Technique for converting either way between a plurality of N synchronized serial bit streams and a parallel TDM format

An arrangement for converting in either direction between (1) a first format comprising a plurality of N concurrent serial bit streams including M-bit words at a first predetermined bit rate, and (2) a second format comprising a parallel Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) bit stream including N sequential M-bit words at a second predetermined bit rate, the arrangement comprising:

• a plurality of input terminals, each input terminal being arranged to receive a separate one of a set of the concurrent bits of either one of the first or second format to be converted at the predetermined bit rate of the input bit stream;
• an array comprising a plurality of storage elements including (a) a first set of connections for shifting at least all but one of the sets of concurrent bits of the N words from the first plurality of input terminals into and within the array in a predetermined direction so that at least all but one of the concurrent set of bits from the N-words are aligned parallel to each other along a first axis of the array, (b) a second set of connections for shifting the bits of the N words to transposed positions into and within the array so that the N words are aligned parallel to each other in the storage elements along a second orthogonal axis of the array, and (c) a third set of connections for making available the bits of the transposed words at the output of the array at the predetermined bit rate of the output bit stream;
• and
• a plurality of output terminals, each output terminal being arranged to receive a separate concurrent bit from the third set of connections of either one of the transposed first or second format.