System and method for cell switching with a peripheral component interconnect bus and decentralized, computer-controlled cell switch

A method of switching cells with a port card employable in a cell switch, said cell switch including a host computer having a processor and a bus for interconnecting a plurality of port cards, said method comprising the steps of:

• gaining control of said bus to allow said port card to place cells to be switched in said cell switch on said bus;
• placing said cells on said bus when said bus master circuitry has gained control of said bus;
• and
• directly communicating said cells from said interface circuitry to another port card in said cell switch via said bus, said processor thereby relieved of having to switch said cells.

A cell switch, comprising:

• a host computer, including:
• a processor for performing call processing tasks, and
• a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, coupled to said processor;
• and
• a plurality of port cards, each of said plurality of port cards including:
• a local memory for temporarily storing cells to be switched in said cell switch,
• PCI bus master circuitry for gaining control of said PCI bus to allow said port card to place said cells on said PCI bus, and
• interface circuitry, coupled to said local memory and said PCI bus master circuitry, that places said cells on said PCI bus when said PCI bus master circuitry has gained control of said PCI bus, said cells communicated directly from said interface circuitry to another one of said plurality of port cards via said PCI bus, said switching of said cells thereby distributed within said cell switch.