  We describe a generic infrastructure for time evolution simulations in
numerical relativity using multiple grid patches. After a motivation of this
approach, we discuss the relative advantages of global and patch-local tensor
bases. We describe both our multi-patch infrastructure and our time evolution
scheme, and comment on adaptive time integrators and parallelisation. We also
describe various patch system topologies that provide spherical outer and/or
multiple inner boundaries.
  We employ penalty inter-patch boundary conditions, and we demonstrate the
stability and accuracy of our three-dimensional implementation. We solve both a
scalar wave equation on a stationary rotating black hole background and the
full Einstein equations. For the scalar wave equation, we compare the effects
of global and patch-local tensor bases, different finite differencing
operators, and the effect of artificial dissipation onto stability and
accuracy. We show that multi-patch systems can directly compete with the
so-called fixed mesh refinement approach; however, one can also combine both.
For the Einstein equations, we show that using multiple grid patches with
penalty boundary conditions leads to a robustly stable system. We also show
long-term stable and accurate evolutions of a one-dimensional non-linear gauge
wave. Finally, we evolve weak gravitational waves in three dimensions and
extract accurate waveforms, taking advantage of the spherical shape of our grid
lines.
