In telecommunication and computer networking, time-driven switching (TDS) is a node by node time variant implementation of circuit switching, where the propagating datagram is shorter in space than the distance between source and destination.
TDS adds flexibility and capacity to circuit-switched networks but requires precise synchronization among nodes and propagating datagrams.
Datagrams are formatted according to schedules that depend on quality of service and availability of switching nodes and physical links.
In respect to circuit switching, the added time dimension introduces additional complexity to network management.
[citation needed] TDS has been invented in 2002 by Prof. Mario Baldi and Prof. Yoram Ofek of Synchrodyne Networks that is the assignee of several patents issued by both the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the European Patent Office.