Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A routing method for routing cells which are transferred through one of a plurality of paths within an asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) selected by routing information, each of said cells including a header and an information field, characterized in that said routing method includes the steps of: adding first routing information to incoming cells at an input stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) when supplying the cells to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system; generating a route switching confirmation cell in response to a route switching instruction and for adding second routing information to incoming cells thereafter so as to supply said route switching confirmation cell and the cells added with the second routing information to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system, said second routing information being different from said first routing information and being determined by said route switching instruction; comparing routing information of the cells with said second routing information at an output stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system in response to said route switching instruction; outputting each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information different from said second routing information as it is; and temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information identical to said second routing information and reading out and outputting the stored cell after said route switching confirmation cell is output from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
A routing method for routing cells which are transferred through one of a plurality of paths within an asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) selected by routing information, each of said cells including a header and an information field, characterized in that said routing method includes the steps of: adding first routing information to incoming cells at an input stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) when supplying the cells to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system; generating a route switching confirmation cell in response to a route switching instruction and for adding second routing information to incoming cells thereafter so as to supply said route switching confirmation cell and the cells added with the second routing information to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system, said second routing information being different from said first routing information and being determined by said route switching instruction; comparing routing information of the cells with said second routing information at an output stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system in response to said route switching instruction; outputting each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information different from said second routing information as it is; and temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information identical to said second routing information and reading out and outputting the stored cell after said route switching confirmation cell is output from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
The routing method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said routing information of each cell includes a cell identification field for indicating whether the cell is the route switching confirmation cell or a normal cell other than the route switching confirmation cell, and an information field for indicating paths to be selected within the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) for each stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The routing method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said header of each cell includes a virtual channel field which indicates an address of a virtual channel at an output stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The routing method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said virtual channel field of the header indicates the address of the virtual channel by a virtual path identifier and a virtual channel identifier.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The routing method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said virtual path identifier is fixed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The routing method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said virtual channel field of the header indicates the address of the virtual channel by a virtual path identifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The routing method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said step of temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of an arbitrary cell which is not used for transfer of information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The routing method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said arbitrary cell is said route switching confirmation cell.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
The routing method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said step of temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of an arbitrary cell which has routing information different from said second routing information and has a virtual channel field which is identical to that of the stored cell.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
96 words
The routing method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said step of temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of a first arbitrary cell which is not used for transfer of information, or reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of a second arbitrary cell which has routing information different from said second routing information and has a virtual channel field which is identical to that of the stored cell, whichever occurs first.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The routing method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said first arbitrary cell is said route switching confirmation cell.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The routing method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that there is further included the step of outputting an empty cell when said step of temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switchihg system (60, 10) temporarily stores a cell.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
277 words
A routing system for routing cells which are transferred through one of a plurality of paths within an asynchronous transfer mode switching system (60, 10) selected by routing information, each of said cells including a header and an information field, characterized in that said routing system comprises: a converter part (52₁-52 n , 11) coupled to an input stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) and including first means for adding first routing information to incoming cells when supplying the cells to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system, and second means for generating a route switching confirmation cell in response to a route switching instruction and for adding second routing information to incoming cells thereafter so as to supply said route switching confirmation cell and the cells added with the second routing information to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system, said second routing information being different from said first routing information and being determined by said route switching instruction; and an output module part (53₁-53 n , 12) coupled to an output stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system including third means for comparing routing information of the cells with said second routing information in response to said route switching instruction, fourth means for outputting each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information different from said second routing information as it is, and fifth means for temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information identical to said second routing information and reading out and outputting the stored cell after said route switching confirmation cell is output from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
277 words
