Minium and maximum modes for the transmission of ATM data cells through network channel banks in a communications system

摘要

A method and apparatus for regulating the flow of ATM data cells through a plurality of network channel banks using maximum and minimum data transmission modes. Each ATM data cell includes a header and data, and the header includes a bank map which identifies at least one of the network channel banks. A network channel bank includes a transport card, a control processor, and an ATLAS chip. For minimum mode, the ATLAS chip is situated on the control processor. For maximum mode, an ATLAS chip is situated on the transport card. The ATLAS chips are coupled to receive an ATM data cell and determine whether the bank map in the header of the ATM data cell identifies the control processor. When the bank map identifies the control processor, the ATM data cell is provided to the control processor. The control processor includes a context lookup memory coupled to determine flow context information for the ATM data cell for routing the data cell to a receiving device.