Patent ID: 7324524

Claim:
A method for providing asynchronous traffic to a synchronous network comprising: receiving a cell from an asynchronous network, the cell having a header and a payload; analyzing the header to classify the cell; storing the cell at the memory location defined by an ingress pointer based on the analyzing to create stored cells; updating the ingress pointer; and responsive to a transmit opportunity in the synchronous network: reading the stored cells from the memory at a location defined by an egress pointer; transmitting the stored cells onto the synchronous network; and updating the egress pointer, wherein the ingress pointer and the egress pointer are maintained such that during a transmit opportunity stored cells are transmitted onto the synchronous network wherein receiving a cell comprises: receiving frames via an asynchronous network; segmenting the frames into one or more cells; associating a header with each of the one or more cells; and switching the one or more cells and associated header through a switch fabric.