IP Library Granted Patent US 12,407,628
Granted Patent B2
US 12,407,628 · App. 18/018,716 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Input/output switch and communication system

Inventor: Manabu Yoshino (Musashino, JP)
Assignee: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
H04L49/1515H04L49/253H04L49/70
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,407,628
App. No.
18/018,716
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aspect of the present invention provides an input/output switch including: a plurality of virtual switches formed by asymmetrically divided switches with symmetrically aligned ports; and ports on a side of end points and ports on a side of an intermediate switch allocated for each of the virtual switches, in which some of the ports of the virtual switches on the side of the end points act as ports that form a path that returns traffic among the virtual switches.

Claims (15)

1. An input/output switch comprising:

a plurality of virtual switches formed by asymmetrically divided switches with symmetrically aligned ports; and

ports on a side of end points and ports on a side of an intermediate switch aligned for each of the virtual switches,

wherein some of the ports of the virtual switches on the side of the end points act as ports that form a path that returns traffic among the virtual switches and some of the ports on the side of the intermediate switch function as ports that form the path directly coupled to the relay network, the path being formed with no intervention of the intermediate switch.

2. A communication system comprising a folded Clos network that includes the input/output switch according to claim 1 .

3. The communication system according to claim 2 , further comprising a switch that returns a part of traffic of the input/output switch to a side of the relay network.

4. An input/output switch comprising:

a plurality of virtual switches formed by asymmetrically divided switches with symmetrically aligned ports; and

ports on a side of end points and ports on a side of an intermediate switch aligned for each of the virtual switches,

wherein some of the ports of the virtual switches on the side of the end points function as ports that form a path directly coupled to a relay network and some of the ports on the side of the intermediate switch function as ports that form the path directly coupled to the relay network, the path being formed with no intervention of the intermediate switch.

5. An input/output switch comprising:

a plurality of virtual switches formed by asymmetrically divided switches with symmetrically aligned ports; and

ports on a side of end points and ports on a side of an intermediate switch aligned for each of the virtual switches,

wherein some of the ports of the virtual switches on the side of the end points act as ports that form a first path that returns traffic among the virtual switches, the first path being formed with no intervention of the intermediate switch, and

some of the ports of the virtual switches on the side of the end points act as ports that form a second path directly coupled to a relay network and some of the ports on the side of the intermediate switch act as ports that form a third path directly coupled to the relay network, the second path being formed with no intervention of the intermediate switch.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 3, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072996/0032 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 30, 2023
From: YOSHINO, MANABU
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062531/0319 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230224260A1 · Jul 13, 2023
References Cited (3)
US 9008510B1 · Zhao · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160352622A1 · Gautam · 2016 [cited by examiner]
Toru Mano et al., “Increasing Capacity of the Clos Structure for Optical Switching Networks”, 2019 IEEE Global Communications Magazine (Globecom), IEEE, 2019. [cited by applicant]