Efficient message switching in a switching apparatus

Abstract

A switching apparatus including a switch element, a message controller separate from the switch element, a plurality of input units, and a plurality of output units. The plurality of input units are configured to provide packets to the switch element and provide, to the message controller, messages corresponding to respective ones of the packets. The plurality of output units are configured to receive, from the message controller, the messages, and receive, from the switch element, the packets to be output from the switching apparatus. The switch element is configured to transfer each of the packets between the input units and the output units. The message controller is configured to transfer each of the messages corresponding to the respective ones of the packets between the input units and the output units.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.