Strictly non-blocking optical switch core having optimized switching

An N-way reciprocal switch core comprising:

• a plurality of duplex switches numbering N of at least a 1×(N−1) switch type;
• interconnecting paths, through which communication signals can propagate, interconnecting the plurality of duplex switches, so that each duplex switch is connected to every other duplex switch by at least one interconnection path to thereby facilitate strictly non-blocking operation of the switch core for reciprocal traffic.

An (n,m)-way switch core comprising:

• a first group of duplex switches numbering n, each duplex switch of the first group being of a 1×(n+m−1) type having n+m−1 ports;
• a second group of duplex switches numbering m, each duplex switch of the second group being of the 1×n type having n ports;
• interconnection paths, through which communication signals can propagate, interconnecting the first and second group of duplex switches, ports of the first group of duplex switches being connected to respective ports of every other duplex switch in the (n,m)-way switch core so that the first group of duplex switches is allowed to form duplex connections to any other duplex switch in the (n,m)-way switch core, each port of each duplex switch of the second group of duplex switches being connected only to a respective port of a respective duplex switch of the first group of duplex switches.

An LM-way reciprocal switch core comprising:

• a plurality of (L,2L−1)-way reciprocal switches numbering at least M, each including a plurality of interconnected duplex switches;
• a plurality of M-way reciprocal switches numbering at least 2L−1, each including a plurality of interconnected duplex switches;
• interconnection paths, through which communication signals can propagate, interconnecting the plurality of (L,2L−1)-way reciprocal switches and the plurality of M-way reciprocal switches to facilitate strictly non-blocking operation of the LM-way reciprocal switch core for reciprocal traffic.

An LM-way reciprocal switch core comprising:

• a plurality of (L,2L−1)-way reciprocal switches numbering M, each including a plurality of interconnected duplex switches;
• a plurality of M-way reciprocal switches numbering 2L−1, each including a plurality of interconnected duplex switches;
• interconnection paths, through which communication signals can propagate, interconnecting the plurality of (L,2L−1)-way reciprocal switches and the plurality of M-way reciprocal switches to facilitate strictly non-blocking operation of the LM-way reciprocal switch core for reciprocal traffic.

An N-way reciprocal switch with N bi-directional inputs/outputs comprising:

• a plurality of N duplex switches with each switch having a single bi-directional switch input/output port and at least N−1 bi-directional interconnect ports;
• and
• a plurality of interconnect lines, the members of which connect the plurality of duplex switches so that each interconnect port Y of each switch X is connected to an interconnect port X of switch Y when X≢Y, wherein X is a number of 1 through N representing a switch position of the duplex switch vis-à-vis other duplex switches and Y is a number from 1 through N representing a position of an interconnect port vis-à-vis other interconnect ports of switch X, such interconnections proceeding from X=1 until a single interconnection is provided between each of the duplex switches of the plurality of duplex switches, each interconnect line couples a signal to or receives a signal from only the two respective switch input/output ports to which it is coupled.

A method comprising:

• coupling each of a plurality of signals to one another to implement strictly non-blocking reciprocal traffic therebetween, including switching each of the signals and coupling the switched signals to one another such that each signal of the plurality is coupled to each of the other signals of the plurality for such traffic.

A method comprising:

• coupling each of a plurality of signals to one another to implement strictly non-blocking reciprocal traffic therebetween, including switching each of the signals and coupling the switched signals to one another such that each signal of the plurality is coupled to each of the other signals of the plurality for such traffic, including coupling Y internal signals, associated with each of X external signals to each of X internal signals associated with each of Y external signals when X≢Y.