Patent ID: 6611523
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
An ATM cell multiplexer comprising:a plurality of CLAD units, connected in parallel on an ATM bus so that ATM cells are assembled and disassembled between terminal equipments and an ATM switchboard, each including a cell holding portion, a communication controller, and a cell terminal portion which are all mutually connected with a Utopia Level 2 interface, and an ATM bus scheduler for an ATM bus control connected to the CLAD units through the ATM bus; the cells from the cell terminal portion being held in the cell holding portion through the Utopia Level 2 interface under control of the communication controller for a cell transfer in the up direction from the terminal equipments to the ATM switchboard, and the ATM bus scheduler making the cell holding portion transmit the cells to the ATM bus by assigning a transmission right for every cell holding portion of the CLAD units in accordance with a preset schedule table based on at least one of predetermined service categories and a traffic control corresponding to a traffic quantity; and the cells being broadcast from the ATM bus to the cell holding portion of each CLAD unit for a cell transfer in the down direction from the ATM switchboard to the terminal equipments, and the communication controller making the cell holding portion transfer the cells to the cell terminal portion through the Utopia Level 2 interface to decide whether or not the cells are addressed to itself.