Switch and a switching method

A method of reassembling a number of traffic streams interleaved within a data stream into a respective output queue for each traffic stream, wherein the method comprises:

• (a) clearing the output queues and selecting a first output queue for receiving the data stream;
• (b) passing the data stream to the selected output queue while monitoring the data stream, and going to step (c) upon detection of a start indicator of a new traffic stream different from the traffic stream currently being received, wherein the staff indicator of the new traffic stream is located after a minimum transmittable element of the currently received traffic stream, and going to step (d) if the end of a traffic stream is determined, wherein the staff and end of said traffic streams are determined from at least one reassembly indicator incorporated into control data contained within the traffic streams without increasing the amount of control data already present in said traffic streams prior to interleaving;
• (c) selecting a further output queue to receive the new traffic stream and going to step (b);
• and
• (d) if a memory stack contains one or more identifiers of output queues, retrieving the top identifier from the stack, selecting the output queue corresponding to the identifier to resume receiving said currently received traffic stream and going to step (b), otherwise going to step (a).

A switch comprising an input from which a data stream is received, the data stream comprising interleaved portions of different traffic streams, a number of output queues and a processor configured to separate the data stream into respective ones of the output queues for reassembly of individual traffic streams from the data stream, wherein the processor monitors the data stream while routing a first traffic stream to a first output queue until the processor detects a start indicator of a new interleaved portion of a second traffic stream, wherein the processor routes the new interleaved portion of said second traffic stream to a second output queue until the end of the new interleaved portion of the second traffic stream is determined, thereafter the processor routes the first data stream to the first output queue, or until another start indicator of another new interleaved portion of a traffic stream is detected within the data stream, wherein the processor routes the another new interleaved portion to a third output queue, wherein said start and end of said interleaved portions of said traffic streams are determined from at least one reassembly indicator incorporated into control data contained within said interleaved portions of traffic streams in such a way as to not increase the amount of control data above the amount already included in said traffic streams prior to interleaving.