A fast assignment technique for use in a switching arrangement.

摘要

The present invention relates to a fast packet assignment technique, and a TDMA or FDMA multi-port switching arrangement for implementing such technique. In the present technique, the total traffic in a two-dimensional traffic matrix (T) from and to each of N remote service areas, regardless of destination or origination, is totaled to form separate input (R) and output (S) traffic vectors, respectively. Non-conflicting assignments are then made from these vectors for each packet or channel available during a predetermined time period while also providing the capability of substantially reducing multi-path or antenna sidelobe interference. An MxM switch (l6) is designed to implement such technique which directs C input packets from M inputs (201-M) into separate memory locations (Zij). During the time period of the next C input packets, the MxM switch directs the presently stored packets to the proper ones of M outputs (271-M) at the appropriate time for transmission in the proper packet or channel to the destined remote service areas. In accordance with the present technique and switch, the M packets concurrently directed from memory to the M output ports can comprise more than one packet from a particular service area to other separate service areas.