An asymmetric broadcast ATM switching network using output buffer

Numerous broadcast ATM switching networks have been proposed and studied so far, but most of them are constructed with symmetric switches, which have the same number of input and output ports. Transit switching networks may be symmetric, but local switching networks must be asymmetric, because the numbers of input ports and output ports of local switching networks are different. An asymmetric broadcast ATM switch can be constructed with copy networks and routing networks, which consist of a number of symmetric switches. Another type of broadcast ATM switch uses output buffer ATM switches. This type of switch can establish point to multipoint connections easily, and it can also be extended to an asymmetric switching network. This paper proposes an asymmetric switching network using output buffer switches and not using copy networks. Conventionally, an output buffer switch has good switching performance, but it requires large amounts of hardware. This paper proposes to reduce the switching network hardware size using concentrators, and by applying newly developed bus interface switches. It also presents the traffic performance and reduction of switching hardware for concentrating traffic.