Interface device between a network and an exchange for assembling fixed-length cell and transmitting the same

Claim 2

An interface device connected to a network, for assembling a transmission fixed-length cell from user data to be transmitted and for disassembling a reception fixed-length cell received from said network to extract said user data therefrom, said interface device comprising: a transmission timing information generating means for producing a first transmission timing information based on a network clock supplied from said network and a data transmission clock synchronized with the user data; a cell assembling means for assembling the fixed-length cell from the user data and said first transmission timing information to transmit said fixed length cell to said network; a clock adjusting means for generating internal timing information based on said network clock and a data reception clock, to adjust the timing of said data reception clock so as to reduce a difference between said internal timing information and a second transmission timing information contained in the reception first-length cell which is received from said network; and a cell decomposing means for disassembling said reception fixed-length cell received from said network into said user data and said transmission timing information, to output said user data in synchronism with said data reception clock from said clock adjusting means.

Claim 3

The interface device according to claim 1, wherein said clock adjusting means includes: an internal timing information generating means for producing said internal timing information based on said network clock and said data reception clock; a comparator means for comparing said internal timing information with said second transmission timing information contained in said reception fixed-length cell received from said network; and a data reception clock generating means for adjusting the timing of said data reception clock and feeding back said data reception clock to said internal timing information generating means.

Claim 4

The interface device according to claim 2, wherein said internal timing information generating means includes: a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of said data reception clock so as to produce an internal sampling clock; and said internal timing information generating means sampling said network clock by said internal sampling clock to produce said internal timing information.

Claim 5

The interface device according to claim 2, wherein said data reception clock generating means includes: a reference oscillator for outputting a reference clock signal; a pulse adjuster for adjusting the frequency of said reference clock signal by adding a pulse thereto or eliminating a pulse therefrom and for outputting said data reception clock; a feed-back means for feeding back said data reception clock to said internal timing information generating means; and a controller for controlling said pulse adjuster to increase or reduce the number of pulses on the basis of said difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information.

Claim 6

The interface device according to claim 2, wherein said data reception clock generating means includes: a reference oscillator for outputting a reference clock signal; a pulse adjuster for adjusting the frequency of said reference clock signal by adding a pulse thereto or eliminating a pulse therefrom; and for outputting a phase comparison clock signal; a PLL circuit for producing said data reception clock which is synchronized with said phase comparison clock signal; and a controller for controlling said pulse adjuster to increase or reduce the number of pulses on the basis of said difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information.

Claim 7

The interface device according to claim 2, wherein said data reception clock generating means includes: a reference oscillator for outputting a reference clock signal; a first frequency divider for dividing the frequency of said reference clock signal and outputting two frequency-divided clock trains having different phases; a pulse adjuster for adjusting one frequency-divided clock train by adding one clock pulse in accordance with an increase command or eliminating one clock pulse from said one frequency-divided clock train in accordance with a reduction command, and outputting said one frequency-divided clock train as an adjusted clock signal; a second a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of said adjusted clock signal and outputting a phase comparison clock signal having a predetermined frequency; a PLL circuit for producing said data reception clock signal which is synchronized with said phase comparison clock signal by a PLL control; and a controller for controlling said pulse adjuster to increase or reduce the number of pulses on the basis of the difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information contained in said reception fixed-length cell received from said network.

Claim 8

The interface device according to claim 2, wherein said data reception clock generating means includes: a reference oscillator for outputting a reference clock signal; a pulse adjuster for adjusting the frequency of said reference clock signal by adding a pulse thereto or eliminating a pulse therefrom and for outputting an adjusted clock signal; a low-pass filter for smoothing said adjusted clock signal; a voltage control oscillator for outputting said data reception clock by oscillating at a frequency which corresponds to a level of the clock signal output from said low-pass filter; and a controller for controlling said pulse adjuster to increase or reduce the number of pulses on the basis of the difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information contained in said reception fixed-length cell received from said network.

Claim 9

The interface device according to claim 7, wherein said pulse adjuster includes: a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of said reference clock signal output from said reference oscillator and outputting two frequency-divided clock trains having different phases; and a pulse adding/eliminating means for increasing one frequency-divided clock train by adding one clock pulse of the other frequency-divided clock train in accordance with an increase command, while eliminating one clock pulse from said one frequency-divided clock train in accordance with a reduction command, and outputting said one frequency-divided clock train as said adjusted clock signal.

Claim 10

The interface device according to claim 1, wherein said clock adjusting means includes: an internal timing information generating means for producing said internal timing information on the basis of said network clock and a clock signal which corresponds to said data reception clock; a comparator means for comparing said internal timing information with said second transmission timing information contained in said reception fixed-length cell received from said network; a reference oscillator for outputting a reference clock signal; a pulse adjuster for adjusting the frequency of said reference clock signal output from said reference oscillator by adding a pulse to said reference clock signal or eliminating a pulse from said reference clock signal for outputting an adjusted clock signal; a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of said adjusted clock signal and for outputting a phase comparison clock signal; a PLL circuit for producing said data reception clock which is synchronized with said phase comparison clock signal; a controller for controlling said pulse adjuster to increase or reduce the number of pulses on the basis of a difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information; and a feed-back means for feeding back said adjusted clock signal to said internal timing information generating means as said clock signal which corresponds to said data reception clock.

