Optical switch architecture

1. An optoelectronic switch for transferring a signal from an input device to an output device, the optoelectronic switch comprising:

an array of leaf switches, the array having L dimensions, each of the leaf switches having a radix R, R and L being integers greater than 1, the size of the array being less, in a reduced dimension of the L dimensions, than in each of the other dimensions of the L dimensions, each of the leaf switches having an associated L-tuple of coordinates giving its location in the array with respect to each of the L dimensions; and

a plurality of spine switches,

wherein the array consists of a plurality of overlapping sub-arrays, each of the sub-arrays being associated with a dimension of the L dimensions and consisting of R i of the leaf switches, wherein R i is the size of the array in the dimension associated with the sub-array, the coordinates of the leaf switches of the sub-array differing only in respect of the dimension associated with the sub-array, each of the sub-arrays being connected to a respective plurality of spine switches of the plurality of spine switches,

wherein each of the leaf switches is a member of L sub-arrays of the sub-arrays, each of the L sub-arrays being associated with a different one of the L dimensions,

wherein each of the leaf switches has:

a plurality of client ports for connecting to an input device or an output device; and

a plurality of fabric ports for connecting to the spine switches,

wherein each spine switch has R fabric ports for connecting to fabric ports of the leaf switches of the array, and

wherein each of the spine switches connected to a first sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays, the first sub-array being associated with the reduced dimension, has:

a connection to each of the leaf switches in the sub-array, and

a plurality of connections to at least one of the leaf switches in the sub-array.

2. The optoelectronic switch of claim 1 , wherein all of the fabric ports of each of the plurality of spine switches connected to the first sub-array are connected to a fabric port on a leaf switch in the first sub-array.

3. The optoelectronic switch of claim 1 , wherein a spine switch of the plurality of spine switches connected to the first sub-array has a plurality of connections to each of the leaf switches in the first sub-array.

4. The optoelectronic switch of claim 1 , wherein a spine switch of the plurality of spine switches connected to the first sub-array has the same number of connections to every leaf switch in the first sub-array.

5. The optoelectronic switch of claim 1 , wherein each of the spine switches connected to the first sub-array has the same number of connections to every leaf switch in the first sub-array.

6. The optoelectronic switch of claim 1 , wherein each of the spine switches connected to a second sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays has:

at least one connection to each leaf switch in the second sub-array;

a first number of connections to each of a first subset of the leaf switches in the second sub-array;

a second number of connections to each of a second subset of the leaf switches, disjoint from the first subset, in the second sub-array,

wherein:

the first number is the same for all of the spine switches connected to the second sub-array,

the second number is the same for all of the spine switches connected to the second sub-array, and

the first number is greater than the second number.

7. The optoelectronic switch of claim 6 , wherein the first number is one greater than the second number.

8. The optoelectronic switch of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the fabric ports of the plurality of spine switches connected to the first sub-array are unused.

9. The optoelectronic switch of claim 8 , wherein the number of unused ports is the same on each of the spine switches connected to the first sub-array.

10. The optoelectronic switch of claim 8 , wherein:

the plurality of spine switches connected to the first sub-array consists of a first subset of spine switches and a second subset of spine switches, disjoint from the first subset of spine switches;

each of the spine switches in the first subset of spine switches has:

a first number of connections to each of a first subset of leaf switches in the first sub-array; and

a second number of connections to each of a second subset of leaf switches in the first sub-array, the second subset of leaf switches being disjoint from the first subset of leaf switches;

each of the spine switches in the second subset of spine switches has:

a third number of connections to each of a third subset of leaf switches in the first sub-array; and

a fourth number of connections to each of a fourth subset of leaf switches in the first sub-array, the fourth subset of leaf switches being disjoint from the third subset of leaf switches;

and wherein:

the first number is the same for all of the spine switches in the first subset of spine switches;

the second number is the same for all of the spine switches in the first subset of spine switches;

the third number is the same for all of the spine switches in the second subset of spine switches;

the fourth number is the same for all of the spine switches in the second subset of spine switches;

the first number is greater than the second number, and

the third number is greater than the fourth number.

11. The optoelectronic switch of claim 10 , wherein:

the first number is one greater than the second number; and/or

the third number is one greater than the second number.

12. An optoelectronic switch for transferring a signal from an input device to an output device, the optoelectronic switch comprising:

an array of leaf switches, the array having L dimensions, each of the leaf switches having a radix R, R and L being integers greater than 1, the size of the array being less, in a reduced dimension of the L dimensions, than in each of the other dimensions of the L dimensions, each of the leaf switches having an associated L-tuple of coordinates giving its location in the array with respect to each of the L dimensions; and

a plurality of spine switches,

wherein the array consists of a plurality of overlapping sub-arrays, each of the sub-arrays being associated with a dimension of the L dimensions and consisting of R i of the leaf switches, wherein R i is the size of the array in the dimension associated with the sub-array, the coordinates of the leaf switches of the sub-array differing only in respect of the dimension associated with the sub-array, each of the sub-arrays being connected to a respective spine switch of the plurality of spine switches,

wherein each of the leaf switches is a member of L sub-arrays of the sub-arrays, each of the L sub-arrays being associated with a different one of the L dimensions,

wherein each of the leaf switches has:

a plurality of client ports for connecting to an input device or an output device; and

a plurality of fabric ports for connecting to the spine switches,

wherein each spine switch has R fabric ports for connecting to fabric ports of the leaf switches of the array, and

wherein a first spine switch is connected to a first sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays and has R fabric ports each connected to a fabric port of a leaf switch of the array, and the spine switch has connections to:

each of the leaf switches in a first sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays, and

a leaf switch of the leaf switches in a second sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays, associated with the same dimension as the first sub-array.

13. The optoelectronic switch of claim 12 , wherein the first spine switch is connected to a first plurality of leaf switches in a respective first plurality of sub-arrays of the plurality of sub-arrays, each associated with the same dimension, the leaf switches of the first plurality of leaf switches all having the same co-ordinate with respect to the dimension with which each sub-array of the first plurality of sub-arrays is associated.

14. The optoelectronic switch of claim 12 , wherein the first spine switch is connected to a leaf switch in every sub-array, of the plurality of sub-arrays, associated with the same dimension as the first sub-array and the second sub-array.

15. The optoelectronic switch of claim 12 , wherein each spine switch of a first plurality of spine switches connected to a second sub-array of the plurality of sub-arrays has:

a connection to each leaf switch in the second sub-array, and

a plurality of connections to at least one leaf switch in the second sub-array.

16. The optoelectronic switch of claim 15 , wherein a spine switch of the first plurality of spine switches has a connection to each of the leaf switches in a first plurality of sub-arrays of the plurality of sub-arrays, each sub-array of the first plurality of sub-arrays being associated with the same dimension.