Transmitting data through commuincation switch

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses related to a communication switch are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the communication switch may be configured to transmit TDM, ATM and/or packet data from an ingress service processor, through a plurality of switch elements, to an egress service processor. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

1 .- 7 . (canceled) 
   
   
       8 . A method comprising:
 transmitting a bandwidth request element;   receiving a grant corresponding to the bandwidth request element;   generating a protocol data unit (PDU) including routing information, to facilitate routing of the PDU through a plurality of stages of a communication switch, and the PDU further including an indication of a first stage of the plurality of stages at which multicasting begins; and   transmitting, based at least in part on said receiving of the grant, the PDU to the first stage.   
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 copying the PDU at the first stage to produce one or more copies of the PDU; and   replacing the routing information in the one or more copies of the PDU with updated routing information.   
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 transmitting the bandwidth request element in row N of a data frame; and   transmitting the PDU in row N+1 of the data frame.   
   
   
       11 . A method comprising:
 generating a bandwidth request element including routing information, to facilitate routing of the bandwidth request element through a plurality of stages of a communication switch, and the bandwidth request element further including an indication of a first stage of the plurality of stages at which multicasting begins; and   transmitting the bandwidth request element to the first stage.   
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the bandwidth request element requests bandwidth in row N+1 of a data frame and said method further comprises:
 transmitting the bandwidth request element in row N of the data frame.   
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 transmitting the data frame in 125 microseconds.   
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising transmitting the bandwidth request element in an in-band link; and
 receiving a grant, corresponding to the bandwidth request element, via an out-of-band link.   
   
   
       15 . A system comprising:
 a receive switch controller configured to generate a bandwidth request element including routing information, to facilitate routing of the bandwidth request element through a plurality of stages of a communication switch, and the bandwidth request element further including an indication of a first stage of the plurality of stages at which multicasting begins; and   an interface coupled to the receive switch controller and configured to transmit the bandwidth request element to the first stage.   
   
   
       16 . The system according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a switch element acting as the first stage and including a controller configured to receive the bandwidth request element;   copy the bandwidth request element to produce one or more copies of the bandwidth request element; and   replace the routing information in the one or more copies of the bandwidth request element with updated routing information.   
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the interface is further configured to receive a grant corresponding to the bandwidth request element. 
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein the receive switch controller comprises:
 a mapper configured to generate a repeating data frame including a plurality of rows with the bandwidth request element in row N to request bandwidth in row N+1.   
   
   
       19 . A system comprising:
 a receive switch controller to generate a protocol data unit (PDU) including routing information, to facilitate routing of the PDU through a plurality of stages of a communication switch, and the PDU further including an indication of a first stage of the plurality of stages at which multicasting begins; and   an interface coupled to the receive switch controller and configured to transmit a bandwidth request element, to receive a grant corresponding to the bandwidth request element, and to transmit the PDU to the first stage based at least in part on said receiving of the grant.   
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a switch element acting as the first stage and including a controller configured to receive the PDU;   copy the PDU to produce one or more copies of the PDU; and   replace the routing information in the one or more copies of the PDU with updated routing information.   
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the receive switch controller comprises:
 a mapper to generate a repeating data frame including a plurality of rows with the bandwidth request element in row N to request bandwidth in row N+1.   
   
   
       22 . A communications switch comprising:
 a first switch element including one or more ports;   a second switch element including one or more ports; and   a port processor including
 a first switch element interface coupled to a first port of the one or more ports of the first switch element; 
 a second switch element interface coupled to a first port of the one or more ports of the second switch element; and 
 a receive switch controller configured to automatically redirect traffic to either of said first or second switch element interfaces based at least in part on a switch congestion event. 
   
   
   
       23 . The communications switch according to  claim 22 , wherein the first port of the first switch element and the first port of the second switch element each comprise a plurality of interleaved serial links. 
   
   
       24 . The communications switch according to  claim 22 , wherein the receive switch controller is configured to automatically redirect traffic to either of said first or second switch element interfaces based at least in part on a switch failure. 
   
   
       25 . A communications switch comprising:
 a switch element including a first port and a second port; and   a port processor including
 a first switch element interface coupled to the first port; 
 a second switch element interface coupled to the second port; and 
 a receive switch controller configured to automatically redirect traffic to either of said first or second switch element interfaces based at least in part on a switch failure or congestion event. 
   
   
   
       26 . The communications switch according to  claim 25 , wherein each of said first and second ports comprise a plurality of interleaved serial links. 
   
   
       27 . A communications switch comprising:
 a first switch fabric including a plurality of first switch elements;   a second switch fabric including a plurality of second switch elements; and   a port processor including
 a first switch fabric interface coupled to one of the plurality of first switch elements, 
 a second switch fabric interface coupled to one of the plurality of second switch elements, and 
 a receive switch controller configured to automatically redirecting network traffic through either of said first switch fabric or said second switch fabric based at least in part on switch congestion. 
   
   
   
       28 . The communications switch according to  claim 27 , wherein the receive switch controller is further configured to automatically redirect network traffic through either of said first switch fabric or said second switch fabric based at least in part on switch failure. 
   
   
       29 . A communications switch comprising:
 a plurality of switch elements; and   a port processor configured to repeatedly transmit a request element through a first subset of the plurality of switch elements based at least in part on a first routing tag in the request element until a grant corresponding to the request is received or the request is transmitted through the first subset a predetermined number of times, and, in an event in which the request is transmitted through the first subset a predetermined number of times, to transmit the request element through a second subset of the plurality of switch elements based at least in part on a second routing tag in the request element.   
   
   
       30 . The communication switch of  claim 29 , wherein the request element includes a channel tag and the system further comprises:
 a first switch fabric including the plurality of switch elements;   a second switch fabric; and   the port processor is further configured to transmit the request element over the first switch fabric or the second switch fabric based at least in part on the channel tag.