Signalling apparatus for use in an ATM switching system

Claim 2

A broadband communication system comprising: a plurality of interface means each for communicating cell data with a pair of transmission lines; an asynchronous transfer mode switching means having a plurality of pairs of input and output lines operatively connected to the interface means for communicating cell data therewith; and a subscriber line signalling apparatus connected with the switching means through one of said pairs of input and output lines; the switching means including means for communicating control data cells with the subscriber line signalling apparatus through said one pair of input and output lines; the subscriber line signalling apparatus including, an adaptation processing unit for performing at least one of reassembly and segmentation of cell data to frame data, a link access processing means for processing frame data, and means for communicating frame data between the link access processing means and an associated data processing element.

Claim 3

The broadband communication system of claim 1 wherein the adaptation processing unit includes: means for detecting frame data; buffer means for apportioning cell data in fixed length increments from the frame data; means for queuing the cell data in fixed length increments; means for isolating cell identification information; means for appending the cell identification information to the cell data in fixed length increments; and means for communicating the cell data to the asynchronous mode switching means.

Claim 4

The broadband communication system of claim 2 wherein the adaptation processing unit further includes: means for detecting a series of data frames; means for storing frame data within the series of data frames; means for detecting a completion of a series of data frames; and means for communicating the cell data to the asynchronous transfer mode switching means upon a detection of a completed series of data frames.

Claim 5

The broadband communication system of claim 1 wherein the adaptation processing unit includes: means for receiving a sequence of data cells from the asynchronous transfer mode switching means; means for separating cell data from identification information appended thereto; means for acquiring address information from an associated data processing unit; means for accumulating the cell data; means for computing data link communication identifier data from the cell identification information and the address information; means for appending the data link communication identifier to the accumulated cell data to form frame data; and means for communicating the frame data to the link access processing means.

Claim 6

The broadband communication system of claim 3 wherein the adaptation processing unit further includes: means for receiving a sequence of data cells from the asynchronous transfer mode switching means; means for separating cell data from identification information appended thereto; means for acquiring address information from an associated data processing unit; means for accumulating the cell data; means for computing data link communication identifier data from the cell identification information and the address information; means for appending the data link communication identifier to the accumulated cell data to form frame data; means for communicating the frame data to the link access processing means.

Claim 7

The broadband communication system of claim 1 wherein the interface means includes means for communicating cell data with a plurality of transmission lines, and wherein the asynchronous mode switching means includes means for selectively switching the plurality of transmission lines.

Claim 8

The broadband communication system of claim 6 wherein the associated data processing element is comprised of a plurality of subscriber terminals.

Claim 9

The broadband communication system of claim 7 wherein the subscriber line signalling apparatus includes a link access processing means for each of the plurality of subscriber terminals.

Claim 10

A broadband communication method comprising the steps of: communicating cell data with transmission lines to an asynchronous transfer mode switching means; communicating control data cells between the switching means and a subscriber line signalling apparatus through one of pairs of input and output lines of the switching means; performing at least one of reassembly and segmentation of cell data to frame data by the subscriber line signalling apparatus; processing frame data for communication to an associated data processing element by the subscriber line signalling apparatus; and communicating processed frame data between the subscriber line signalling apparatus and the associated data processing element.

Claim 11

A broadband communication method comprising the steps of: communicating cell data with transmission lines to an asynchronous transfer mode switching means; communicating control data cells between the switching means and a subscriber line signalling apparatus through one of pairs of input and output lines of the switching means; performing at least one of reassembly and segmentation of cell data to frame data by the subscriber line signalling apparatus; processing frame data for communication to an associated data processing element by the subscriber line signalling apparatus; and communicating processed frame data between the subscriber line signalling apparatus and the associated data processing element.

Claim 12

The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps performed by said subscriber line signalling apparatus of: detecting the presence of frame data; apportioning cell data in fixed length increments from the frame data; queuing the cell data in fixed length increments; isolating cell identification information; appending the cell identification information to the cell data in fixed length increments; and communicating the cell data to the asynchronous transfer mode switching means.

