Method and system for emulating a T1 link over an ATM network

A method of loading one or more fractional T1 frames from a fractional T1 link into an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) cell, said one or more fractional T1 frames being in Extended Superframe (ESF) format, wherein the ATM cell comprises an ATM cell header and an ATM cell payload, comprising the steps of:

• inserting one or more fractional T1 payloads from respective one or more fractional T1 frames into a fractional payload field of the ATM cell payload;
• and
• inserting one or more T1 frame bits from the respective one or more fractional T1 frames into a frame bit field of the ATM payload,
• whereby the ATM cell travels over an ATM network, whereby the ATM network emulates the fractional T1 link.

An ATM cell embodied in a carrier signal, to carry one or more fractional T1 frames from a first Data Terminating Equipment (DTE) over an ATM network to a second DTE, said one or more T1 frames being in Extended Superframe (ESF) format, the ATM cell comprising:

• a fractional payload field comprising one or more fractional T1 payloads from respective one or more fractional T1 frames;
• a frame bit field comprising one or more T1 frame bits from the respective one or more fractional T1 frames;
• and
• an ATM cell header, comprising:
• a plurality of control fields used by the ATM network to route the ATM cell to the second DTE.

A system for emulating a T1 link over an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network between a first Data Terminating Equipment (DTE) and a second DTE, comprising:

• ATM cell transmitter at the first DTE to load one or more T1 frames from the T1 link into an ATM cell, said one or more T1 frames being in Extended Superframe (ESF) format, wherein the ATM cell comprises a ATM cell header and a ATM cell payload, comprising:
• means for inserting one or more T1 payloads from respective one or more T1 frames into said ATM cell payload;
• and
• means for replacing one or more header bits in the ATM cell header with one or more T1 frame bits from said respective one or more T1 frames.

A system for emulating a fractional T1 link over an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network between a first Data Terminating Equipment (DTE) and a second DTE, comprising:

• an ATM cell transmitter, to load one or more fractional T1 frames from the fractional T1 link into an ATM cell, said one or more fractional T1 frames being in Extended Superframe (ESF) format, wherein the ATM cell comprises a ATM cell header and a ATM cell payload, comprising:
• means for loading one or more fractional T1 payloads from respective one or more fractional T1 frames into a fractional payload field of said ATM cell payload;
• means for loading one or more T1 frame bits from said respective fractional T1 frames into a frame bit field for said ATM cell payload;
• and
• means for generating an ATM cell header comprising a plurality of control fields used by the ATM network to route said ATM cell to the second DTE.