Cell switching system of asynchronous transfer mode

Abstract

A fixed-length packet switching system, in which fixed-length packets (cells) each composed of a header portion and a data portion are received from a plurality of input lines, and after conversion of the header portions, the received packets are transmitted onto selected ones of output lines designated by their header portions. The system includes a buffer memory having a first buffer area composed of a plurality of subsidiary areas for accumulating cells correspondingly to the output lines, and a second buffer area for accumulating broadcast cells to be transmitted to selected ones of the plurality of output lines; a packet reading circuit for reading the cells from the first buffer area successively corresponding to the output lines and for reading the broadcast cell from the second buffer area at a predetermined frequency; and a broadcast control circuit for reproducing a plurality of broadcast cells from the broadcast cells read from the second buffer area and for transmitting the plurality of reproduced broadcast cells, instead of the cells read from the first buffer area, onto the output lines. The buffer memory is divided into a plurality of buffer areas each corresponding to a respective output line and a packet writing circuit generates addresses sequentially for the respective buffer areas to store cells in a buffer area according to the header portion thereof.