Patent ID: 6249522
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A path merging communication apparatus having:a plurality of leaf interface (IF) units for receiving ATM cells from different paths,a converting unit, connected to the leaf IF units, for receiving the input ATM cells from the different paths, merging the ATM cells, and designating one path to which the merged ATM cells are sent corresponding to a predetermined manner,a controlling unit, connected to the converting unit, for controlling the apparatus and control information, anda root IF unit, connected to the converting unit and the controlling unit, for sending the ATM cells merged by the converting unit to the path designated by the converting unit,wherein the converting unit comprises:an input path information extracting unit for extracting input path identification information and a leaf IF unit number for identifying a leaf IF unit from which the input ATM cell is received from the input ATM cell;a path designation header conversion table for converting the input path identification information and the leaf IF unit number into output path identification information for identifying an output destination of the input ATM cell and a root IF unit number for identifying the root IF unit to which the input ATM cell is sent; anda header processing unit for rewriting the input path identification information contained in a path information storing area of the input ATM cell to the output path identification information obtained from said path designation header conversion table, adding an intra-apparatus header containing the input path identification information and the leaf IF unit number to the input ATM cell, generating an output ATM cell, and sending the output ATM cell to the root IF unit with the root IF unit number obtained from the path designation header conversion table,wherein the root IF unit comprises:a control cell detecting unit for detecting an output ATM cell that contains a control cell to be sent to the controlling unit from output ATM cells that are received from the converting unit and sending the detected output ATM cell to the controlling unit; andan intra-apparatus header removing unit for removing the intra-apparatus header from the output ATM cell received from the converting unit and sending the resultant ATM cell to a path in which the ATM cell is merged, andwherein the controlling unit performs a process corresponding to information of the control cell in the output ATM cell received from the root IF unit, generates a response cell that contains the input path identification information and information of the process result corresponding to the input path identification information and the leaf IF unit number contained in the intra-apparatus header of the control cell, and sends the response cell to a leaf IF unit having the leaf IF unit number so as to send the response cell to a path identified by the input path identification information.