A TDM circuit-switching arrangement that handles frames of different sizes.

摘要

A time-division multiplexed circuit switch (100) handles different-size time-division multiplex frames (30, 40, 50) in a single, shared, time-space-time switching fabric. Both time slot interchange stages (131, 141) and a time-multiplexed space stage (120) of the switching fabric receive a plurality of overlapping different-size frames in each incoming superframe (30) of a succession of superframes and interleave switching of the different-size frames through the switching fabric to create a succession of outgoing superframes each one of which also has a plurality of the time-division-multiplex frames of different-sizes but from a plurality of incoming superframes. Switching of every individual received frame of any size commences as soon as the entire individual frame is received. <IMAGE>