SELF-ROUTING PACKETS WITH STAGE ADDRESS IDENTIFYING FIELDS

摘要

A multi-stage packet switching network comprising a plurality of packet switch nodes for communicating broadcast and non-broadcast packets each comprising stage identification information and sets of routing information. Each node responsive to receipt of one of the packets for decoding the stage identification information to determine if the packet is a broadcast or a non-broadcast packet. If a broadcast packet has been received, the switch node transmits this packet to the next sequential stage on all output links interconnecting the switch node to the next sequential stage. If the packet is of the non-broadcast type, the switch node decodes the stage identification field to determine which of the sets of the routing information is to be used for routing the non-broadcast packet to the next sequential stage. Before routing the non-broadcast packet to the next sequential stage, the switch node increments the stage identification field. The switch node contains the necessary circuits for performing the incrementing of the stage identification field of a non-broadcast packet and for bypassing the adder circuit for a non-stage identification information portions of the packet and for bypassing the adder circuit for stage indentification field of the broadcast packet.