Abstract: The present invention is directed to a high speed packet switching network and, in particular to a method and system for minimizing the time to establish a connection between an origin and a destination node. A path calculated at the time the connection is requested is recorded in a Routing Database and updated each time a modification occurs in the network. Furthermore, alternate paths for supporting non-disruptive path switch on failure or preemption, and new paths towards potential destination nodes can be calculated and stored when the connection set up process is idle. These last operations are executed in background with a low processing priority and in absence of connection request.

Abstract: An ATM protocol adapter designed to operate with high speed switching systems having a receive and transmit elements based upon pipeline structure insuring that each operation is performed in a limited period.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing transmission links bandwidth utilization in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) packet switching network including switching nodes interconnected by high speed transmission links, said network being made to transport user data traffic including PTM traffic organized into variable length packets, each packet comprising a variable length data payload and an original fixed length PTM packet header.

Abstract: In a high speed digital network including access nodes and network nodes each having topology data bases, a method for optimizing the connection set-up operations required for connecting a calling end-user attached to a local access node to a destination user attached to a remote access node, via a conventional connection set-up operation. An Access Node Connection Table (ANCT) in each access node stores a list of every remote access node for which the local access node has at least one user connection. A field in the locate reply message is defined for the destination remote Access Node Topology Database (ANTDB) and remote ANTDB information is inserted prior to sending the reply message. Locate reply message reception is monitored by the local access node, and upon reception an entry is created for the received remote ANTDB information in the local access node unless the remote access node was already identified in the local access node. An optimal path is then selected and connection set up.

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 includes means for introducing at least one extra byte to every cell. The extra byte is reserved for carrying a routing header for controlling the switching structure in a first step, and then for use by the PINT circuit when the cell will be received by the transmit part in a second step. The transmit part of each PINT circuit comprises a control module that receives all the cells generated at the corresponding output port and controls whether to discard the cell based on the value of the extra byte.

Abstract: In high speed cell switching networks, a Call Admission Control (CAC) procedure is performed on each connection according to a specified Traffic Descriptor. A mandatory parameter of the Traffic Descriptor is the Peak Cell Rate (PCR), associated with a Cell Delay Variation Tolerance (CDVT). Connections which specify a high CDVT value may potentially send into the network bursts of cells at a rate much higher than the declared Peak Cell Rate, which may lead to congestion in cell buffers of intermediate network nodes. Guaranteeing the Quality of Service (QoS) for such connections may require the reservation of a high amount of resources in the network, leading to poor utilization of those resources.

Abstract: A system adapts access to a packet switching network. A dynamic bandwidth adaptation continuously monitors the mean bit rate of a signal source and the loss probability of a connection in the network. A filtering means removes noise from the mean bit rate and loss probabilty. A test means determine whether the values fall within a pre-defined acceptable adaptation region in a mean bit rate, loss probability plane. Triggering means initiate bandwidth adaptation procedures when the values fall outside of the region which in turn, initiate means for acquiring a new connection bandwidth, and determining new parameters for the adaptation mechanism.

Abstract: In case of a failure in a high speed packet switching network, the failure information provided by the multiplicity of resources is registered in the access nodes of the network. The failure information can be retrieved by the network management on request for fault correlation. A plurality of alarms flooding the network management when a failure occurs is thus avoided.

Abstract: A data processing method for efficiently transporting multimedia data packets of fixed and/or variable length over an Assynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network made to transport fixed length ATM cells including a fixed length user data payload and a fixed length ATM header. The data processing method includes concatenating said fixed and/or variable length user data and appending said concatenated data with a so-called trailer defining the various concatenated user data lengths and identifications, for being further split into ATM cells payloads before being transmitted over said ATM network.

Abstract: Method and system for adapting access to a packet switching network including a dynamic bandwidth adjustment mechanism which continuously monitors the mean bit rate of the signal source and the loss probability of the connection. These values are filtered to remove noise and then used to test whether the values fall within a pre-defined acceptable adaptation region in the mean bit rate, loss probability plane. Values falling outside of this region trigger bandwidth adaptation procedures which, in turn, result in acquiring a new connection bandwidth, and determining new parameters for the adaptation mechanism. Furthermore, the mechanism controls the number of connections that can be adapted by a single processor, given its processing capability. It ensures fairness between the connections in the sense that it prevents a single connection from using, on the average, a greater portion of the processor capacity than it should.