Cross-connect apparatus capable of avoiding a superfluous detour route therein

摘要

In a cross-connect apparatus for use in selectively connecting a plurality of input transmission paths to a plurality of output transmission paths, each of the input and the output transmission paths is divided into first through m-th groups each of which is composed of first through n-th transmission paths, first through m-th elementary switch modules are located between the input and the output transmission paths, n in number, of the first through the m-th groups and are connected to a connection switch module through first to m-th input internal path groups each of which is composed of n internal paths and which are extended into first through m-th switch units each of which has input terminals, n(m-1) in number, and output terminals, n in number, where n and m are natural numbers. An i-th one of the switch units in the connection switch module is connected to the input path groups, (m-1) in number, except an i-th internal path group, where i is a natural number between unity and m, both inclusive. The output terminals of the i-th switch unit is connected to an i-th one of the elementary switch modules through an i-th one of output internal paths. This structure serves to avoid an unnecessary detour route in the cross-connect apparatus.