Switching element for cross-connect equipment for digital bit streams

Abstract

A switching element for cross-connect equipment for digital bit streams multiplexed by time-division multiplexing of digital bit streams at different bit rates includes, for each incoming frame transmission medium, a device for extracting from said incoming frames signals constituting multiplexing units to be cross-connected. It further includes for each incoming frame transmission medium a memory for signals constituting multiplexing units to be cross-connected adapted to hold at least N signals where N denotes the repetition period in the incoming frames of the lowest bit rate tributary of the multiplexing hierarchy. It further includes for each incoming frame transmission medium for a device for writing said memory synchronously with the extraction of said signals, at different addresses for signals constituting different multiplexing units to be cross-connected and at the same addresses for signals constituting the same multiplexing unit to be cross-connected, the frequency at which each address is rewritten being related to the repetition period in the incoming frames of the signals written at said address. It finally includes for each incoming frame transmission medium a device for reading said memory synchronously with the insertion into the outgoing frames of signals constituting multiplexing units to be cross-connected at addresses determined by said distribution law.