A structured VLSI implementation of a ring based switch

The authors describe a structured VLSI implementation of a high-speed ring-based switch. The system achieves high throughput, is fully nonblocking, and is simpler and more flexible than traditional switching techniques. All information transfers are pipelined, synchronous, and in parallel over short and regular data paths. The pipeline and store registers are bit interleaved to simplify routing. The development of an 8-bit pipeline/store and comparator module allows the pipeline and store registers to be structured from relatively simple primitives. The system concept, functional descriptions of switching circuits, layout, and test results of the fabricated input cell are presented. >