ATM switching system including a switching control portion for distributing call set-up requirement signals

An ATM switching system comprising:

• at least one call processing device;
• a plurality of ATM switching devices, each of said ATM switching devices being grouped into a plurality of line interfaces for inputting and outputting ATM cells and said plurality of line interfaces being grouped into at least one line group;
• an ATM switch connected to said plurality of line interfaces for exchanging ATM cells;
• switch control means connected to said ATM switch, said plurality of line interfaces and said at least one call processing device, said switch control means comprises:
• distribution means for determining to which of said call processing devices requirement information related to call processing input from said line interfaces is to be distributed, and
• means for transmitting control information from at least one of said at least one call processing devices selected by said distribution means directly to related line interfaces through a bus;
• and
• means for transiting among said plurality of ATM switching devices through line interfaces.

An ATM switching system comprising:

• a plurality of call processing devices each being connected to separate line interface A, each of said plurality of call processing devices transmitting and receiving requirement information and control information related to call processing through said line interface A and the ATM switch;
• a plurality of line interfaces B for inputting and outputting an ATM, said line interfaces B being grouped into at least one line group, each of said plurality of line interfaces B including a virtual channel routing table for transmitting requirement information related to call processing to corresponding call processing device;
• an ATM switch connected to said plurality of line interfaces A and B for switching ATM cells;
• and
• switch control means connected to said ATM switch and said plurality of line interfaces A and B for setting a virtual channel routing table of the related line interfaces through a bus based on control information from the call processing device.

An ATM switching device comprising:

• a plurality of ATM switching devices;
• at least one call processing device connected to said plurality of ATM switching devices through separate line interfaces A, respectively, said call processing device transmitting and receiving requirement information and control information related to call processing through an ATM switch in an ATM switching device connected to said line interface A;
• and
• means for connected among said plurality of ATM switching devices through line interfaces;
• wherein each of said plurality of ATM switching devices includes:
• a plurality of line interfaces B for inputting and outputting ATM cells, each of said plurality of line interfaces B including a virtual channel routing table for transmitting requirement information related to call processing to the corresponding call processing device,
• an ATM switch connected to said plurality of line interfaces A and B for switching the ATM cells, and
• switch control means connected to said ATM switch and said plurality of line interfaces A and B for setting a virtual channel routing table of the related line interface through a bus based on control information from the call processing device, said plurality of line interfaces A and B being grouped into at least one line group.