Broadband switching networks

A broadband switching network having a plurality of broadband switch nodes and a plurality of broadband switch inter-node transmission lines for connecting said plurality of broadband switch nodes, information being transmitted by cells of fixed length, each of said cells comprising a header and an information field, each of said broadband switch nodes comprising:

• a plurality of broadband input and output ports for transmitting and receiving said cells to and from other broadband switch nodes using said broadband inter-node transmission lines;
• a plurality of user interfaces to allow said cells to be transmitted and received from end users;
• and
• switching means for demultiplexing said cells entering the nodes from either said other switching nodes or said end users, and multiplexing said cells for transmission to either said other switching nodes or said end users according to said header field of each said cell, wherein said cells of a same virtual channel or virtual path entering said network have random intervals between cell transmissions or are transmitted with random timings.

An interface adapter for use in coupling a terminal equipment of a user with a broadband switching network having a plurality of broadband switch nodes and a plurality of broadband switch inter-node transmission lines for connecting said plurality of broadband switch nodes, information being transmitted by cells of fixed length, each of said cells comprising a header and an information field, each of said broadband switch nodes comprising a plurality of broadband input and output ports for transmitting and receiving said cells to and from other broadband switch nodes using said broadband inter-node transmission lines;

• a plurality of user interfaces to allow said cells to be transmitted and received from end users through said interface adapter;
• and switching means for demultiplexing said cells entering the nodes from either said other switching nodes or said end users, and multiplexing said cells for transmission to either said other switching nodes or said end users according to said header field of each said cell;
• and
• wherein said interface adapter is adapted in cell flow control, such that said end users of said terminal equipment request a desired transmission speed of said cells to be transmitted to said network therethrough, said flow control being periodically performed by the network informing said interface adapter of an individual permissible transmission speed in accordance with said requested transmission speed and characteristics and level of traffic within said network.