Analog switching system with fan-out

An analog switching system having fan-out for switching each of a plurality of analog signal sources to one or more predetermined analog signal destinations comprising

• an inherently non-blocking three stage switch matrix including (1) a plurality of input switch blocks each having a plurality of input pins, (2) a plurality of middle switch blocks and (3) a plurality of output switch blocks each having a plurality of output pins, the number of said middle blocks being equal to or greater than the greatest of (1) the number of input pins per input block, (2) the number of output pins per output block or (3) the number of output pins per output block plus one-half the difference of the minimum of (a) the total number of output pins divided by the number of output pins per output block or the number of input pins per input block and (b) the minimum of the difference of the number of output pins per output block and the number of input pins per input block or the number of input pins per input block,
• each of switch blocks including a plurality of analog switch means and latching means, said plurality of latching means being adapted for coupling any one input terminal of a switch block to any one or more of the output terminals of that block, and
• control means coupled to each of said switch blocks for addressing each switch block and actuating at least one of said latching means to provide a connection assignment for at least one of said analog switch means.

An analog switching system having fan-out for switching each of a plurality of analog signal sources to one or more predetermined analog signal destinations comprising

• a three stage switch matrix including a plurality of input, middle, and output switch blocks each having input and output terminals, with a set of one or more of said middle blocks being designated as a middle block set and a set of one or more of said output blocks being designated as an output block set,
• each switch block including a plurality of analog switch means and latching means, said plurality of latching means being adapted for coupling any one input terminal of a switch block to any one or more of the output terminals of the block,
• control means coupled to each of said switch blocks for sequentially providing analog switch connection assignments for at least one of said analog switch means by actuating at least one of said latching means starting from a first input terminal of a first input block and starting from a first middle block until a blocked analog switch connection occurs in a middle block connected to a predetermined output block set and means for actuating predetermined latching means to move the blocked analog switch connection to an unblocked analog switch connection by transferring analog switch connection assignments from one middle block set to another while maintaining the analog switch connection assignment through said predetermined output block set.