Loop switching system

Abstract

The loop switching system of this invention overcomes the problems of prior art loop switching systems by providing dynamic rearrangeability of loop switching systems. In particular, the subject loop switching system is comprised of a number of port circuits or nodes serially connected together to form one or more loops. The interconnection of these various ports into one or more loops is implemented on a dynamic basis by means of a central switching matrix.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A communication system for serially interconnecting n communication circuits (T1-Tm, ST(n-m)-Stn) comprising: n port means (103-1 to 103-n), each having an input (SDI-i) and an output terminal (SDO-i), associated on a one-to-one basis with said n communication circuits (T1-Tm, ST(n-m)-STn) for interfacing said n communication circuits (T1-Tn, ST(n-m)-STn) to said communication system;   control means (101) for establishing an order of interconnection for all of said n port means; and   interconnection means (100) connected to said input (SDI-i) and said output (SDO-i) terminals of all of said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) and responsive to said control means (101) for carrying data messages from said output terminal (SDO-(m+1)) of the (m+1)th port means (103-(m+1)) to said input terminal (SDI-m) of the m th port means (103-m) for all n said port means (103-1 to 103-n) according to said order of interconnection.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said communication system includes loop length adjusting means (102) connected to said interconnection means (100) for delaying the transmission of said data messages among said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) by a length of time sufficient to make the data message transit time through all said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) equal to a predetermined time. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said loop length adjusting means (102) has input (SDI-0) and output (SDO-0) terminals connected to said interconnection means (100); and wherein said interconnection means (100) carries each data message from the output terminal (SDO-1) of a selected first port means (103-1) to said input terminal (SDI-0) of said loop length adjusting means (102) wherein said data message is delayed before being outputted by said loop length adjusting means (102) on said output terminal (SDO-0); and   wherein said interconnection means (100) carries each of said delayed data messages from said loop length adjusting means (102) output terminal (SDO-0) to the input terminal (SDI-n) of a second selected port means (103-n).   
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said loop length adjusting means (102) includes offset calculator means (510) responsive to said control means (101) and the receipt of said data message for dynamically generating an offset signal which is indicative of the length of time said data message must be delayed to make the data message transit time through all said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) equal to said predetermined time. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said loop length adjusting means (102) includes delay means (511) responsive to said offset signal for delaying the outputting of said data signal on said loop length adjusting means (102) output terminal (SDO-0) by said length of time represented by said offset signal. 
     
     
       6. A communication system for serially interconnecting n communication circuits (T1-Tm, ST(n-m)-STn) comprising: n port means (103-1 to 103n), each having an input (SDI-i) and an output terminal (SDO-i), associated on a one-to-one basis with said n communication circuits (T1-Tm, ST(n-m)-STn) for interfacing said n communication circuits (T1-Tm, ST(n-m)-STn) to said communication system;   control means (101) for establishing an order of interconnection for all of said n port means (103-1 to 103-n);   interconnection means (100) connected to said input (SDI-i) and said output (SDO-i) terminals of all of said n port means (103-1 to 103n) and responsive to said control means (101) for carrying data messages from said output terminal (SDO-(m+1)) of the (m+1) th port means (103(m+1)) to said input terminal SDI-(m) of the m th port means (103-m.Iadd.) .Iaddend.for all said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) according to said order of interconnection;   clock means (604) connected to each of said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) for generating control and timing signals to define time slot intervals; and   wherein each of said n port means (103-(m+1)) is responsive to said control and timing signals for transmitting a single bit of said data message to the subsequent one of said n port means (103-m) via said interconnection means (100) during each of said time slot intervals.   
     
     
       7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said communication system includes loop length adjusting means (102) connected to said interconnection means (100) for delaying the transmission of said data messages among said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) by an integral number of said time slot intervals. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said integral number of time slot intervals is equal to k times the data message repetition rate less n+1 times said time slot interval wherein k is the integer which represents the least number of data messages required to exceed n+1 times said time slot interval. 
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said loop length adjusting means (102) are responsive to said control means (101) for dynamically determining said integral number of time slot intervals. 
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said loop length adjusting means (102) has input (SDI-0) and output (SDO-0) terminals connected to said interconnection means (100); and wherein said interconnection means (100) carries each data message from the output terminal (SDI-1) of a first port means (103-1) to said input terminal (SDI-0) of said loop length adjusting means (102) wherein said data message is delayed said integral number of time slot intervals before being outputted by said loop length adjusting means (102) on said output terminal (SDO-0); and   wherein said interconnection means (100) carries each of said delayed data messages from said loop length adjusting means (102) output terminal (SDO-0) to the input terminal (SDI-n) of a second port means (103-n).   
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said loop length adjusting means (102) includes offset calculator means (510) responsive to said control means (101) and the receipt of said data message for dynamically generating an offset signal which is indicative of said integral number of time slot intervals. 
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said loop length adjusting means (102) includes delay means (511) responsive to said offset signal for delaying the outputting of said data signal on said loop length adjusting means (102) output terminal (SDO-0) by said integral number of time slot intervals represented by said offset signal. 
     
     
       13. The invention of claims 2 or 7 wherein each of said n port means (103-m) includes error checking means (200) connected to said control means (101) and responsive to the receipt of a data message containing a transmission error on said input terminal (SDI-m) of said port means (103-m) for transmitting an error signal to said control means (101). 
     
     
       14. The invention of claim 13 wherein said control means (101) is responsive to the receipt of a persistent error signal from one or more of said n port means (103-1 to 103-n) for identifying the disabled one of said n port means (103-m) that is the source of said transmission error and for removing said disabled port means (103-m) from said order of interconnection. 
     
     
       15. The invention of claims 1 or 6 wherein said interconnection means (100) comprises a PNPN electronic crosspoint matrix. .Iadd. 
     
     
       16.  A loop communication system comprising: n terminal devices (T1, 103-1 to Tn, 103-n), each having an input (SDI-i) and an output (SDO-i) terminal;   control means (101) for establishing an order of interconnection for a plurality of said terminal devices (T1, 103-1 to Tn, 103-n);   interconnection means (100) connected to said input (SDI-i) and said output (SDO-i) terminals of all of said terminal devices (T1, 103-1 to Tn, 103-n) and responsive to said control means (101) for carrying data messages from said output terminal (SDO-(m+1)) of the (m+1)th terminal device (Tm, 103-m) to said input terminal (SDI-m) of the mth terminal device (Tm, 103-m) according to said order of interconnection. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The system of claim 16 additionally comprising:   error checking means (200) connected to said control means (101) and responsive to an erroneous data message transmission between two of said plurality of terminal devices for transmitting an error signal to said control means (101). .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The system of claim 17 wherein said control means (101) is responsive to said error signal for modifying said order of interconnection to exclude the ones of said plurality of terminal devices transmitting erroneous data messages. .Iaddend.