Abstract: A procedure is provided for transmitting packets of variable length, such as AAL2 packets and permitting the transmission of cells such as ATM cells, in time-division circuits such as E1/T1 frames, each divided into a number of time slots, each occupied by an eight-bit byte. The consecutive eight-bit bytes of each packet of variable length and of each cell are located in the slots of consecutive time of at least one group of time slots of the frames. The first eight-bit byte of a packet or a cell is placed at a time slot marked by a pointer occupying a specific time slot of the corresponding group of time slots.

Abstract: An access network for mobile terminals includes a switch arranged to be connected to at least one external network and a local access network connected to a plurality of radio base stations. Each base station is arranged to enter into communication with mobile terminals, each terminal being arranged for receiving or sending user cells on a virtual channel identifiable by a fixed virtual path identifier and a specific virtual circuit identifier allocated thereto at the time a call is established. Signaling cells on a virtual channel are identified by a specific virtual path identifier and a specific fixed virtual circuit identifier. The switch allocates a virtual path identifier and a virtual circuit identifier to each user channel. To each signaling channel, the switch allocates a virtual path identifier equal to the virtual path identifier of the user circuit and a fixed virtual circuit identifier.

Abstract: This invention has to do with a procedure for transmitting packets of variable length, such as AAL2 packets and, possibly, the transmission of cells such as ATM cells, in time-division circuits such as E1/II frames, each divided into a number of time slots, each occupied by an eight-bit byte.

Abstract: A packet network switching unit switches “upper layer packets” at an input port thereof toward a selected output port. Lower layer packets transport the “upper layer packets.” A receiving termination module of the unit (1) retrieves upper layers from lower layer packets at its input, (2) inserts each retrieved upper layer into a lower layer packet, (“intermediate packet”) and (3) delivers the intermediate packet. A transmitting termination module retrieves the upper layer packet from the intermediate packet, optionally inserts it with other packets into a lower layer packet and delivers the lower layer packets. A switch routes lower layer packets to an input of a receiving termination module that routes (1) intermediate packets transmitted by the receiving module toward one of its output ports, connected to a transmitting termination module input and (2) packets transmitted from the lower layer through each transmitting module toward the unit desired output port.

Abstract: An access network for mobile terminals has a switching circuit (VCX) connected to at least one other external network and to a local access network (RLA) which has a number of radio terminals (BR) for providing communication with mobile terminals (MT). Set-up and release protocols provide for signaling channels and user channels between switching circuit (VCX) and a mobile terminal (MT). Security protocol (SSCOP) provides for the channels implemented by exchanging signaling messages at the level of switching circuit (VCX) and mobile terminals (MT). An adaptation server (ARX) intercepts the messages sent by the signaling protocols and implements the intercepted messages. Management protocols of the local access network (RLA) oversee set up and release of the signaling channels and the user channels and reserves corresponding radio resources for the signaling channels.

Abstract: This invention relates to a local access network for mobile telephone units. Each radio station in this network has an associated group of radio stations forming a predetermined macrocell. Each radio station may become the macrocell's core station. When a mobile unit leaves the coverage of one station (the “fading” station) and enters the coverage of another (the “change-over” station), virtual connections are formed to the stations covering the macrocell associated with the change over the station. At this time the virtual connections belonging to the stations in the macrocell associated with the previous station, but not belonging to the macrocell associated with the change-over station, are released.

Abstract: A local mobile access network is equipped to manage the resources in the network which comprises a number of radio terminals (BR) linked, via the concentration stages (CTR, VCX), to another concentration stage consisting of virtual circuit switches (VCX), At least the concentration stage includes a virtual circuit switch (VCX) equipped with macrodiversity management equipment (OPM). Each concentration stage (CTR, VCX) downstream from a concentration stage (CTR, VCX) is equipped with macrodiversity management equipment (OPM) is equipped with a flow rate management device (GDM) for managing the resources on the multiplex which is found directly upstream of the concentration stage that it equips.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a local mobile access network, of the kind that comprises a distribution network (RDL) formed by a plurality of nodes (NIE), each node (NIE) being connected to a concentrator (CTR) which is connected to at least one radio terminal (BR) designed to communicate with mobile units linked with said terminal (BR), at least one of said nodes (NIE) of said distribution network (RDL) being connected via routing equipment (PONT) [bridge] to a virtual channel switch (VCX).

