Logical channel setting system for ATM network

A logical channel setting system for an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network coupled to corresponding terminal equipment via a respective terminal adapter, the system comprising:

• call means operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter, for setting a logical channel in the ATM network, said logical channel having a narrow band in the order of Kbps;
• first message transmitting means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter and responsive to an ON request signal from the corresponding terminal equipment, for transmitting to the ATM network a band change message which requests a change of the band width of the logical channel from the narrow band to a broad band in the order of Mbps;
• and
• second message transmitting means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter and responsive to an OFF request signal received thereby from the corresponding transmitting terminal equipment, for transmitting to the ATM network a band release message which requests a change of the band width of the logical channel from the broad band to the narrow band.

A logical channel setting system for a communication network carrying fixed bit length cells over a selected one of plural routes from a transmitting terminal to a receiving terminal and which cells contain, respectively and selectively, plural different types of information, the system comprising:

• plural terminal adapters and plural, respectively associated terminal equipments, each thereof operable in conformance with a high-speed digital transmission interface for transmitting burst digital information and each terminal adaptor and respectively associated terminal equipment being selectively operable, in a transmit mode, as a transmitting terminal adaptor and a respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment and, in a receiving mode, as a receiving terminal adaptor and a respectively associated receiving terminal equipment, each terminal equipment being coupled by the respectively associated terminal adaptor to the communication network;
• each transmitting terminal equipment being selectively operable for generating and supplying, to the respectively associated transmitting terminal adapter, a request signal which, when ON, requests the setting of an associated logical channel in the communication network and which, when OFF, requests the release of an associated logical channel which currently is set in the communication network;
• and
• each terminal adapter further comprises:
• call means, operable in the transmitting mode of the terminal adapter and in response to the receipt of an ON request signal from the respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment, for setting the associated logical channel in the communication network between the transmitting terminal adapter and the receiving terminal adapter of a respectively associated receiving terminal equipment, thereby to enable the transfer of data from the transmitting terminal equipment and respectively associated transmitting terminal adapter through the communication network to the receiving terminal adapter and thereby to the respectively associated receiving terminal equipment, and
• disconnect means, operable in the transmitting mode of the terminal adapter and in response to receipt of an OFF request signal from the respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment, for releasing a logical channel which currently is set in the communication network.

A logical channel setting system for a communication network carrying fixed bit length cells over a selected one of plural routes from a transmitting terminal to a receiving terminal and which the cells contain, respectively and selectively, plural different types of information, the system comprising:

• plural terminal adapters and plural, respectively associated terminal equipments operable in conformance with a high-speed digital transmission interface for transmitting burst digital information, each terminal equipment being coupled by the respectively associated terminal adaptor to the communication network and each terminal adaptor and respectively associated terminal equipment being selectively operable, in a transmit mode, as a transmitting terminal adaptor and a respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment and, in a receiving mode, as a receiving terminal adaptor and a respectively associated receiving terminal equipment;
• each terminal adaptor further comprising:
• call means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter, for setting a logical channel having a narrow band in the order of Kbps in the communication network,
• first message transmitting means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter and responsive to an ON request signal from the respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment, for transmitting to the communication network a band change message which requests a change of the band width of the logical channel from the narrow band to a broad band in the order of Mbps, and
• second message transmitting means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter and responsive to an OFF request signal received thereby from the respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment, for transmitting to the communication network a band release message which requests a change of the band width of the logical channel from the broad band to the narrow band.

A terminal adaptor for coupling a respectively associated terminal equipment to a communication network, the terminal adapter being operable selectively in a transmitting mode, as a transmitting terminal adapter, and in a receiving mode, as a receiving terminal adapter, the transmitting terminal adapter coupling data from a respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment to a communication network for transmission thereover and the receiving terminal adapter receiving data transmitted over a communication network and coupling the received data to a respectively associated receiving terminal equipment, the communication network carrying data in fixed bit length cells over a selected one of plural routes, the terminal adapter comprising:

• call means, operable in the transmitting mode of the terminal adapter and in response to the receipt of an ON request signal from a respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment, for setting an associated logical channel in the communication network thereby to enable the coupling of data from the respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment to the communication network for transmission thereover;
• and
• disconnect means, operable in the transmitting mode of the terminal adapter and in response to receipt of an OFF request signal from the respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment, for releasing a logical channel which currently is set in the communication network.

A terminal adaptor for coupling a respectively associated terminal equipment to a communication network, the terminal adapter and respectively associated terminal equipment being operable, selectively, in a transmitting mode and in a receiving mode respectively for transmitting data over the communication network to a remote receiving terminal adapter and a respectively associated, remote terminal equipment and for receiving data, transmitted over the communications network from a remote, transmitting terminal adapter and a respectively associated and remote terminal equipment, the communication network carrying fixed bit length cells over a selected one of plural routes selectively interconnecting a transmitting terminal adapter and a receiving terminal adapter designated by the transmitting terminal adapter, each terminal adaptor comprising:

• call means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter, for setting a logical channel having a narrow band in the order of Kbps in the communication network;
• first message transmitting means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter and responsive to an ON request signal from the respectively associated terminal equipment, for transmitting to the communication network a band change message which requests a change of the band width of the logical channel from the narrow band to a broad band in the order of Mbps;
• and
• second message transmitting means, operable when the terminal adapter is a transmitting terminal adapter and responsive to an OFF request signal received thereby from the respectively associated transmitting terminal equipment, for transmitting to the communication network a band release message which requests a change of the band width of the logical channel from the broad band to the narrow band.