Research on Advanced Switching Techniques for the Evolution to ISDN and Broadband ISDN

Switching techniques for packetized data and for video communications are a key element in the evolution of the central office from IDN, to ISDN, and to broadband ISDN. An evolutionary scenario, based both on a short-term and on a longterm reference architecture for the switching system, is proposed, and two advanced switching techniques for labeled switching and for diffusive video switching, respectively, are analyzed which match the above scenario well. Plans and preliminary results are also reported on experimental research through laboratory demonstrators of the two switching techniques.