COPY SWITCH NETWORK

PURPOSE:To prevent throughput from being deteriorated and to connect a copied cell to a fixed output terminal by providing connection destination information and a remaining number of discrimination as copy information and forming a Banyan network with switches. CONSTITUTION:The network consists of, e.g. 7-stages of cascade connection of 8 switch elements 11 and 4 consecutive stages from a stage form a Banyan network (switch network connecting definitely between optional input and output terminals) 12. Then as copy information, a minimum number and a maximum number (connection destination information) of an output terminal number and information representing how many stages an object output terminal position is reached (remaining discrimination number of times) are provided. When the connection is successful, the remaining discrimination number is decremented by one and when the connection is failed, the remaining discrimination number is cleared and routing is restarted from a next stage. Moreover, a cell in which the remaining discrimination number reaches 0 is connected to an object output terminal by links shown in dotted lines. Thus, the cell is connected to a fixed output terminal and the throughput is improved.