports of one or more of the first switch element and the at least one second switch element as compared with a switching capacity of one of the first switch element and the at least one second switch element, the first switch element and the at least one second switch element enabled to be paired, via connection between the second input ports of the first switch element and the second output ports of the at least one second switch element, and via connection between the second output ports of the first switch element and the second input ports of the at least one second switch element.