Multi-log/sub 2/N self-routing networks and their applications in high speed electronic and photonic switching systems

A novel class of switching networks has been proposed to remove the time and space bottlenecks in conventional RAM-controlled switching architectures. The proposed networks possess many desirable characteristics for high-speed electronic and photonic switching systems, such as tolerance of faults, O(log/sub 2/N) stages between each inlet-outlet pair, self-routing capability, easy path hunt and easy fault diagnosis. Graph theory provides the basis for the proposed networks. It is shown that the key problem in the construction of this class of networks is related to the coloring problem in graph theory.<>