ATM communication system

Claim 2

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ATM switching network (2) includes a traffic monitoring means (7) which monitors the amount of traffic in the ATM switching network and the management apparatus (3) includes an analyzing means (31) which analyzes the allocable bandwidth which can be given to the terminal equipment (4) in accordance with the amount of traffic.

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the terminal equipment (4) include judgement means (41) which judge whether the allocable bandwidth notified from the ATM switching network (2) is an bandwidth of a size allowable for their own communication.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the terminal equipment (4) include request means (42) which request to the ATM switching network (2) the communication bandwidth required for their own communication.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ATM switching network (2) includes memory means (8) which store the communication bandwidth requested by the terminal equipment and required for the communication of the terminal equipment (4) and further includes a bandwidth changing means (10) which changes the bandwidth to a communication bandwidth stored in the memory means (8) when the allocable bandwidth expands to larger than that communication bandwidth during a call of the terminal equipment (4).

Claim 6

An ATM communication system provided with an ATM switching network (2) which includes a plurality of ATM exchanges (5) and controls exchanges among a plurality of terminal equipment (4) and a management apparatus (3) which manages the traffic in the ATM switching network (2); including in a first terminal equipment (4-1) and a second terminal equipment (4-2) which can communicate with each other a first request means (42-1) and a second request means (42-2) which request a first communication bandwidth and a second communication bandwidth which they require to the ATM switching network side; including in the ATM switching network (2) a traffic monitoring means (7) which monitors the amount of traffic in the ATM switching network; and including in the management apparatus (3) an analyzing means (31) which analyzes the allocable bandwidth which can be given to the first and second terminal equipment (4-1) and (4-2) in accordance with the amount of traffic from the traffic monitoring means (7); the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) respectively sending out the first and second communication bandwidths to the ATM switching network (2) from the first and second request means (42-1 and 42-2); the analyzing means (31) in the management apparatus (3) deciding on a common available bandwidth for the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) based on the first and second communication bandwidths received through the ATM switching network (2) and the amount of traffic monitored by the traffic monitoring means (7); and the available bandwidth decided on being notified to the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) through a notifying means (6) provided in the ATM switching network (2).

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first and second communication bandwidths are the maximum bandwidths expected to be necessary for the communication by the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2).

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first and second communication bandwidths are the mean values of the bandwidths expected to be necessary for the communication by the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2).

Claim 9

A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the ATM switching network (2) includes a memory means (8) which stores the first and second communication bandwidths requested from the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) at the start of communication between the terminal equipment and the analyzing means (31) includes a bandwidth changing means (10) which notifies the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) of a changed bandwidth comprising the current first and second communication bandwidths expanded to a new allocable bandwidth when judging during communication between the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) that the allocable bandwidth has expanded to the first and second communication bandwidths stored in the memory means (8).

Claim 10

A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) include a first memory means (43-1) and a second memory means (43-2) which store respectively the first and second communication bandwidth requested to the ATM switching network (2) by them at the time of the start of communication.

Claim 11

A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) include a first decision means (44-1) and a second decision means (44-2) which decide whether to start communication by the available bandwidth instructed from the ATM switching network (2).

Claim 12

A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the traffic monitoring means (7) is provided in the ATM exchanges (5) of the ATM switching network (2).

Claim 13

A system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the management apparatus (3) is provided with an optimal control means (32) which produces optimal traffic control information based on the results of analysis by the analyzing means (31) and supplies the information to the ATM switching network (2).

Claim 14

A system as set forth in claim 13, wherein a traffic control means (9) which receives the optimal traffic control information supplied from the optimal control means (22) and performs the control of the traffic is provided in the ATM exchanges (5).

Claim 15

A system as set forth in claim 14, wherein a bandwidth changing means (10) which notifies the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) that the present available bandwidth allocated for the communication between the two will be changed based on the optimal traffic control information is provided in the ATM exchanges (5).

Claim 16

A system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the traffic control means (9) in the ATM exchanges (5) has a safety factor table unit (91) which sets in advance the safety factor showing the range of allowance of fluctuations in the amount of traffic for each of the communication media which the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) handle and stores the set safety factors as a table; a threshold generating unit (92) which generates a threshold value obtained by multiplying the available bandwidths by the corresponding safety factors for each of the communication media; a comparing unit (93) which compares the amount of traffic obtained by the traffic monitoring means (7) and the threshold value obtained from the threshold generating unit (92); and a cell abandonment indicating unit (94) which sends out a command for abandoning a communication cell between the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) in the ATM exchanges (5) when the result of the comparison by the comparing unit (93) is that the amount of traffic has exceeded the threshold value.

