Dynamically reconfigurable hybrid circuit-switched and packet-switched network architecture

A method for dynamically forming a network using a plurality of switching modules arranged in ordered switching layers, each of the switching modules being interconnected with modules on at least one of a next-higher switching layer and a next-lower switching layer, each of the switching modules being dynamically switchable between a circuit-switched operation mode and a packet-switched operation mode, the method comprising:

• determining an operating mode of the network, the operating mode being one of circuit-switched and packet-switched;
• selecting one of the switching modules as the root switching module for the network;
• designating as target modules all of the modules that are either directly or indirectly subsidiary to the root switching module;
• transmitting mode selection signals to all of the target switching modules, the mode selection signals causing the target switching modules to switch to the determined operating mode;
• and
• initiating the target switching modules into operation as a network.

An arbitration method for controlling switching resources in a packet-switched network in response to connection requests by network nodes communicating through the network, the switching resources being arranged in an ordered plurality of switching levels having a highest level and a lowest level, whereby each switching module is interconnected with a plurality of modules at the next lower level, the plurality of modules at the next lower level including at least one of switching modules and network nodes, and each switching module that is not at the highest level is interconnected with exactly one switching module at the next higher level, the method comprising:

• selecting the lowest switching level as the currently arbitrated level;
• receiving of connection requests by the switching modules in the currently arbitrated level from modules in the next lower level, the connection requests being requests to connect source nodes with destination nodes, the connection requests including at least one of requests from network nodes in the next lower level and requests passed-through by switching modules in the next lower level from network nodes in levels below the next lower level;
• granting requests for which the source node and the destination node are both direct or indirect subsidiaries of the same switching module in the currently arbitrated level by allocating switching resources of the switching module;
• passing through to the next higher level requests and corresponding status information regarding connection requests for which the source node and the destination node are not both direct or indirect subsidiaries of the same switching module in the currently arbitrated level;
• selecting the next higher switching level as the currently arbitrated level;
• and
• repeating the steps of receiving, granting, passing through, and selecting the next higher switching level until resources have been allocated at all of the switching levels.

A system of network resources, the system comprising:

• a plurality of network nodes;
• a plurality of switching modules, the switching modules being arranged in an ordered plurality of switching levels having a highest level and a lowest level, each switching module being interconnected with a plurality of modules at the next lower level, the plurality of modules at the next lower level including at least one of switching modules and network nodes, and each switching module that is not at the highest level being interconnected with exactly one switching module at the next higher level;
• a control processor;
• and
• non-transient media containing software operable on the control processor so as to set switching configurations of the switching modules whereby input ports of each switching module are connected to output ports of the switching module, the switching configurations of the switching modules being settable every cycle of the control processor.