ATM switching fabric

An asynchronous transfer mode switching fabric, comprising:

• N port interface circuit cards wherein each port interface card includes a first and second port interface module, said first and said second port interface module for interfacing said switching fabric to and from network transmission equipment;
• N fabric circuit cards wherein each said fabric circuit card includes N junction modules coupled to an output module, said output module for managing the transfer of cells into and out of said N junction modules;
• a redundant fabric circuit card coupled to said N port interface circuit cards and said N fabric circuit cards, said redundant fabric circuit card operative upon the failure of one of said N fabric circuit cards;
• and
• wherein N is a positive integer.

An asynchronous transfer mode switching fabric, comprising:

• a plurality of pairs of port interface modules wherein each said pair of port interface modules includes a first and second port interface module, said first port interface module coupled to a top input bus, said second port interface module coupled to a bottom input bus, said plurality of pairs of port interface modules for coupling network transmission equipment to said switching fabric;
• a plurality of junction modules arranged as a matrix of N rows by N columns wherein each junction module within each row is coupled to said top input bus and said bottom input bus, each row associated with one of said pairs of port interface modules, each junction module within each column coupled to a left output bus and a right output bus, said plurality of junction modules for receiving cells from said top and said bottom input buses, queuing said cells and outputting said cells onto said left and said right output buses;
• a plurality of output modules wherein each output module is associated with a single column, each said output module coupled to all said junction modules within a column to form a fabric column, said output module for managing the transmission of said cells from each said junction module onto said left and said right output buses;
• said first port interface module coupled to said left output bus, said second port interface module coupled to said right output bus, each said pair of port interface modules coupled to one of said output modules, said plurality of pairs of port interface modules for interfacing said switching fabric to said network transmission equipment;
• a redundant fabric column coupled to said plurality of pairs of port interface modules and said fabric columns, said redundant fabric column becoming operative upon the failure of one of said fabric columns;
• and
• wherein N is a positive integer.

An asynchronous transfer mode switching fabric, comprising:

• a group of M input buses;
• a group of M output buses;
• a plurality of groups of port interface modules wherein each said group of port interface modules includes M port interface modules, said group of port interface modules coupled to said group of M input buses, each i.sup.th port interface module within said group of port interface modules coupled to an i.sup.th input bus within said group of M input buses, said plurality of groups of port interface modules for coupling network transmission equipment to said switch fabric;
• a plurality of junction modules arranged as a matrix of N rows by N columns wherein each junction module within each row is coupled to one of said groups of M input buses, each row associated with one of said groups of M port interface modules, each junction module within each column coupled to one of said groups of M output buses, said plurality of junction modules for receiving cells from said group of M input buses, queuing said cells and outputting said cells onto said group of M output buses;
• a plurality of output modules wherein each output module is associated with a single column of said matrix, each said output module coupled to all said junction modules within a column to form a fabric column, said output module for managing the transmission of said cells from each said junction module onto said group of M output buses;
• said i.sup.th port interface module coupled to an i.sup.th output bus, each said group of M port interface modules coupled to one of said output modules, said plurality of groups of port interface modules for interfacing said switching fabric to said network transmission equipment;
• and
• wherein M and N are positive integers.

An asynchronous transfer mode switching fabric, comprising:

• a group of M input buses;
• a group of M output buses;
• N port interface circuit cards wherein each port interface circuit card includes M port interface modules, each i.sup.th port interface module coupled to an i.sup.th input bus and an i.sup.th output bus, said M port interface modules for interfacing said switching fabric to and from network transmission equipment;
• N fabric circuit cards wherein each said fabric circuit card includes N junction modules coupled to an output module, each said junction module forming an intersection comprising one of said N junction modules coupled to said M input and said M output buses of one of said N port interface circuit cards, said output module for managing the transfer of cells into and out of said N junction modules;
• a redundant fabric circuit card coupled to said N port interface circuit cards and said N fabric circuit cards, said redundant fabric circuit card operative upon the failure of one of said N fabric circuit cards;
• and
• wherein M and N are positive integers.