Claim 17

A system as set forth in claim 16, wherein the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) include media classification notifying means (45-1 and 45-2) which notify the classification of the communication media to the traffic control means (5).

Claim 18

An ATM communication process comprising: a step wherein when communication is to be performed between a first terminal equipment (4-1) and a second terminal equipment (4-2), a first communication bandwidth required for the communication is sent through a first request means (42-1) in the first terminal equipment on the originating side to an ATM switching network (2) at the start of the communication; a step wherein the ATM switching network (2) side monitors the amount of traffic in the ATM switching network (2), analyzes the bandwidth allocable to the terminal equipment in the ATM switching network (2), and, when receiving the first communication bandwidth from the originating side first terminal equipment (4-1), sends the received first communication bandwidth together with the allocable bandwidth to the terminating side second terminal equipment (4-2); a step wherein the second terminal equipment (4-2), when receiving the allocable bandwidth and the first communication bandwidth, sends the second communication bandwidth which the second terminal equipment (4-2) requests for communication, through a second request means (42-2) in the equipment to the ATM switching network (2) side; a step wherein the ATM switching network (2) decides on the available bandwidth to be commonly occupied by the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) based on the first and second communication bandwidths and the allocable bandwidth; and a step wherein the decided on available bandwidth is sent from the ATM switching network (2) side to the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2).

Claim 19

A process as set forth in claim 18, which comprises: a step wherein the first and second communication bandwidths sent from the first and second terminal equipment (4-1 and 4-2) at the start of the communication are stored at the ATM switching network (2) side; a step wherein the first and second terminal equipment decide by decision means (44-1 and 44-2) whether the available bandwidth decided on and notified by the ATM switching network can be received; a step wherein during the call between the first and second terminal equipment, the ATM switching network side detects if the allocable bandwidth exceeds the stored first and second communication bandwidths; a step wherein when it detects that it exceeds the same, the ATM switching network side notifies the first and second terminal equipment side of the stored first and second communication bandwidths; and a step wherein the first and second terminal equipment decide by their respective decision means (44-1 and 44-2) to change the presently used bandwidth.

Claim 20

An ATM communication system which includes an ATM switching network (2) which includes a plurality of ATM exchanges (5) and controls exchanges among a plurality of terminal equipment (4); a management apparatus (3) which manages the traffic in the ATM switching network (2); a communication line layer (20) which transfers information relating to traffic among the management apparatus and the ATM switching network; and a notifying means (6) which is provided in the ATM switching network, receives the traffic information, and notifies the terminal equipment of the allocable bandwidth which can be used in accordance with the amount of traffic in the ATM switching network.

Claim 21

A system as set forth in claim 20, wherein the ATM exchanges (5) include a traffic monitoring means (7) which monitors the amount of traffic in the ATM switching network (2) and the management apparatus (3) includes an analyzing means (31) which analyzes the allocable bandwidth which can be given to the terminal equipment (4) in accordance with the amount of traffic.

Claim 22

A system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the management equipment (3) is provided with an optimal control means (32) which produces optimal traffic control information based on the results of analysis by the analyzing means (31) and supplies the information to the ATM exchanges (5).

Claim 23

A system as set forth in claim 22, wherein the ATM exchanges (5) are provided with traffic control means (9) which receive the optimal traffic control information supplied from the optimal control means (32) and controls the traffic.

Claim 24

A system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the ATM exchanges (5) are provided with a bandwidth changing means (10) which receives information from the traffic control means (9) and notifies the terminal equipment of a change in the allocable bandwidth.

Claim 25

A system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the traffic control means (9) has a safety factor table unit (91) which presets safety factors showing the range of allowance of fluctuations of traffic for each communication medium handled by the terminal equipment (4) and stores these set safety factors as a table; a threshold generating unit (92) which generates a threshold, obtained by multiplying the allocable bandwidth by the corresponding safety factors, for each of the communication medium; a comparing unit (93) which compares the traffic obtained by the traffic monitoring means (7) and the threshold obtained from the threshold generating unit (92); and a cell abandonment instruction unit (94) which issues an instruction for abandoning communication cells in the ATM exchanges (5) when the result of the comparison by the comparing unit is that the traffic exceeds the threshold.

Claim 26

A system as set forth in claim 25, wherein the terminal equipment (4) has a media classification notifying means (45) which notifies the classification of the communication media to the traffic control means (9).