Patent ID: 6487203
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An apparatus for transmitting cells between an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) layer and a physical layer according to ATM protocol, comprising:a port number region, included in each of said cells, for storing a port number of said physical layer, wherein said port number region is a user defined field of an ATM cell format; a specified number of uniform physical device groups obtained by uniformly dividing said physical layer into a plurality of device groups comprising a predetermined number of physical devices; a first cell available signal line connected between said ATM layer and a first one of said uniform physical device groups; a second cell available signal line connected between said ATM layer and a second one of said uniform physical device groups; a third cell available signal line connected between said ATM layer and a third one of said uniform physical device groups; a fourth cell available signal line connected between said ATM layer and a fourth one of said uniform physical device groups; and a data line connected between said ATM layer and each of said physical devices of each of said physical device groups, wherein said ATM layer multiplexly polls said physical device groups through said data line.