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US 5,497,363 AGranted
Expansion shelf for access system and switch block therefor
AssigneeAlcatel Network Systems, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Gingell
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAlcatel Network Systems, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Gingell
Estimating the term…
A cross-connect for interfacing high-speed ports and having add/drop multiplexing capabilities for permitting simultaneous access to all individual subscribers may be improved by utilizing a switch block arrangement for allowing downstream subscribers to be switched among each other without the need to be switched upstream through the cross-connect or may alternatively be improved by substituting an expansion shelf in place of a line shelf so as to permit the addition of additional line shelves and hence, additional subscribers. This latter improvement is made possible by assuming that not all subscribers will need access to the cross-connect at the same time. A switch block for such arrangements can output either an input data signal previously stored in a switch memory or a daisy-chain input that is output from another switch block in the arrangement.
An improved network element having a cross-connect connected to a plurality of line shelves each line shelf for connection to a first number of subscribers, wherein the improvement comprises at least one expansion shelf substituted for a corresponding at least one of the plurality of line shelves connected to the cross-connect and connected to additional line shelves, each additional shelf for connection to a number of subscribers equal to said first number, wherein said expansion shelf is for connecting a number of subscribers greater at least by a factor of two than said first number of subscribers to said cross-connect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.