3com Corporation

Jeffrey A Gross

William C Mallard, Jr

Michael B Duclos

David X Walls

An improvement to conventional ATM network paradigms involves the distribution of ATM switching functions across a large number of ATM switching units, each of which may typically provide a limited number of available ports, and by establishing multiple connections between the larger number of ATM switching units in a partially redundant 'chained' configuration analogous to various ring type topologies. A plurality of 'XNODES' each comprising a packet segmentation/reassembly circuit and an ATM switching circuit may be interconnected in various ways to form redundant ATM paths without the need to replicate large and expensive ATM switches.

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Milford, MA, United States of America

Jeffrey A Gross