Frame relay-to-ATM interface circuit and method of operation

A processing network comprising:

• a first node operable to transmit and receive frame relay data;
• a second node operable to transmit and receive asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) data;
• and
• a network interface for converting said frame relay data to said ATM data comprising:
• a frame relay interface circuit operable to receive said frame relay data from said first node;
• an ATM interface circuit operable to transmit said ATM data to said second node;
• a data bus for coupling said frame relay interface circuit and said ATM interface circuit, said data bus operable to transfer frame payload data from said frame relay interface circuit to said ATM interface circuit;
• a data traffic controller operable to receive frame header data from said frame relay interface circuit and control transfers of said frame payload data from said frame relay interface circuit to said ATM interface circuit;
• and
• a bridge for coupling said data traffic controller to said data bus, said bridge isolating said data traffic controller from said transfers of said frame payload data.

For use in a processing network containing a first node operable to transmit and receive frame relay data and a second node operable to transmit and receive asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) data, a method for converting frame relay data to ATM data comprising the steps of:

• receiving the frame relay data from the first node in a frame relay interface circuit;
• transferring the frame relay data to an ATM interface circuit across a data bus;
• transferring frame header data from the frame relay interface circuit to a data traffic controller via a bridge coupled to the data bus, wherein the bridge isolates the data traffic controller from the transfer of the frame relay data to the ATM interface circuit across the data bus;
• and
• transmitting the ATM data to the second node.