Cell switch and cell switch network using dummy cells for simplified cell switch test in communication network

摘要

A cell switch and a cell switch network with a simplified cell switch testing such that the testing processes can be carried out quickly and easily. The cell switch includes a dummy cell generation circuit for generating dummy cells in correspondence to the output transmission paths; and an output control circuit for selectively outputting the dummy cells to the output transmission paths when a test of the cell switch is indicated by an externally provided control signal. In a cell switch network in which the cell switches are interconnected in a form of a multi-step configuration, the cell switches belonging to each step in the multi-step configuration of the cell switch network is tested sequentially, by supplying the control signal to each of the cell switches belonging to each step in the multi-step configuration of the cell switch network sequentially, in a reverse order of steps in the multi-step configuration of the cell switch network.