Patent ID: 6683869
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A communications network comprising:at least two nodes connected to links, each of said nodes including: a data switch having a data switching matrix, a data bus connected to said data switch, and at least one port card connected to said data bus, said port card including: a high speed data bus, an input system connected to the high speed data bus and one of said links, an output system connected to the high speed data bus and one of said links, and a Ds0 switch connected to said high speed data bus, said Ds0 switch including a Ds0 switching matrix; and wherein said Ds0 switching matrix disassembles and reassembles packets after receipt of the packet by the port card from at least one of another data switch and said data switching matrix connected to said data bus, wherein said input system includes a packet processor connected to said high speed data bus, said packet processor assigning a modifiable flag to each received packet to route the received packet through said node, and said output system includes a packet inserter connected to said high speed data bus, said packet inserter removing the modifiable flag from each packet prior to the packet being sent to one of said links; and wherein said modifiable flag allows said high speed bus to route the packet to said Ds0 switch to move Ds0 channels within the packet through said communications network.