Patent ID: 6985435

Claim:
A method for extending a redundant switching matrix without interruption for a communication system, the switching matrix having a plurality of switching matrix assemblies via which a plurality of cell streams having ATM cells are routed according to a routing address placed in front of a cell header, the routing address taking up a prescribed memory space requirement, the method comprising the steps of: reserving additional memory space for storing the routing address of a largest required switching matrix extension both in a header translation table and in the cell header of each ATM cell by placing at least one zero in front of the routing address; performing a system split which is used to replace old switching matrix assemblies with new switching matrix assemblies in steps; addressing, in the new switching matrix assemblies and insofar as the new switching matrix assemblies connect paths to a same output as the old switching matrix assemblies, the paths using the same routing addresses; and writing the new routing addresses for the paths via the extended switching matrix to the additional memory space.