Abstract: The invention concerns a directional method for a server for cells transmitted by a module attached to a local mobile area network as well as a network of this type for implementing said method. The directional method applies to a network which is comprised of a plurality of concentration stages and terminals linked to the low-level concentration stages, said network comprising servers respectively linked to concentration stages. This method is characterized therein that it consists of initially establishing permanent virtual channels in direction of the servers and, when a mobile is connected to two terminals of said network, said two terminals ascertain the closest common server and modify the header of the user cells transmitted by said mobile in such a way that they carry the identifier VPI/VCI of the channel established for said server so as to enable it to be processed there. The present invention also concerns a network provided for implementing said method.

Abstract: The header of each packet contains a virtual channel identifier. The virtual path identifier is a packet distribution agent enabling a packet to be distributed when the packet is travelling over a public network, and the virtual path identifier is a packet-routing agent enabling the packet to be routed when said packet is travelling over a private network. Each time a packet is transferred from a private network to a public network, routing data contained in the virtual path identifier is shifted to a reserved portion of a virtual channel identifier that is also contained by the packet, and it is replaced by distribution control data. Each time a packet is transferred in the opposite direction, the distribution control data in the packet is replaced by private network internal routing data.

Abstract: A communication system is designed to equip an asynchronous time-division network and to enable terminals linked to the network to communicate in the no-connection mode. The system comprises a ring management device and components distributed among the terminals and interfacing the terminals with a virtual ring for managing the production, reception and transmission of data cells. The ring management device is linked via the network to each of the terminals in order to control the connection/disconnection requests coming from the terminals and to supply information concerning cell routing to the terminals linked to the ring. A terminal has a particular role as a pilot for regulating the rate of the data cells in the virtual ring. Another purpose of the pilot terminal is to eliminate the altered cells. Furthermore, there is provided in each of the terminals a device for limiting its rate to a maximum value.

Abstract: A system and process for controlling the flow of packets carried by asynchronous time multiplex (EPACi) channels. The packets from one communication link are identified by their label and the identity of the multiplex channels which carries them. The process is comprised of allocating for each communication a predetermined clock rate and a predetermined threshold value, measuring the difference between the number of packets entering belonging to the communication and the number of pulses generated by the clock, lower bounding this difference, and, if the difference reaches a predetermined threshold, triggering a signal (DEP) which causes the detection of packets belonging to the communication in question as long as the difference is not less than the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A device embodying the invention for a packet time-division switcher comprises essentially a circuit for detecting beginnings and ends of load interruption periods in the switcher, and a period counter. The detecting circuit is connected to a plurality of input buffer quenes of the switcher and detects a load interruption when all queues signal a state of packet emptiness. A time base of the switcher is inhibited at the end of a period of predetermined duration established by the counter and following the detection of a load interruption. Said duration is predetermined so as to complete the switching of a packet that has been begun. Once the time base is inhibited, the operating of the switcher is interrupted and its power consumption becomes very low. The time base is freed as soon as a packet is received by the queues, and the switcher resumes operating.

Abstract: A first switching network embodying the invention is a subscriber installation having a chain structure. In the network, the switching is distributed over a plurality of switches each connecting a terminal to the network. A second embodiment is a business network having a star-chain structure and comprising a plurality of sub-networks of chain type. The sub-networks are star connected to central switches which operate in a load sharing mode. According to the method embodying the invention, the terminals connected to the network assume themselves the responsibility for determining communication routes through the network. During a communication set-up phase, caller and callee terminals transmit call packets which are disseminated to all terminals in order to measure two so-called "distances" respectively between the caller and the callee and between the callee and the caller. These distances are after included in data packets for routing said packets.