A routing system for routing cells which are transferred through one of a plurality of paths within an asynchronous transfer mode switching system (60, 10) selected by routing information, each of said cells including a header and an information field, characterized in that said routing system comprises: a converter part (52₁-52 n , 11) coupled to an input stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) and including first means for adding first routing information to incoming cells when supplying the cells to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system, and second means for generating a route switching confirmation cell in response to a route switching instruction and for adding second routing information to incoming cells thereafter so as to supply said route switching confirmation cell and the cells added with the second routing information to the asynchronous transfer mode switching system, said second routing information being different from said first routing information and being determined by said route switching instruction; and an output module part (53₁-53 n , 12) coupled to an output stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system including third means for comparing routing information of the cells with said second routing information in response to said route switching instruction, fourth means for outputting each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information different from said second routing information as it is, and fifth means for temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system having routing information identical to said second routing information and reading out and outputting the stored cell after said route switching confirmation cell is output from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
73 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that said routing information of each cell includes a cell identification field for indicating whether the cell is the route switching confirmation cell or a normal cell other than the route switching confirmation cell, and an information field for indicating paths to be selected within the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) for each stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
181 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that said header of each cell includes a virtual channel field which indicates an address of a virtual channel at the output stage of the asynchronous transfer mode switching system, and said first and second means of said converter part (52₁-52 n , 11) include: a discriminator (33) for discriminating the virtual channel field of each incoming cell, a first table (32) coupled to said discriminator for storing addresses of virtual channels at an output link of said converter part and said first routing information in correspondence with addresses of the virtual channel at an input link of said converter part, and a control part (30, 31) coupled to said discriminator and said first table for adding said first routing information to the incoming cells by referring to said first table and for rewriting said first routing information of said first table to said second routing information in response to said route switching instruction so as to add said second routing information to the incoming cells after rewriting said first table.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said control part (30, 31) rewrites said cell identification field of a certain cell to indicate the route switching confirmation cell when said discriminator discriminates that said virtual channel field of said certain cell is empty.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said virtual channel field of the header indicates the address of the virtual channel by a virtual path identifier and a virtual channel identifier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that said virtual path identifier is fixed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said virtual channel field of the header indicates the address of the virtual channel by a virtual path identifier.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said fifth means of said output module part (53₁-53 n , 12) reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of an arbitrary cell which is not used for transfer of information.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that said arbitrary cell is said route switching confirmation cell.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
59 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said fifth means of said output module part (53₁-53 n , 12) reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of an arbitrary cell which has routing information different from said second routing information and has a virtual channel field which is identical to that of the stored cell.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
87 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said fifth means of said output module part (53₁ -53 n , 12) reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of a first arbitrary cell which is not used for transfer of information, or reads out and outputs the stored cell in place of a second arbitrary cell which has routing information different from said second routing information and has a virtual channel field which is identical to that of the stored cell, whichever occurs first.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that said first arbitrary cell is said route switching confirmation cell.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
206 words
The routing system as claimed in any of claims 15 to 24, characterized in that said third through fifth means of said output module part (53₁-53 n , 12) include: a detector (23) for detecting the virtual channel field and the routing information of each incoming cell, a second table (22) coupled to said detector for storing said second routing information, memory means (21₁-21 N ) for temporarily storing one or a plurality of cells, selector means (24, 25) for selectively passing a cell output from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system or a cell read out from said memory responsive to a control signal, and a control part (20) coupled to said detector, said second table, said memory means and said selector means for temporarily storing each cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10) having the routing information identical to said second routing information stored in said second table based on a detected result obtained from said detector and for outputting said control signal, so that said selector means passes a certain cell output from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system when the detected result from said detector indicates that the certain cell has routing information different from said second routing information.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
68 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that said control part (20) supplies the control signal to said selector means (24, 25) based on the detected result from said detector (23) so that the stored cell read out from said memory means (21₁-21 N ) is output from said selector means in place of an arbitrary cell which is not used for transfer of information.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that said arbitrary cell is said route switching confirmation cell.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
85 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that said control part (20) supplies the control signal to said selector means (24, 24) based on the detected result from said detector (23) so that the stored cell read out from said memory means (21₁-21 N ) is output from said selector means in place of an arbitrary cell which has routing information different from said second routing information and has a virtual channel field which is identical to that of the stored cell.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
105 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that said control part (20) supplies the control signal to said selector means (24, 25) based on the detected result from said detector (23) so that the stored cell read out from said memory means (21₁-21 N ) is output from said selector means in place of a first arbitrary cell which is not used for transfer of information, or in place of a second arbitrary cell which has routing information different from said second routing information and has a virtual channel field which is identical to that of the stored cell, whichever occurs first.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
The routing system as claimed in claim 29, characterized in that said first arbitrary cell is said route switching confirmation cell.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
43 words
The routing system as claimed in any of claims 25 through 30, characterized in that said control means (20) includes means for outputting an empty cell when said memory means temporarily stores a cell from the asynchronous transfer mode switching system (50, 10).