Patent ID: 6847646
Filing Date: 2005-01-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A coupling device, for a network operating in the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), comprising: means for receiving individual ATM cells each having a respective header, a central cell memory for buffer storage of packets formed by said individual ATM cells, a central memory control device for controlling storage in the central cell memory and the writing and reading processes for packets stored in and read from the central cell memory, counting means for a number of ATM cells stored in said central cell memory, and discarding means for discarding ATM cells packet by packet to prevent congestion in the central cell memory, characterized in that the central memory control device comprises: comparator means connected upstream of the central cell memory, and control logic means, said comparator means cooperating with the counting means and the control logic means such that, responsive to a programmable threshold value for the degree of filling of the central cell memory being reached, and evaluation of information determinable from the header of a received cell relating to the packet of which the received cell is a part, each ATM cell of the packet containing said received cell is discarded before arriving in the central cell memory.