WIDEBAND DIGITAL SWITCHING NETWORK

A WIDEBAND DIGITAL SWITCHING NETWORK Disclosed is a wide bandwidth self-routing switch. One-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many modes of communications are achieved with time multiplexed signal packets of multi-service users with a system having a bank of demultiplexers which demultiplex incoming signals and supply them to a broadcast network. The broadcast network includes a concentrator a "sort on source" sorting network and a copy network. The concentrator permits a reduction in subsequent processing by segregating the incoming lines which carry active signals. The "sort on source" sorting network places all blank copy packets (which are destined to users that wish to tune to a broadcaster) adjacent to the broadcaster's signal packets. The copy network copies the information in the broadcaster's signal packets into the packets destined to the users. The blank copy packets are continually generated by the users wishing to receive broadcasts or, alternatively, by a blank packet generator. Signal packets exiting the broadcast network enter a wide bandwidth switch which includes a "sort on destination" sorting network and an expander. The "sort on destination" sorting network arranges the packets in the order of their destination addresses and the expander routes the sorted packets to the desired destinations. The output signals of the expander are time multiplexed and the multiplexed packets are sent to the users.