Frame handling system, and frame handling method

A method suitable for a frame handling system comprising an SAR portion and frame handling portion to handle frames after having received a stream of ATM cells through communication lines comprising:

• a signal reception step of receiving a stream of ATM cells through the communication lines;
• a segmentation step of separating an information part from a header part for each of ATM cells received during the signal reception step;
• a frame handling mode setting step of preparing data for frame handling in accordance with the information part separated in the segmentation step;
• a frame forming step of forming a frame by attaching handling data prepared during the frame handling mode setting step to the frame;
• a frame handling mode selecting step of selecting the handling data attached to the frame formed during the frame forming step;
• a frame handling step of achieving frame handling in accordance with the handling data selected during the frame handling mode selecting step, wherein said frame handling step includes receiving said handling data and said frame and dynamically handling said frame according to said handling data;
• a frame handling instruction returning step of returning an instruction for frame handling to the SAR portion, together with the frame handled during the frame handling step;
• a frame routing step of routing the frame in accordance with the frame handling instruction returned during the frame handling instruction returning step;
• a cell reassembling step of reassembling cells when the frame handling instruction notifies delivery thorough output communication lines;
• and
• a signal transmission step of transmitting, through communication lines, cells reassembled in the cell reassembling step, which is further provided with:
• a discarding step of discarding the frame whenever the instruction received during the frame routing step notifies disposal, and
• a delivery-to-processor step of delivering the frame to a processor whenever the instruction received during the frame routing step notifies delivery to a processor.