Rapid through switching of virtual connections in ATM communication system

摘要

In the process according to the invention, a virtual connection (V) is preset from an originating ATM communications terminal to a destination ATM communications terminal (KE(1), HE(2) in an ATM communications network (KN) so that operation and maintenance cells (oam) can pass the preset connection (V). An operation and maintenance cell (oam1) is then transmitted from the destination ATM communications terminal to the originating ATM communications terminal (HE(2) HE(1). An operation and maintenance unit and a through-connect information unit (oam3, di) inserted into the operation and maintenance cell (oam1) effect immediate through-connection of the preset virtual connection (V) in the ATM communications systems (KS1, 2) included in the virtual connection (V). Alternatively, the known process for setting up and clearing down virtual connections (V) can be incorporated in the process according to the invention. The immediate through-connection prevents "speech clipping" caused by delayed through-connection due to signalling processing times, particularly in the case of telephone calls made via several ATM communications systems (KS).