Abstract: A combination delivering signals between a plurality of devices includes a mixed-layer switching fabric, and a controller which controls the mixed-layer switching fabric. According to the present invention, the controller includes a first device for automatically performing fault recognition and fault isolation routines when the multi-interface switching system is initialized and periodically thereafter, and a second device for performing the fault recognition and fault isolation routines on demand.

Abstract: A multi-interface point-to-point switching system, including a plurality of I/O ports coupled to a plurality of respective devices, a switching fabric, a controller that determines the fixed, low latency signal path for each connection and commands the switching fabric to establish the determined signal path for each connection. According to one aspect of the invention, the switching fabric includes a plurality of discrete switch modules, at least selected ones of which are hot-swappable with permission of the controller.

Abstract: A multi-interface point-to-point switching system includes a plurality of I/O ports coupled to a plurality of respective devices, a switching fabric, and a controller. Advantageously, the controller determines the path bit error rate for each all possible signal paths that are presently available, then selects the presently available one of the possible signal paths for each connection that has the lowest path bit error rate, and then configures the switching fabric to establish the selected signal path for each connection.

Abstract: A multi-interface point-to-point switching system includes a plurality of I/O ports coupled to a plurality of respective devices, a switching fabric that selectively delivers each of a plurality of different signals from a selected one of the I/O ports coupled to a sending one of the devices to another selected one of the I/O ports coupled to a receiving one of the devices, to thereby establish respective connections between the sending and receiving devices, and a controller that determines the latency of all possible signal paths that are presently available for each connection to be established, selects the lowest-latency signal path for each connection that it determines is presently available, and then configures the switching fabric to establish the selected signal path for each connection. According to one aspect of the invention, the switching fabric provides a fixed, low latency signal path for each connection whereby the latency of that connection is deterministic and predictable.

Abstract: A multi-interface point-to-point switching system includes a plurality of I/O devices coupled to a plurality of respective devices, a switching device for selectively delivering each of a plurality of different signals from a selected one of the I/O devices coupled to a sending one of the devices to another selected one of the I/O devices coupled to a receiving one of the devices, to thereby establish respective connections between the sending and receiving devices, wherein the switching device provides a fixed, low latency signal path for each connection between a sending and receiving device for the duration of that connection, whereby the latency of that connection is deterministic and predictable, and a data content of the signal delivered via that connection is not analyzed by the switching device, whereby the switching device operates in a content independent manner, and controller device that determines the fixed, low latency signal path for each connection and commands the switching device to establis

Abstract: A multi-interface point-to-point switching system includes a plurality of I/O ports coupled to a plurality of respective devices, and a switching fabric that selectively delivers each of a plurality of different signals from a selected one of the I/O ports coupled to a sending one of the devices to another selected one of the I/O ports coupled to a receiving one of the devices, to thereby establish respective connections between the sending and receiving devices. According to one aspect of the invention, at least one of the different signals is a parallel interface format signal and at least one of the different signals is a serial interface format signal. Moreover, the switching fabric does not interact with any data transfer protocol used by the devices for data communications with one another.