Abstract: The circuit embodying the invention comprises a pointer memory memorizing J=16 decremented write pointers associated with J=16 buffer queues. A channelling word supplied conjointly to incoming data and indicating the buffer queue in which this data is to be written, addresses the corresponding decremented write pointer. The write pointer and the channelling word form a write address for a buffer memory used as a medium for the J=16 queues. A comparator detects equality between the write pointer and the read pointer and in this case inhibits the acceptance of the incoming data which would overlay data not yet read. Logic means associated with the comparator control the updating, by possible incrementation, of the write pointer values contained in the pointer memory, after each data read in the buffer queues. This circuit is particularly well suited for use in an asynchronous self-channelling packet time-division switching system.

Abstract: A system for switching information packets assigned with two levels of semantic priorities between entering time muliplex lines and outgoing time multiplex lines, the read address of a packet in a buffer memory of a switch being stored in a queueing file associated with an outgoing port intended to transmit the packet. The read address is accompanied by a bit which defines the priority level of the packet. Each queueing file is comprised of two zones in series between the input and the output. Means is included for writing in the first zone only when the second zone is full, the first zone is accessible only to high priority level packets between the reading of files. The rear addresses of low priority level packets, which were stored earlier than the read address of high priority level packet the oldest still being present in the file, is overwritten in equal number, at a maximum, to the number of read addresses stored in the first zone.

Abstract: Each entering and outgoing hybrid time multiplexed signal is made up of frames with fixed length time intervals each carrying a block of words that form either a packet or a channel, except the first time interval of each frame which contains a frame synchronization block. The multiplexed signal is applied to a packet time switch using a paragonal conversion, as in the switch described in European patent document EP No. 113 639. The switch is comprised of input and output rotation matrices, a packet buffer memory, and a channel buffer memory, a packet/channel discrimination memory, a packet label translation memory, a set of memory files for the addresses of the packets in the packet buffer memory, a read control memory for reading in the channel buffer memory, a time base and a control unit capable of changing the contents of the translation memory of the discrimination memory and of the read control memory in terms of the traffic to carry.

Abstract: The apparatus is designed to use a single transmission medium to multiplex frames consisting of any number of bits of different origins which have previously passed through an asynchronous time-division network and are delivered in the form of packets of fixed length interlaced by an asynchronous time-division multiplex. A detection and write management circuit receives the packets and writes them in a packet memory as and when they arrive. In parallel with the writing of the packets, the addresses of the memory cell having memorized the packets of a given frame are written in the form of a string of frame addresses in a second memory. After complete writing of a frame in the first memory, a frame read and transmission circuit completely reads the frame using the corresponding address string and transmits it in serial form on the transmission medium. Packing words such as flags are inserted between the frames read.

Abstract: A system for switching information packets assigned with two levels of semantic priority between entering time multiplex lines and outgoing time multiplex lines, a storage address of a packet in a buffer memory of the system being stored in a queueing file associated with each outgoing time multiplex line designated to transmit the packet, comprising a field point (state) memory whose words each are comprised of as many bits as there are outgoing time multiplex lines, the addresses of the the field point memory corresponding to those of the buffer memory, each bit of the words being at "1" when the packets stored at the same address as the words and designated for an outgoing time multiplex line corresponds to a high level semantic priority bit and has not yet been transmitted by the outgoing multiplex line concerned, each packet storage address being chosen from the addresses of the field point memory addressing all bits of which are at "0".

Abstract: A data transmission system settles access conflicts of plural data transmitters-receivers to a common data transmission bus. The transmitters-receivers are asynchronous, unranked processors interconnected by an arbitration bus, in addition to the data transmission bus. A transmitter-receiver requesting service must gain access to the arbitration bus to access the data transmission bus. If several transmitters-receivers are simultaneously requesting service, they randomly draw arbitration pulses of randomly distributed durations and simultaneously apply these arbitration pulses to the arbitration bus for marking the same. The transmitters-receivers test, at the end of their respective arbitration pulses, the state of the arbitration bus. The transmitter-receiver which finds the unmarked arbitration bus, accesses the data transmission bus.