Method and circuit arrangement for transmitting message cells via redundant, virtual path pairs of an ATM communication network

摘要

A method and circuit arrangement for transmitting message cells via redundant virtual path pairs of an ATM communication network is provided. Two alternative solutions are employed for the transmission of message cells via virtual path pairs respectively formed of an active path and of an alternate path. A first solution is that the message cells transmitted via the active path and via the alternate path of a path pair are conducted up to the output of the switching network lying at the end of the corresponding path pair. Dependent on the number of message cells arriving via the active path and via the alternate path, a forwarding of the message cells of the active path or of the alternate path occurs proceeding from this point. The second solution is that the message cells of the alternate path are first discarded at the input of the corresponding switching network. Given an interruption of the active path, which is indicated to the switching network by an interrupt signal, by contrast the message cells arriving via the alternate path are forwarded by the switching network.