A Decoupled Approach for Fast TDM Assignment in Constrained Hierarchical Switching Systems.

We consider a three-tiered digital switching hierarchy where traffic from remote users is grouped, concentrated into multiple time-multiplex lines, and then transmitted to a central location for interconnection by a central Space Division Switch. This architecture can be viewed as a fundamental building block in many land-based networks and multibeam Satellite Switched Time Division Multiple Access (SS-TDMA) systems. While this network configuration provides efficient sharing of both transmission and switching resources, the TDM assignment problem for a conventional Time-Space-Time switch can become quite formidable due to the various hierarchical constraints. We propose a time-slot assignment strategy which circumvents the difficulty by employing temporary storage of incoming traffic at the central switch.