SWITCHING NETWORK AND CONTROLLER FOR A SWITCHING SYSTEM

In the development of future, integrated broadband networks, the design above all of the switching networks and their controllers is of particular importance. In a switching network constructed in the manner of a space- division multiplex switching network, each switching point is equipped with a comparator, which compares the address of the serving trunks, which are disposed in columns, with the routing information. In the event of multiple correspondence within a column, a decision circuit allocated to the serving trunks determines the order in which the switching points are to be activated. An input buffer is connected to each offering trunk, in which buffer the blocks are temporarily stored until they reach one of the serving trunks. To prevent the occurrence of log jams in the switching network, an input buffer is allocated to each switching point or the switching network is divided up into columns and built up from units which are similar in structure.