Patent ID: 7058060
Filing Date: 2006-06-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) apparatus for transmitting and receiving ATM cells among a plurality of line interfaces which accommodate ATM lines or non-ATM lines, comprising: a data bus connected to the plurality of line interfaces; and bus control means connected to said data bus, wherein each of said plurality of line interfaces includes: first transmission means for transmitting to said data bus a transmission request containing an indication of a degree of priority of an ATM cell and an address of a channel interface, when transmitting said ATM cell to said data bus, and second transmission means for transmitting said ATM cell to said data bus when a transmission grant signal containing the address of said line interface has been received from said data bus, and wherein said bus control means, upon receiving said transmission request, selects the channel interface which transmitted said transmission request containing the highest degree of priority ATM cell, and transmits a transmission grant signal containing the selected channel interface, to said data bus.