Patent ID: 6067296
Filing Date: 2000-05-23
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
For use with a time division multiplexed (TDM) data communication system having a plurality of TDM communication ports, respective ones of which interface serial TDM communication channels coupled thereto, a method of interfacing information contained in any TDM communication channel received from any of said plurality of TDM communication ports with any TDM communication channel of any other of said plurality of TDM communication ports, said method comprising the steps of:(a) providing respective memories for each of said plurality of TDM communication ports;(b) at respective ones of said plurality of TDM communication ports, storing in memory serial TDM communication channels received from associated serial communication links to which said respective ports are coupled;(c) controllably transferring, in parallel data format, data contents of a location in memory associated with a selected TDM communication channel of a first of said plurality of TDM communication ports to a location in memory associated with a selected TDM communication channel of a second of said TDN communication ports; and(d) at said respective ones of said plurality of TDM communication ports, reading out of memory TDM communication channels transferred thereto in step (c) to associated serial communication links to which said respective ports are coupled, andwherein step (c) comprises controllably transferring, in parallel data format, data contents of locations in memory associated with a first plurality of selected TDM communication channels of said first TDM communication port to locations in memory associated with selected TDM communication channels of said second of said TDM communication ports, and controllably transferring, in parallel data format, data contents of locations in memory associated with a second plurality of selected TDM communication channels of said second TDM communication port to locations in memory associated with selected TDM communication channels of said first TDM communication port, andwherein said first plurality of selected TDM communication channels is different from said second plurality of selected TDM communication channels, so as to effect an asymmetric flow of TDM communication channels between said first and second TDM communication ports.