High performance path allocation system and method for a fiber optic switch

摘要

A fiber optic switch (30) interconnects fiber optic channels (32) so that a fiber optic network can be implemented. Channel modules (34) provide ports (p1-pi) (33) for connection of the fiber optic channels (32). Each channel module (34) has a receive memory (84) for temporarily storing incoming data frames from the fiber optic channels (32) associated therewith. A switch module (36) having a data distribution network (42) interconnects each of the channel modules (34) and permits ultimate connection of a source channel (32) to a destination channel (32). A path allocation system (50), which controls the switch module (36), allocates the data paths between the channels (32). The path allocation system (30) has a scheduler (104) which maintains a destination queue (Qp1-Qpi) for each of the channels (32), a sentry (104) which determines when a new data frame (11) is ready to be routed, and an arbitrator (123) which arbitrates port availability and which grants transfer requests proposed by the scheduler (104). <IMAGE>