Patent ID: 7474664

Claim:
An ATM switch which includes at least one basic switch, said basic switch comprising: input lines which are grouped into a plurality of groups; means which compares time information added to cells within said group; and selection means which selects a cell with the earliest time information according to the comparison; splitting means which splits a cell into a plurality of short cells; means which transfers said short cells to said switches; assembling means which assembles said short cells into said cell; means which adds first time information to an arriving cell; means which adds second time information to short cells obtained by splitting said arriving cell; means which ensures a sequence of said short cells in said switch according to said first time information; and means which ensures a sequence of said short cells in said assembling means according to said second time information; wherein an input line of said selection means of an ith stage in said basic switch is an output line of said selection means of an (i−1)th stage where i is a natural number, and wherein a plurality of switches are provided in parallel, said switch including said basic switch.