Claim 11

The interface device according to claim 9, wherein said internal timing information generating means includes: a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of said adjusted clock signal so as to produce an internal sampling clock; said internal timing information generating means sampling the timing information on said network clock by said internal sampling clock so as to produce said internal timing information.

Claim 12

The interface device according to claim 10, wherein said clock adjusting means further includes: an adjusting timing generating means for arranging the number of adjusting timing positions which is proportional to the difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information approximately uniformly in one period of said internal sampling clock; wherein said controller controls said pulse adjuster so as to increase or reduce a pulse at each of said adjusting timing positions.

Claim 13

The interface device according to claim 11, wherein said adjusting timing generating means includes: an adjusting timing pulse train generating means for producing an adjusting timing pulse train having the number of adjusting timing pulses which corresponds to said difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information approximately uniformly in one period of said internal sampling clock; and a selecting means for selecting the adjusting timing pulse train which corresponds to said difference between said internal timing information and said second transmission timing information; wherein said controller controls said pulse adjuster so as to increase or reduce a pulse every time one of said adjusted timing pulses is input.

Claim 14

The interface device connected to a network, for assembling a transmission fixed-length cell from user data to be transmitted and for disassembling a reception fixed-length data received from the network to extract the user data therefrom, said interface device comprising: a transmission timing information generating means for producing a first transmission timing information based on a network clock supplied from the network and a data transmission clock synchronize with the user data; a cell assembling means for assembling the fixed-length cell from the user data and said first transmission timing information to transmit said fixed-length cell to said network; a clock adjusting means for generating internal timing information based on said network clock, reception timing clock and a data reception clock, to adjust the timing of said data reception clock so as to reduce a difference between said internal timing information and a second transmission timing information contained in said reception fixed-length cell received from said network, and output said reception timing clock and said data reception clock; and a cell decomposing means for disassembling said reception fixed-length cell received from said network into said user data and said transmission timing information to output said user data in synchronism with said data reception clock from said clock adjusting means, and output said transmission timing information in synchronism with said reception timing clock.

Claim 15

The interface device connected to a network, for assembling a transmission fixed-length cell from user data to be transmitted and for disassembling a reception fixed-length data received from the network to extract the user data therefrom, said interface device comprising: a transmission timing information generating means for producing a first transmission timing information based on a network clock supplied from the network and a data transmission clock synchronize with the user data; a cell assembling means for assembling the fixed-length cell from the user data and said first transmission timing information to transmit said fixed-length cell to said network; a clock adjusting means for generating internal timing information based on said network clock, reception timing clock and a data reception clock, to adjust the timing of said data reception clock so as to reduce a difference between said internal timing information and a second transmission timing information contained in said reception fixed-length cell received from said network, and output said reception timing clock and said data reception clock; and a cell decomposing means for disassembling said reception fixed-length cell received from said network into said user data and said transmission timing information to output said user data in synchronism with said data reception clock from said clock adjusting means, and output said transmission timing information in synchronism with said reception timing clock.

Claim 16

The interface device connected to a network, for disassembling a fixed-length cell received from the network to obtain user data contained in said fixed-length cell, said interface device comprising: a cell receiving means for receiving the fixed-length cell from the network and outputting transmission timing information contained in the received fixed-length cell, the transmission timing information being synchronized with said user data; a clock adjusting means for generating internal timing information based on a network clock supplied from the network and a data reception clock to adjust timing of said data reception clock so as to reduce a difference between said internal timing information and the transmission timing information, and a cell decomposing means for decomposing said fixed-length cell received from said network into said user data and said transmission timing information to output said user data in synchronism with said data reception clock from said clock adjusting means.

Claim 17

The interface device connected to a network, for disassembling a fixed-length cell received from the network to obtain user data contained in said fixed-length cell, said interface device comprising: a cell receiving means for receiving the fixed-length cell from the network and outputting transmission timing information contained in the received fixed-length cell, the transmission timing information being synchronized with said user data; a clock adjusting means for generating internal timing information based on a network clock supplied from the network and a data reception clock to adjust timing of said data reception clock so as to reduce a difference between said internal timing information and the transmission timing information, and a cell decomposing means for decomposing said fixed-length cell received from said network into said user data and said transmission timing information to output said user data in synchronism with said data reception clock from said clock adjusting means.

Claim 18

An interface system connecting a terminal to a network and transmitting therebetween a plurality of fixed-length cells including a user data and a transmission timing information synchronized with the user data, the interface system comprising: a cell receiver to receive the fixed-length cells from the network and to extract the timing information therefrom, a clock controller to generate an internal timing information based on a network clock supplied from the network and a data reception clock, and to control the timing of the data reception clock so as to reduce a timing difference between the internal timing information and the transmission timing information; and a cell disassembler to disassemble the fixed-length cells to obtain the user data from the plurality of the fixed-length cells in synchronism with the data reception clock from said clock controller.

Claim 19

An interface system connecting a terminal to a network and transmitting therebetween a plurality of fixed-length cells including a user data and a transmission timing information synchronized with the user data, the interface system comprising: a cell receiver to receive the fixed-length cells from the network and to extract the timing information therefrom, a clock controller to generate an internal timing information based on a network clock supplied from the network and a data reception clock, and to control the timing of the data reception clock so as to reduce a timing difference between the internal timing information and the transmission timing information; and a cell disassembler to disassemble the fixed-length cells to obtain the user data from the plurality of the fixed-length cells in synchronism with the data reception clock from said clock controller.