Multicast and broadcast services in a knockout packet switch

The knockout switch is a packet-switch architecture recently proposed for high-performance packet networks. In addition to providing point-to-point connections among user pairs, a packet network must often support multicast and broadcast capabilities. Multicast connections differ from point-to-point connections in that each packet is addressed to a number of destinations. Two specific approaches using the knockout switch to provide a practical and efficient means for multicast services under both light and heavy traffic conditions are proposed. The first involves packet duplication and is more suitable for light traffic loads. The second uses a fast address comparison technique and is capable of handling larger loads. In both cases, the knockout principle is utilized to yield the best delay-throughput performance, guarantee the first-in first-out packet sequence, and provide for a simple, modular implementation.<>