Method and system for transmitting ATM cells on an ATM link

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: using a cell delimiter to mark a complete ATM cell including a header portion and a data portion.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: in said sending unit: checking the header portion of each of said ATM cells to be sent whether it is the same as a previously stored header portion or not, and if it is not the same as the previously stored header portion, storing the header portion of the respective ATM cell and sending said cell delimiter, the header portion and the data portion of the respective ATM cell, and in said receiving unit: checking each of the received header and data portions for said cell delimiter, and if said cell delimiter is present, generating said original ATM cell by using the header and data portion accompanying said cell delimiter, and storing said header portion.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: using a block delimiter to mark an incomplete ATM cell including a data portion only.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of: in said sending unit: checking the header portion of each of said ATM cells to be sent whether it is the same as a previously stored header portion or not, and if it is the same as the previously stored header portion, removing the header portion from the respective ATM cell and sending said block delimiter and the data portion of the respective ATM cell only, and in said receiving unit: checking each of the received header and data portions for said block delimiter, and if said block delimiter is present, generating said original ATM cell by using the previously stored header portion and the data portion accompanying said block delimiter.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: using a start delimiter to mark said common header portion of said set of subsequent ATM cells.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of: in said sending unit: checking the header portion of each of said ATM cells to be sent whether it is the same as a previously stored header portion or not, and if it is not the same as the previously stored header portion, storing the header portion of the respective ATM cell and sending said start delimiter, the header portion and the data portion of the respective ATM cell, or if it is the same as the previously stored header portion, removing the header portion of the respective ATM cell and sending the data portion of the respective ATM cell only, and in said receiving unit: checking each of the received header and data portions for said start delimiter, and if said start delimiter is present, generating said original ATM cell by using the header and data portion accompanying said start delimiter, and storing said header portion, or if said start delimiter is not present, generating said original ATM cell by using the previously stored header portion and the respective data portion.

Claim 9

The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of: using an end delimiter to mark the last data portion of said set of subsequent ATM cells.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: in said sending unit: checking whether further subsequent ATM cells have to be sent, and if no further subsequent ATM cells have to be sent, transmitting said end delimiter after the last data portion to be sent, and in said receiving unit: checking each of the received header and data portions for said end delimiter, and if said end delimiter is present, recognizing that no further subsequent ATM cells will be received.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 wherein said sending unit and said receiving unit each includes an ATM switch coupled to a computer system of an end user.

Claim 12

The method of claim 10 wherein said ATM switch is connected with a high speed network.

Claim 17

The method of claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said cell delimiter and said block delimiter are non-data symbols.

Claim 20

The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: checking whether further subsequent ATM cells have to be sent, and if no further subsequent ATM cells have to be sent, transmitting an end delimiter after the last data portion to be sent.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: checking each of said received data portions for an end delimiter, and if said end delimiter is present, recognizing that no further subsequent ATM cells will be received.

Claim 24

The method of claim 15 or claim 17 wherein said start delimiter is a non-data symbol.

Claim 25

The method of claim 16 or claim 18 wherein said end delimiter is a non-data symbol.

Claim 28

The system of claim 21, further comprising: means for generating the original set of subsequent ATM cells by using said common header portion and the data portions of said set of subsequent ATM cells.

Claim 29

The system of claim 21, further comprising: means for generating an original set of ATM cells by using a common header portion and selected data portions from the original set of ATM cells.

Claim 32

The system of claim 24, further comprising: means for comparing said stored header portion with the header portion of a subsequent one of said ATM cells to identify ATM cells with a common header portion.

Claim 33

The system of claim 24, further comprising: means for removing the header portion from each cell in the set of ATM cells.

Claim 34

The system of claim 24, further comprising: means for sending non-data symbols.

Claim 37

The system of claim 28, further comprising: means for receiving and identifying non-data symbols.

Claim 38

The system of claim 29, further comprising: means for removing said received and identified non-data symbols.

Claim 39

The system of claim 29, further comprising: means for discarding said stored header portion after receipt of one of said non-data symbols.

Claim 40

The system of claim 27 or claim 29, wherein said non-data symbols are a cell delimiter and a block delimiter.

Claim 41

The system of claim 27 or claim 29, wherein said non-data symbols are a start delimiter and an end delimiter.