Method and apparatus for switching data between bitstreams of a time division multiplexed network

A method for switching data in time and space between a set of input bitstreams and a set of output bitstreams in a circuit switched time division multiplexed network, each of said bitstreams being divided into recurring frames and each of said frames being divided into time slots, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving each one of said input bitstreams;
• temporarily storing frames of time slot data from said input bitstreams, wherein frames from different input bitstreams are stored in respective memory means of a set of memory means;
• providing each time slot of an output frame of each one of said output bitstreams with an identification designating whether or not the respective time slot of said output bitstreams is to receive time slot data from any one of said input bitstreams and, if so, from which time slot data entry of said memory means that said time slot data is to be collected;
• selectively reading, for each output frame of each one of said output bitstreams, time slot data from the frames temporarily stored in said set of memory means in accordance with said identification of each time slot, wherein said selective reading for each of said output bitstreams is performed independent of the other output bitstreams, and wherein said selective reading causes the time slot data to be read sequentially in accordance with the order that said time slot data are to be transmitted in the respective output frame;
• and
• transmitting said time slot data, as selectively read from said temporarily stored frames, into allocated time slots of said output bitstreams.