Abstract: An exchange connects terminal equipment each having terminal identifier information. A layer 3 control unit of the exchange generates a pseudo layer 3 global reception call; and a layer 2 control unit of the exchange terminates the global reception call at the terminal equipment, extracts before link establishment the terminal identifier information of the terminal equipment from a logical link establishment request frame sent from the terminal equipment in response to the termination, and notifies the terminal identifier information to the layer 3 control unit. The layer 3 layer control unit holds the terminal identifier information notified for subsequent termination of calls to the terminal equipment. By this means, matched terminal identifier information is maintained between the exchange and subscriber terminal equipment.

Abstract: A non-geostationary satellite connection-less network incorporates a plurality of satellite nodes and ground stations in communication with the nodes. The network is modeled by the corresponding virtual model network. In the virtual network, connections between users are available between virtual nodes and are made according to a restricted set of routing plans based on the modeled virtual paths between those nodes. The virtual model provides a means of determining admission of connection-orientated calls of different quality of service (QoS) traffic class requirements into the network with engineered grade of service (GoS) and QoS guarantees.

Abstract: A fault tolerant switching architecture is provided with two separate switch fabrics each having a switch cure located in a centralized building and a set of SCAL elements distributed in different physical areas. Each SCAL element has both a SCAL receive element and a SCAL transmit element for access to a corresponding input and output port of the swatch core. A set of port adapters is distributed at different physical areas, with each connected switch fabrics via a particular SCAL element so that each switch core receives the sequence of cells coming from any port adapter and conversely any port adapter may receive cells from either one of the switch cores. Each switch fabric can detect an internal breakdown condition occurring in one of its element and send an error control signal to the peer element located in the other switch fabric.

Abstract: The current invention provides apparatus for relieving congestion associated with interfacing voice-band data, and broad-band data, with a network such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN). A hierarchical system for converting digital transmissions on a network between a first protocol and a second protocol is disclosed. The transmissions are generated by data terminals communicating in a third protocol with the network. The hierarchical system includes: interface units, a local processor, a first remote processor and a first controller. The interface units are each coupled to corresponding ones of the data terminals and each signal a call session with the corresponding data terminal. The interface units convert the transmissions from the data terminal in the third protocol to the second protocol. The local processor is switchably coupled to the interface unit and communicates with the network. The local processor converts digital transmissions from the second protocol to the first protocol.

Abstract: A switching system comprising a switching structure for routing cells from a set of M input ports towards a set of M output ports. The system includes a set of distributed individual Switch Core Access layer elements which communicate with one input and output port of the switching structure by means of a set of serial communication links. Each SCAL element provides attachment to at least one Protocol Adapter and comprises a set of circuits. The receive part of each circuit, which includes at least one first FIFO storage for storing the cells being received, receives the data cells from the attached Protocol Adapter and introduces at least one extra byte to every cell. Each transmit part of the destination circuit, which includes at least one second FIFO storage having a greater capacity than the first FIFO storage, receives all the cells that are generated at the corresponding output port and uses the at least one extra byte for cell buffering.