ATM switch and ATM switching system

摘要

A switch executes complex protocol processing on control cells easily at a high speed in the same manner as normal cells are processed. The switch flexibly copes with new or modifies specifications and standards which might be established in the future for processing RM and OAM cells. Each link interface portion 1 of the ATM switch includes an input cells processing portion 7 and an output cell processing portion 8 provided at the input side and output side of a cell exchange portion 2, and cooperates with a control information maintenance portion 9 to execute application of switching information that the cell exchange portion 2 requires in input cells, and rewriting of ATM cell headers of input cells to and output cells from the cell exchange portion 2. The input cell processing portion 7 and the output cell processing portion 8 of each include a fixed sequencer and a microcode sequencer to execute complex protocol processing such as OAM, RM and other control functions in the microcode sequencer.