Crossover switch

In electronics, a crossover switch or matrix switch is a switch connecting multiple inputs to multiple outputs using complex array matrices designed to switch any one input path to any one (or more) output path(s). There are blocking and non-blocking types of cross-over switches.

These switches can be microelectromechanical systems, electrical, or nonlinear optical systems, and are used in electronics and fiber optic circuits, as well as some optical computers.[1] A banyan switch is one type of cross-over switch. Their complexity depends on the topology of the individual switches in a switch matrix (how wide it is by how many 'plies' or layers of switches it takes), to implement the desired crossover logic.

Formula

Typical crossover matrices follow the formula: an N×N Banyan switch uses (N/2) log N elements. Other formulas are used for differing number of cross-over layers, and scaling is possible, but becomes very large and complex with large N×N arrays. CAD and AI can be used to take the drudgery out of these designs.

Measurement

The switches are measured by how many stages, and how many up/down sorters and crosspoints. Switches often have buffers built in to speed up switching speeds. A typical[clarification needed] switch may have a 2×2 and 4×4 down sorter, followed by an 8×8 up sorter, followed by a 2×2 crosspoint banyan switch network, resulting in a 3-level sorting for a 3-stage banyan network switch.[citation needed] The future is moving to larger arrays of inputs and outputs needed in a very small space.

See also

  • Clos switch
  • Crossbar switch

References

  1. ^ Picton, P. D. (1994-09-01). "Modified Fredkin gates in logic design". Microelectronics Journal. 25 (6): 437–441. doi:10.1016/0026-2692(94)90068-X. ISSN 0026-2692.

External links

  • Membrane Switch
  • Transformer Switchgear
  • v
  • t
  • e
Switch types
Switches
  • v
  • t
  • e
History
Pioneers
Transmission
media
Network topology
and switching
Multiplexing
Concepts
Types of network
Notable networks
Locations
  • Telecommunication portal
  • Category
  • Outline
  • Commons
Stub icon

This electronics-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e