Switching techniques for FDM communication systems

An arrangement for Frequency Division Multiplexed (FDM) switching of information signals in a switched communication system comprising N users wherein each user receives signals from the switching arrangement destined for that user over a separate link and transmits information signals over a separate link to the switching arrangement, the switching arrangement comprising:

• a plurality of N fixed paths, each path being arranged for receiving information signals from a separate of one the N links from the N users, each received information signal including a destination user's address which address is different for each system user;
• means responsive to the information signals on the plurality of N paths for (a) detecting the destination user's address included in each information signal on each of the paths, and (b) generating control signals representative of each detected destination user's address included in an information signal;
• and
• transmitting means responsive to the control signals from the detecting and generating means for converting each of the information signals propagating in the plurality of N paths to the FDM channel assigned to the user as indicated by the detected destination user's address in each of the information signals;
• and
• means for directing each of the converted information signals from the transmitting means onto the appropriate link associated with the destined user for transmission to that user.

A Frequency Division Multiplexed (FDM) switched communication system comprising:

• a plurality of N transceivers, each transceiver being associated with a separate user of the system and is assigned to receive information signals destined for the associated user over a separate one of N receive channels and to transmit information signals over a separate assigned one of L channels, where each information signal includes a destination user's address and L.ltoreq.N;
• and
• an FDM switching arrangement comprising:
• a plurality of L fixed paths for receiving and propagating up to L concurrent information signals received from the plurality of transceivers through the FDM switching arrangement, each path including;
• means responsive to an information signal propagating in the path for (a) detecting the destination user's address included in the information signal and (b) generating a separate control signal representative of the detected destination user's address, and
• transmitting means, responsive to a control signal from the detecting and generating means, for converting the information signal received on the associated path to the FDM channel assigned to the user as indicated by the detected destination user's address for subsequent transmission to the destined user.