Abstract: Distributed communication equipment architectures and techniques are disclosed. A host system includes an expansion unit through which control information and communication traffic may be exchanged with an expansion system. The expansion system is thereby controllable by a controller at the host system, significantly simplifying the design and reducing the cost of the expansion system. The expansion unit for a host system may also provide one or more configurable communication link interfaces. Each configurable interface may be independently configured as a network-side interface for connection to upstream communication equipment or as an access-side expansion interface for connection to an expansion system, allowing provisioning of network and access interfaces at the host system as needed.

Abstract: A switching node of a telecommunication system comprising a plurality of Line Termination Modules (LT—0, LT_N) interconnected by a fault tolerant single plane switch fabric that comprises at least two physically independent Field Replaceable Elements (FRE—1, FRE—2) interconnected by a Switch Module Interface (SMI). Each line termination module has ports connected to ingress/egress ports (PPL—10, PPL—1N; PPL—20, PPL2N) of at least two distinct Field Replaceable Elements. In this switching node, multiple logically disjointed switch planes are avoided. The traffic injected by a line termination module in one physical ingress port of the single plane switch fabric can reach any of the physical egress ports either directly through one Field Replaceable Element or through two (or more) of them via the Switch Module Interface(s).

Abstract: Switch fabrics (10) comprise first stages (11) for receiving multicast input signals (A-C) and second stages (12) for in response to the input signals generating output signals. The switch fabrics (10) are coupled to detectors (31) for detecting parameters indicating conditions of the second stages (12) per output signal and for generating detection results per output signal, and are coupled to controllers (21) for, in response to the detection results, controlling the second stages (12) per output signal. Such switch fabrics (10) handle output congestion in a more individual way. In case of one part of the second stage (12) being congested, the copying of the multicast input signals (A-C) into output signals and their internal transmission no longer need to be ceased. Only one of the output signals corresponding with the congested part of the second stage (12) cannot be delivered.

Abstract: For checking transfer of data cells in an asynchronous switching arrangement, cells are cyclically marked and counted before entering and after leaving the arrangement. A periodical time frame composed of N interleaved checking cycles is imposed. Each cycle (C1) includes two phases, a first phase (IC1) for marking and counting the cells, when received and before switching, and a second counting phase (OC1) for counting cells after switching. An identification mark is introduced in every cell received during the first phase of every cycle, it is linked to the position of this cycle in the time frame. Cells marked according to a cycle are counted as soon as switched during the second phase of the cycle, which starts with a determined delay (d1) during each first phase, for a determined duration (t2). A determination of the correspondence between the two counts obtained during a cycle is made and induces a fault signaling as soon as such a correspondence as otherwise determined is not obtained.

Abstract: