Abstract: A communications network (20) includes any number of moving switching nodes (30) and a route-determining node (28). The route-determining node (28) performs an off-line procedure (58) to define a-priori routing for the entire network. This procedure (58) is performed repetitively to track switching node (30) movement and to define routing for numerous epochs included in a planning period. The procedure (58) includes a process (86) for determining all shortest path routes between all possible origination and destination switching nodes (30). Another process (84) matches predicted call traffic for a subject epoch with the shortest path routes. Another process (88) generates routing code tables (54) in response to the predicted call traffic matched to shortest path routes. This process (88) assigns logical routing IDs (52) to physically distinct, shortest path routes in proportion to the predicted call traffic allocated to the distinct routes.

Abstract: A correct admission decision can be made even when not relying upon traffic characteristics declared by a user. With respect to each of established connections, traffic data are acquired and are stored. When a call request is issued, an admission decision is made using the traffic characteristics if the traffic characteristics are stored.

Abstract: A method for implementing switching in the time or space domain, in which the switching is effected on the basis of switching data contained in an address control memory, and a basic switching block is defined on the basis of an incoming frame structure so that the number of its time slots corresponds to the greatest possible number of signals of the lowest level of hierarchy to be switched in the frame. The basic switching block recurs in the same form with respect to switching.

Abstract: An ATM telecommunications switch includes a plurality of parallel data switching planes and a parallel control plane, each plane having an equal number of input ports and output ports and a central switching unit to switch each input port to any output port. A single data stream is divided between a plurality of input ports and the data is concatenated from a plurality of output ports to reconstitute the data stream. A first rotator connects each input port cyclically to each timelslot of the central switching unit and a second rotator connects each timeslot of the central switching unit cyclically to each output port.

Abstract: A communication network (e.g., a coax network or an optical fiber network) comprises a signal distribution network (e.g., fiber node FN) for transmitting communication signals downstream over a first communication path to a plurality of end user apparatuses connected thereto. At least one end user apparatus is arranged for sending the return signals downstream over at least part of the first communication path to a converter apparatus which collects the return signals and converts them to an upstream signal for transmission over a second separate communication path to the distribution unit.

Abstract: A line card (1) in a private branch exchange (1) accommodates interfaces (1) which switch standard output frames on a system bus. These standard output frames contain control data in addition to subscriber data. As a result, the system frame of the system bus (SB) is not filled efficiently. By switching only the subscriber data from the standard output frames to the system bus by the switching means, the system frame is filled efficiently.

Abstract: In a radio communication system, in particular a mobile communication system, variable-rate information flows originating from different sources (CV1, CS1; CV2, CS2) and relative to a same communication are transmitted on a same radio channel. Each mobile station (M1 . . . Mh) and the fixed part (B1 . . . Bn; RNC) of the system comprise a unit for the control of the variable-rate transmission, which dynamically allocates the available bits to the different streams by taking into account the needs of the sources (CV1, CS1; CV2, CS2), the conditions of the channel (6) and the system occupancy. (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A large capacity ATM switch includes a space switch core connecting input buffer modules and output buffer modules by way of high speed links. Upon request from an input buffer module, the space switch core sets up a connection to a desired output module. Data are sent in a burst consisting of a train of ATM cells of any arbitrary number. As the data are sent in trains of more than one ATM cell, the connection control of the core can be made to operate at a much slower speed. Electro-optical arrangements of the space switch core are described as embodiments.

Abstract: A flow control protocol is used to optimize the throughput on transmission opportunities without exceeding the allocated bandwidth in a Fiber optic Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) Local Area Network (LAN). The flow control protocol limits the number of flames that a station can chain together to a maximum number that insures that the station does not exceed its bandwidth allocation per Token opportunity. When this maximum number is reached, the current chain is placed in a first-in, first-out (FIFO) queue to await the next transmission opportunity. When a chain is enabled for transmission, subsequent flames are placed on a free standby chain, and this process continues until the maximum allowed number of frames is reached. By either chaining together fewer flames than the maximum number or continuing to the maximum number, the number of frames to be chained together in the current chain is optimized providing improved performance.

Abstract: A call processor (10) for processing integrated-services digital-network (ISDN) calls is subject to real-time control by a host computer (28) but stores rules specified ahead of time by a manual input device (32). By changing the entered rules, a user can adapt the call processor to a wide variety of applications without burdening the host (28) with operational details in real time. In particular, the behavior specifications represent choices among the ISDN data-channel messages and contents that the call processor (10) will forward to the host computer (28) in reporting receipt of those messages. The behavior specifications also represent choices for transmitted ISDN data-channel messages and contents generated by the call processor (10) either autonomously or in conjunction with the host computer (28).

Abstract: A communications system including a node connected via an ATM connection to a cell Synchronization and Recovery Unit. This allows a number of lower bit rate paths (e.g. n.times.64 kbit/s) to be utilized via a switching center. Another synchronization and recovery unit is connected through an ATM link to a selected recipient interface. A method is provided in which distinct first header portions in idle cells are used to determine the cyclic order in which the ATM cell portions are transmitted down paths and to determine the delay experienced through the paths in order to reconstruct the cells from the portions received from the respective paths. The units determine the delay experienced through the paths and reconstruct cells from the portions passed through respective paths. A personal identification number can be assigned a customer to allow access from one of a number of points and to select a desired service via a control point.

