ATM communication system with a modular structure and communication modules

An ATM communication system with a modular structure for connection of ATM communication terminals, comprising:

• a switching device with at least one first multi-tasking operating system;
• a control device with a second multi-tasking operating system, the control device having components;
• the switching system having components, and the switching device having and managing a transport program module, realizing a message transport interface between the operating system and a message distribution program module;
• the switching device having a dependability subprogram structure, monitoring the components of the switching device and configuring the components in the event of an error;
• the switching device having an operation subprogram structure, controlling virtual connections for message traffic in the switching device;
• the switching device having a switching control subprogram structure, controlling switching aspects of the connections with the control device and adapting switching messages to a physical switching system;
• messages within the program structures of the switching device and to and from the control device being controlled by the message distribution program module;
• the control device having a transport program module, realizing a message transport interface between the operating system and a process management program module;
• the control device having a switching program structure, effecting the switching control of the switching device;
• the control device having a dependability program structure, monitoring the components of the control device and configuring the components in the event of an error;
• the control device having an operation program structure, administering the switching device and control device;
• the control device having a communication program structure that effects access to a switching Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) communication network;
• a communication adaptor, realizing the connection between the control device and the switching device and having a third multi-tasking operating system;
• the adaptor having a system control program structure, monitoring the communication adaptor;
• and
• the adaptor having a message transfer program structure, controlling and monitoring message transfer in Asynchronous Transfer Mode.