Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for switching a current transmission line to a spare transmission line, said apparatus comprising: a current statistical multiplexer, included in the current transmission line, for producing a first sequence of information cells; a spare statistical multiplexer, included in the spare transmission line, for producing a second sequence of information cells, the first and second sequences of information cells being generated by statistically multiplexing channel signals; detection means for detecting empty cells in the first and second sequences, determination means for determining timing for switching, based on timing of the empty cells detected in the detection means; and switching means for switching the current transmission line to the spare transmission line at the timing determined in the determination means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus for switching a current transmission line to a spare transmission line, said apparatus comprising: a current statistical multiplexer, included in the current transmission line, for producing a first sequence of information cells; a spare statistical multiplexer, included in the spare transmission line, for producing a second sequence of information cells, the first and second sequences of information cells being generated by statistically multiplexing channel signals; detection means for detecting empty cells in the first and second sequences, determination means for determining timing for switching, based on timing of the empty cells detected in the detection means; and switching means for switching the current transmission line to the spare transmission line at the timing determined in the determination means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection means detects empty cells simultaneously transmitted both in the current and the spare transmission lines, and the determination means determines the timing for switching when the empty cells simultaneously transmitted are detected by the detection means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: first inserting means for inserting an empty cell into the first sequence of information cells when one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission line by the detection means; second inserting means for inserting an empty cell into the second sequence of information cells when one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line by the detection means; and storing means for storing the empty cell of the spare transmission line after the one of the empty cells is detected either in the current transmission line or in the spare transmission line; wherein the determination means determines the timing for switching after the one of the empty cells detected in the current transmission line has been transmitted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: empty cell creating means for creating the empty cells after one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission line and before one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line; wherein the determination means determines the timing for switching when the one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: storing means for storing the second sequence of information cells transmitted after one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line and before one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission lines; wherein the determination means determines the timing for switching when the one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission line.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of switching a current transmission line to a spare transmission line, said method comprising the steps of: producing a first sequence of information cells by a current statistical multiplexer included in the current transmission line by statistically multiplexing channel signals; producing a second sequence of information cells by a spare statistical multiplexer included in the spare transmission line by statistically multiplexing channel signals; detecting empty cells in the first and second sequences; determining timing for switching, based on timing of the empty cells detected in the detecting step; and switching the current transmission line to the spare transmission line at the timing determined in the determining step.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of switching a current transmission line to a spare transmission line, said method comprising the steps of: producing a first sequence of information cells by a current statistical multiplexer included in the current transmission line by statistically multiplexing channel signals; producing a second sequence of information cells by a spare statistical multiplexer included in the spare transmission line by statistically multiplexing channel signals; detecting empty cells in the first and second sequences; determining timing for switching, based on timing of the empty cells detected in the detecting step; and switching the current transmission line to the spare transmission line at the timing determined in the determining step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein in the detecting step, the empty cells simultaneously transmitted both in the current and the spare transmission lines are detected, and in the determining step, switching when the empty cells simultaneously transmitted are detected in the detecting step.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
122 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the steps of: inserting an empty cell into the first sequence of information cells when one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission line in the detecting step; inserting an empty cell into the second sequence of information cells when the one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line in the detecting step; and storing the one of the empty cells of the spare transmission line after the empty cell is detected either in the current transmission line or in the spare transmission line; wherein in the determining step, switching after the one of the empty cells detected in the current transmission line has been transmitted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the step of: creating empty cells after one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission line and before the one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line; wherein in the determining step, switching when the one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising the steps of: storing the second sequence of information cells transmitted after one of the empty cells is detected in the spare transmission line and before the one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission lines; and wherein in the determining step switching when the one of the empty cells is detected in the current transmission line.