Claim 13

The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps performed by said subscriber line signalling apparatus of: detecting a series of data frames; storing frame data for a series of data frames; detecting a completion of a series of data frames; and communicating the cell data to the asynchronous transfer mode switching means upon a detection of a completed series of data frames.

Claim 14

The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps performed by said subscribed line signalling apparatus of: receiving a sequence of data cells from the asynchronous transfer mode switching means; separating cell data from identification information appended thereto; acquiring address information from an associated data processing unit; accumulating the cell data; computing data link communication identifier data from the cell identification information and the address information; appending the data link communication identifier to the accumulated cell data to form frame data; and processing the frame data to perform link access control.

Claim 15

The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps performed by said subscriber line signalling apparatus of: receiving a sequence of data cells from the asynchronous transfer mode switching means; separating cell data from identification information appended thereto; acquiring address information from an associated data processing unit; accumulating the cell data; computing data link communication identifier data from the cell identification and the address information; appending the data link communication identifier to the accumulated cell data to from frame data; and processing the frame data to perform link access procedure.

Claim 16

A subscriber line signalling apparatus comprising: a switching circuit having a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals, the switching circuit including means for directing a series of fixed length information packets in input terminals thereof to a selected output terminal thereof; a signalling frame processor for communicating a signal frame to an associated data processing element; and an adaptation processing unit for receiving fixed length information packets from an output of the switching circuit, the adaptation processing unit including means for communicating the fixed length information packets to the signalling frame processor in a signal frame form.

Claim 17

A subscriber line signalling apparatus comprising: a switching circuit having a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals, the switching circuit including means for directing a series of fixed length information packets in input terminals thereof to a selected output terminal thereof; a signalling frame processor for communicating a signal frame to an associated data processing element; and an adaptation processing unit for receiving fixed length information packets from an output of the switching circuit, the adaptation processing unit including means for communicating the fixed length information packets to the signalling frame processor in a signal frame form.

Claim 18

The subscriber line signalling apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of signal frame processor units for communicating a signal frame to a plurality of subscriber lines.

Claim 19

The subscriber line signalling apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means for communicating a signal frame of the signal frame processor to a plurality of subscriber lines.

Claim 20

The subscriber line signalling apparatus of claim 14 further comprising: means for providing an information field, including a subscriber circuit number, to each of the fixed length packets; and wherein the adaptation processing unit includes means for channeling data of an information packet to a selected subscriber line in accordance with the information field.

Claim 21

The subscriber line signalling apparatus of claim 14 wherein the adaptation processing unit include means for converting a link identification number of a signal frame.

Claim 22

A broadband communication system comprising: interface means for communicating cell data with an input transmission line; an asynchronous transfer mode switching means operatively connected to the interface means for communicating cell data therewith; means for communicating cell data between the asynchronous transfer mode switching means and a subscriber line signalling apparatus; the subscriber line signalling apparatus including, an adaptation processing unit for performing assembly of cell data to frame data, a data link processing means for processing frame data, and means for communicating frame data between the link access processing means and an associated data processing element; means for communicating frame data from the associated data processing element to a trunk line signalling apparatus; the trunk line signalling apparatus including an adaptation processing unit for performing segmentation of frame data to assembled cell data; and means for communicating assembled cell data between the trunk line signal processing apparatus and the asynchronous transfer mode switching means.

Claim 23

A broadband communication system comprising: interface means for communicating cell data with an input transmission line; an asynchronous transfer mode switching means operatively connected to the interface means for communicating cell data therewith; means for communicating cell data between the asynchronous transfer mode switching means and a subscriber line signalling apparatus; the subscriber line signalling apparatus including, an adaptation processing unit for performing assembly of cell data to frame data, a data link processing means for processing frame data, and means for communicating frame data between the link access processing means and an associated data processing element; means for communicating frame data from the associated data processing element to a trunk line signalling apparatus; the trunk line signalling apparatus including an adaptation processing unit for performing segmentation of frame data to assembled cell data; and means for communicating assembled cell data between the trunk line signal processing apparatus and the asynchronous transfer mode switching means.

Claim 24

The broadband communication system of claim 19 further comprising means for communicating assembled cell data between the asynchronous transfer mode switch and an output transmission line.