Device and method for switching ATM cells to groups of connections and corresponding input and output terminal functions

A method for switching ATM cells between a plurality of input terminal functions and a plurality of output terminal functions by means of switching means, the method comprising:

• creating connection groups, wherein all of the connections of each connection group originate from a same input terminal function and go to at least one common output terminal function, and cells of each connection group are allocated a common connection group identifier for routing the cells in said switching means;
• and
• spacing the cells, for each of said connection groups, to re-establish a nominal delivery period of the cells of each of said connections or establishing a global delivery period for all cells of each connection group.

An input terminal function of an ATM cell switching device including switching means for interconnecting the input terminal function with a plurality of output terminal functions, said input terminal function comprising:

• means for creating groups of connections, wherein all of the connections of each group of connections originate from the input terminal function and go to at least one common output terminal function, and cells of a group of connections are allocated the same connection group identifier for routing cells in said switching means;
• and
• spacing means for spacing the cells, for each of said connection groups, to re-establish a nominal delivery period of the cells of each of said connections or establish a global delivery period for all cells of each of said connections of the group.

An output terminal function of an ATM cell switching device, said switching device switching means interconnecting a plurality of input terminal functions with a plurality of output terminal functions and means for creating groups of connections, wherein all of the connections of each group of connections originate from the same input terminal function and go to at least one common output terminal function and cells of a group of connections are allocated the same connection group identifier for routing cells in said switching means, said output terminal comprising:

• means for processing cells received from a group of connections to associate with each cell information necessary for further routing;
• and
• spacing means for spacing the cells to re-establish a nominal delivery period of the cells of each of said connections or establish a global delivery period for all cells of each of said connections of the group.