Apparatus and method for non-stop switching in asynchronous transfer mode

Abstract

According to the present invention, when a current system is switched to a spare system in a transmission system in an asynchronous transfer mode, empty cells transmitted in the current and spare systems are detected, and thereby a timing for switching the current system to the spare system is determined. When no phase difference is existent between the current and spare systems, an empty cell is detected in both the current and spare systems at the same time. Therefore, the current system is switched to the spare system, when an empty cell is detected in both the current and spare systems at the same time. When a shade difference is existent, if an empty cell is detected either in the current or spare systems, another empty cell is inserted in to the systems. Then, the data of the empty cell in a spare system is saved. After the empty cell in a current system passes, the current system is switched to the spare system. When a phase difference of at least one cell is existent, and if an empty cell comes earlier in current system, empty cell are kept inserted form when the empty cell is detected in the current system until an empty cell is detected in the spare system. After that, the current system is switched to the spare system. When an empty cell comes earlier in a spare system, the data of the cell in the spare system is saved from when the empty cell is detected until an empty cell is detected in the current system. After that, the current system is switched to the spare system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.