Cell multiplexer having cell delineation function

Abstract

A cell multiplexer includes a multiplexing unit for time-divisionally multiplexing ATM cell signals given from a plurality of input lines, a write controller for storing cell signals outputted from the multiplexing unit in a buffer memory successively correspondingly to the input lines, a read controller for reading the cell signals stored in the buffer memory from the buffer memory in the form of data blocks synchronized with an ATM cell structure, and a cell delineation controller for detecting delineation states of the data blocks read out from the buffer memory, notifying the read controller of delineation control information corresponding to a result of the detection and transmitting data blocks read out in synchronism with a predetermined cell structure to the output line selectively, wherein the read controller determines the read beginning addresses of data blocks to be read out nextly correspondingly to the input lines on the basis of the delineation control information notified by the cell delineation controller.