Broadcast method and system with cell tag information for multiple self-routing

An asynchronous transfer mode cell broadcasting system comprising:

• a plurality of switch modules, connected in series, each switch module switching an asynchronous transfer mode cell inputted from an input line connected thereto to at least one output line among N output lines, N being an integer grater than one;
• and
• a tag information adder, provided in the input line connected to a first switch module of said plurality of switch modules, for adding tag information used by at least two switch modules of said plurality of switch modules, the tag information for one of said plurality of switch modules including N bits, each of the N bits corresponding to one of the N output lines, the tag information indicating whether each of the plurality of switch modules outputs the asynchronous transfer mode cell from the input line so that the asynchronous transfer mode cell is outputted to the at least one output line among the N output lines designated by the tag information.

An asynchronous transfer mode cell broadcasting system, comprising:

• a plurality of switch modules, connected in series, each switch module switching an asynchronous transfer mode cell inputted from an input line connected thereto to at least one output line among N output lines, N being an integer greater than one;
• and
• a tag information adder, provided in the input line connected to a first switch module of said plurality of switch modules, for adding tag information used by at least two switch modules of said plurality of switch modules, the tag information for one of said plurality of switch modules including N bits, each of the N bits corresponding to one of the N output lines, the tag information indicating whether each of the plurality of switch modules outputs the asynchronous transfer mode cell from the input line so that the asynchronous transfer mode cell is outputted to the at least one output line among the N output lines designated by the tag information, each of said switch modules being turned ON or OFF by referencing the tag information.

An asynchronous transfer mode cell broadcasting method comprising the steps of:

• a) exchanging an asynchronous transfer mode cell inputted from an input line connected to at least one output line among N output lines in a plurality of switch modules, N being an integer greater than one;
• b) adding tag information used by at least two switch modules of the plurality of switch modules, the tag information for one of the plurality of switch modules includes N bits, each of the N bits corresponding to one of the N output lines;
• c) indicating, by the tag information, whether each of the plurality of switch modules outputs the asynchronous transfer mode cell from the input line so that the asynchronous transfer mode cell is outputted to the at least one output line among the N output lines designated by the tag information, each of the switch modules being turned ON or OFF by referencing the tag information.

A broadcasting system having output lines for an asynchronous transfer mode cell inputted into the broadcasting system, the broadcasting system comprising:

• switch modules to switch the asynchronous transfer mode cell to the output lines;
• and
• a routing information adder to add routing information to the asynchronous transfer mode cell, the routing information including bits, each of the bits corresponding to one of the output lines, said routing information adder sets the bits so that the switch modules output the asynchronous transfer mode cell to the output lines designated by the routing information.