Delta network of a cross-point switch

Abstract

A switching system comprising a cross-point switch and a Delta network. The two switches are connected in parallel with common port adaptors. When a port desires a specified time reservation to another port, it sends a request message for the specified time over the Delta network to the requested adaptor at which a reservation processor grants a connection for completion at a fixed time in the future. The reservation grant is then returned via the Delta network to the requesting adaptor which, at the fixed time, sets the cross-point connection on the cross-point switch line associated with the requesting adaptor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A method for transmitting data between source adaptors and destination adaptors via a cross-point array, comprising the steps of: transmitting data from at least one of said source adaptors to a corresponding designated destination adaptor over said cross-point array;   interrupting said transmitting of data for a first predetermined time period;   transmitting a connection request from each of said source adaptors having a connection request over said cross-point array to a one of said destination adaptors indicated by the respective connections requests without consideration of contention in said cross-point array with connection requests transmitted over said cross-point array by other ones of said source adaptors, each of said connection requests containing an indentifier indicative of the source adaptor from which it is transmitted, said cross-point array being a fast but not guaranteed path for said connection requests;   returning from each destination adaptor receiving an ungarbled connection request from one of said source adaptors over said cross-point array a confirmation message to the source adaptor which transmitted the connection request;   for each connection request transmitted over said cross-point array, transmitting a similar connection request over a Delta network, said Delta network being a slower but guaranteed path for said connection requests;   resolving any contentions between connection requests in said Delta network such that each said connection request will reach the intended destination adaptor;   comparing in each destination adaptor receiving a connection request over said Delta network the identifier contained therein with identifiers of any connection request received over said cross-point array within a preceding second predetermined time period, within said first time period; and   ignoring in each destination adaptor connection requests received over said Delta network having an identifier the same as a connection request received over said cross-point array within said second time period,   whereby, by transmitting said connection requests over both said cross-point array as a fast but not guaranteed path and over said Delta network as a slower but guaranteed path, an average response time for data transmission approaches a response time attained if all connection requests were transmitted only over said cross-point array with no interference.   
     
     
       2. The method for transmitting data of claim 1, wherein said second predetermined time period is substantially equal to a maximum delay time through said Delta network. 
     
     
       3. The method for transmitting data of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting over said cross-point array, from each said source adaptor transmitting a connection request, a signal for any remaining duration of said first time period for preventing receipt of two connection requests from the same source adaptor during said first time period. 
     
     
       4. The method for transmitting data of claim 1, wherein said step of resolving any contentions comprises: storing connection requests in a plurality of respective input buffers;   determining which of said input buffers has last forwarded a connection request;   forwarding the connection request contained in said input buffer having last forwarded a connection request.   
     
     
       5. The method for transmitting data of claim 1, wherein said step of resolving any contentions comprises combining connection requests from two different source adaptors for the same destination adaptor into a single message. 
     
     
       6. The method for transmitting data of claim 5, wherein said step of combining connection request comprises the steps of: receiving and storing at least two reservation request, each of said reservation requests including an address of a destination adaptor, a requested time of service, and a control message;   comparing the destination adaptor addresses of each of said reservation request;   for at least some of said reservation requests having the same destination address, combining said reservation requests into a single reservation request including the control messages of the reservation requests being combined and a requested time of service equal to the sum of the times of service of the two reservations requests being combined.   
     
     
       7. The method for transmitting data of claim 6, further comprising the step of exempting an oldest reservation request from said step of combining. .Iadd.8. A method of simultaneously transmitting addressed messages from a plurality of input adapters to a plurality of addressable output adapters, comprising the steps of: transmitting addressed messages on a first switching network in which said addressed messages may block each other, so that delivery of messages on said first switching network is not guaranteed, but in which each message that is delivered is delivered relatively quickly;   transmitting at least the addressed messages which are blocked in said first switching network on a seprate second switching network in which said addressed messages cannot block each other, so that delivery of messages transmitted on said second switching network is guaranteed, but in which each message transmitted through said second switching network gets delivered to the addressed output adapter more slowly than on said first switching network;   receiving each of said messages which is not blocked in said first switching network at the output adapter addressed by said message; and   receiving each of said addressed messages which has been blocked in said first switching network at the output adapter addressed by said message after it has been transmitted instead through said second swithing network,   whereby all of said addressed messages are guaranteed to be delivered to the output adapters addressed by said messages and the average delivery time is less than the average delivery time for messages delivered by said second switching network which guarantees delivery. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. Claim 8 wherein said first and second switching networks are multi-ported, multi-path switching networks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. Claim 9 wherein said first switching network is a cross-point switch. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. Claim 9 wherein said second switching network is a delta network with buffering. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. Claim 8 wherein said addressed messages are transmitted on both said first and said second switching networks simultaneously. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. Claim 12 wherein an output adapter addressed by a message receives the same message via both networks in the event said same message is not blocked in said first switching network but will respond only to a message received via said second switching network when the same message has not been received already via said first switching network. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. Apparatus for transmitting addressed messages among addressable input/output adapters, comprising:   a multiplicity of addressable input/output adapters;   a first switching network interconnecting said input/output adapters for transmitting addressed messages among said adapters;   said first switching network being of a type wherein said addressed messages may block each other, so that delivery of an addressed message via said first network is not guaranteed, but in which each addressed message that is delivered via said first network is delivered relatively quickly;   a second switching network interconnecting said adapters for delivering at least those addressed messages which are blocked on said first switching network;   said second switching network being of a type wherein said addressed messages cannot block each other, so that delivery of addressed messages via said second switching network is guaranteed, but in which each addressed message delivered via said second switching network gets delivered more slowly than via said first switching network;   said adapters receiving via said first switching network those messages which are not blocked in said first switching network and and receiving via said second switching network at least those messages which are blocked in said first switching network,   whereby all of said addressed messages are guaranteed to be delivered to the adapter addressed by said message and the average delivery time is less than the average delivery time for messages delivered via said second switching network which guarantees delivery. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. Claim 14 wherein said first and second switching networks are multi-ported, multi-path switching networks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. Claim 15 wherein said first switching network is a cross-point switch. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. Claim 15 wherein said second switching network is a delta network with buffering. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. Claim 14 wherein said adapters transmit each addressed message simultaneously on said first and said second switching networks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. Claim 18 wherein said adapters upon receipt of an addressed message via said first switching network ignore the duplicate addressed message received on said second switching network. .Iaddend.