Patent ID: 6980545

Claim:
An apparatus providing routing of asynchronous traffic in a circuit switched synchronous time division multiplexed network, said apparatus comprising: an interface ( 12 ) providing access to a multi-channel bitstream carrying isochronous channels; routing means ( 26 ) for providing routing of data packets; and a communication medium ( 24 ) interconnecting said interface and said routing means, wherein said interface ( 12 ) comprises means ( 18 ) for deriving data packets received in at least one of said isochronous channels, means ( 22 ) for transmitting only header portions of said data packets to said routing means via said communication medium ( 24 ), means ( 20 ) for temporarily storing at least body portions of said data packets, and means ( 22 , 32 ) for forwarding said data packets in accordance with routing instructions received from said routing means.