TABLE FOR HANDLING VARIOUS AAL PROTOCOLS IN AN ATM-MODE

摘要

Within an ATM node, a cell handling unit (CHU) receives incoming ATM cells from an ATM switch and provides outgoing ATM cells back to the ATM switch. The cell handling unit consults a combined or consolidated table to obtain ATM parameters (e.g., VCI) for use in headers of outgoing ATM cells. The combined table can be utilized both for ATM cells with AAL2 protocol and ATM cells of a second type AAL protocol. The second type AAL protocol is preferably AAL2 prime, which requires that AAL2 packets carried in the ATM cell payload be whole packets and that the ATM payload not have an AAL2-type start field. The combined table is structured to have plural intervals, including a first interval for AAL2 protocol connections and plural other intervals for the second type AAL protocol connections. Each row for the AAL2 protocol interval associates: (1) a unique incoming VCI value; (2) an output link value; (3) an outgoing VCI value; and (4) an offset value. The offset value points to the one of the plural intervals for the second AAL protocol connection. Each of the rows for the table intervals for the second AAL protocol connections associates: (1) an incoming VCI value; (2) a channel identifier (CID); (3) an output link value; and (4) an ATM parameter for use in an ATM header of an outgoing ATM cell.