Abstract: The Integrated Services Digital Network ("ISDN") normally uses 64 Kbits/sec channels which are therefore unsuitable for data traffic at higher rate traffic. This can be overcome by assembling ISDN channels to form higher bit rate channels. However, when the bit-rate required changes frequently, the number of channels grouped together must be changed often. To solve this problem, data packets are received from local area networks by a computer and assembled into groups of ISDN channels which are combined to form high bit rate channels or U-channels. The computer assembles data into an ISDN frame using an appropriate number of slots in the frame for each U-channel. The frames are transmitted using conventional ISDN circuits. On reception, ISDN slots in frames are passed to packet assembly buffers, one for each U-channel, before being passed to users. When a new slot is to be added to a U-channel, synchronization signals are sent in the new slot and flags are used to establish when data is to be sent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a telecommunications packet switching system including a hardware portion and a software portion forming an advanced multiprocessing, multiprocessor system (including multiple processors, capable of running more than one process at a time). The hardware and software structures are fully distributed and fault-tolerant, providing a flexible configuration and remote management through the network itself, managing the switching and transmission of messages split into packets, including use of different specific protocols. The system can be connected to a variety of different networks, allowing a large concentration of low speed lines. A control station executes operational functions, and a terminal allows interaction with the system. A DC/DC converter is provided at each element in the processing unit.

Abstract: An ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) cell format conversion system writes in a memory a plurality of ATM cells each being 53 octets long and mapped in the payload fields of virtual containers VC-4-NC which have been multiplexed in the form of STM-N frames and have been extracted from said frames. A 1 octet-long cell overhead is added to each of the ATM cells read out of the memory in response to base frame pulses which are synchronous with the STM-N frames, whereby the ATM cells are converted to 1-octet-added ATM cells each being 54 octets long. The 1-octet-added ATM cells and an idle cell are mapped in an imaginary matrix 5 column groups.times.9 rows frame by frame and then outputted. This allows each of the STM-N frames or be switched to otherwise processed on an ATM cell basis.

Abstract: A digital tandem channel unit installable in an intermediate central office of a digital carrier telephone network maintains the digital format of the T1 traffic in the course of a DS0 tandem cross-connect, so as to eliminates the possibility of corruption of voice/data traffic, as may occur in a conventional `analog` office cross-connect tandem pair due to quantization errors introduced into the data stream in the course of the digital to analog conversion of the data. Also, the invention incorporates control software in each tandem channel unit's micro-controller that allows it to respond to analog tone signalling test procedures initiated from either two or four-wire channel ports of network access equipment.

Abstract: A connection hold control system is adapted to a data communication system in which a data communication is alternately made between a first terminal and a second terminal and between the first terminal and a third terminal, where each of the first through third terminals is coupled to a communication network via a terminal adapter. The connection hold control system includes a hold part, provided within a first terminal adapter which is coupled to the first terminal, for holding a first channel which connects the first and second terminals via the communication network and the terminal adapters after a data communication from the first terminal to the second terminal ends, and a connect part, provided within the first terminal adapter, for connecting the first and second terminals via the first channel if a data communication from the first terminal to the third terminal via a second channel ends within a predetermined time after the data communication from the first terminal to the second terminal ends.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multiplexer for a digital switch, arranged to be included in a switch network whose data flow is organized in frames containing a number of time slots, said time slots including data time slots, which shall be directed through the switch from first to second sets of terminal units, such as subscriber connections, trunk connections, processors, etc. The multiplexer is controlled by a processor for controllable multiplexing, i.e., mapping of a number of transmission links from each of a corresponding number of the terminal units of said first set to a transmission link leading to the switch, as well as of a transmission link leading from the switch to a number of transmission links leading to each of a corresponding number of terminal units of said second set. The mapping is performed on the data time slots.

Abstract: A hit-less protection switching method and apparatus therefor for ATM transmission lines for selecting first cells from normal received signals and writing the same into a normal cell buffer, selecting second cells from emergency received signals and writing the same into an emergency cell buffer, reading the first cells from the normal cell buffer after a first delay time, reading the second cells from the emergency cell buffer after a second delay time, comparing the contents of the first cell with the contents of the second cell and changing the difference between the first delay time and the second delay time, when a state of discrepancy between the contents of the first cell and the contents of the second cell is continuously detected for a predetermined time, to dissolve the state of discrepancy, and selecting one of the cells read from the normal cell buffer and the emergency cell buffer with a delay as communications information.

Abstract: A communication system 100 for determining the optimum direction (206) for transmitting and receiving a signal in a radio comprises a receiver for receiving a carrier signal being a time divided signal having an instruction signal, a transmitter for transmitting a time divided signal, a directional antenna (10) coupled to said receiver and transmitter, and a steering device (28) for changing the phase of the carrier signal in accordance with the instruction signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a packet re-transmitting system for a slotted-ALOHA type satellite communication system wherein communications are effected between a central office and a large number of local offices by way of a communications satellite and which decreases a packet re-transmitting time remarkably. The central office transmits a frame synchronizing signal, manages a reception slot number in a predetermined phase relationship with the frame synchronizing signal, detects a condition of a reception signal from any of the local offices and sends back a receiving condition signal including a reception slot number and detection information of a receiving condition at the point of time.