JPH05235992A - Atm control information transfer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent complicated mechanism and increase an exchange cost even when number of modules is increased by transferring inter-exchange module control information through an inter-STM exchange module coupling device and a specific ATM coupling mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A building block exchange in which exchange modules 1, 11 accommodating a subscriber line or an inter-station transmission line or the like are coupled by a synchronous transfer mode(STM) inter exchange module coupling device 6 is provided with an asynchronous transfer mode(ATM) coupling device 10 having a cross connect function. Then STM buses 8, 9 for control information transfer from exchange modules 1, 11 are connected to the ATM coupling device 10 via the STM inter exchange module coupling device 6 and the control information is transferred between the exchange modules 1, 11 via the STM inter exchange module coupling device 6 and the ATM coupling device 10. Then the capacity of the STM buses 8, 9 is selected to be a capacity of an integer multiple of the cross connect speed unit of the STM inter exchange module coupling device 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of transferring control information between exchange modules in a building block type exchange having a block of an exchange module accommodating a subscriber line or an interoffice transmission line. ..

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a building block type exchange in which an exchange module for accommodating a subscriber line or an inter-station transmission line is used as a block and the blocks are connected by an STM exchange module connecting mechanism having a cross-connest function. Are known.

Here, the exchange module is a small unit exchange by itself, but it is a small exchange that constitutes one exchange (building block type exchange) by stacking such exchange modules as blocks. This is because it is convenient because even when a large-scale switch is configured with the same architecture, the same switch module is used and only the required number is changed.

The STM in the coupling mechanism between the STM switching modules means the synchronous transfer mode, and is a term contrasting with the ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) that appears later.
It can be said that this inter-exchange module coupling mechanism is a transmission device having a cross-connect function of changing the path of an input path to a predetermined direction and outputting the same.

In such a building block type exchange, the control information transfer method between the exchange modules is a method in which an STM coupling mechanism is used to form an STM path for control information transfer in a mesh between the exchange modules. ,
There is a method of carrying out via an ATM coupling mechanism using the technology of ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode).

Here, the ATM technology is being developed as a communication system for integrally providing a wide variety of communications from low-speed data to high-speed moving image communications.
A fixed length of information called a cell is attached with a header indicating the destination and transferred.

[0007]

The above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following problems. First,
In the control information transfer method between the exchange modules, ST
The method of forming an STM path for transferring control information in a mesh between each exchange module using the M coupling mechanism has the following problems.

In order to span the mesh, each exchange module requires (the number of exchange modules in the exchange) × (the number of STM paths between one exchange module) STM paths,
In addition, the bandwidth required for transfer of control information between one switching module is smaller than the bandwidth of one STM path, so the usage rate of the STM path decreases, and the larger the number of switching modules in the switch, the more the effect. The problem is that the hardware and software become more complicated due to the increase in the number of I / O interfaces installed in each exchange module, and the exchange cost increases.

[0009] Further, in the method which is performed via the ATM coupling mechanism, each switching module needs to establish a wide band (about 156 Mb / s) line between the ATM coupling mechanisms, and the line is for transfer of control information. Therefore, when the bandwidth required for control information transfer is small, the usage rate of the line is reduced and the cost of the exchange is increased.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to prevent the hardware and software from becoming complicated and the cost of the exchange to increase even if the number of exchange modules in the exchange increases. Another object of the present invention is to provide an ATM control information transfer system in a building block type exchange without causing an increase in the exchange cost due to a low line utilization rate.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention takes the following means. That is, an ATM coupling mechanism having an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) function is provided, and when transferring control information between switching modules in a building block type switch, an STM path for transferring control information from each switching module is provided. Via the STM inter-switching module coupling mechanism and connected to the ATM coupling mechanism by utilizing the cross-connect function of the mechanism, and between the STM switching module coupling mechanisms and the ATM coupling mechanism, the switching modules are coupled to each other. The control information was transferred, and the capacity of the STM path was set to an integral multiple of the speed unit of the cross connect of the coupling mechanism between STM switching modules.

[0012]

By taking the above-mentioned means, each switching module can share control information transfer with other switching modules other than itself by N (one or more) STM paths. The bandwidth required for the amount of control information to be
The STM path can be set in units of 5 Mb / s × N.

This is because the required number of STM paths is smaller than that of the method in which the STM paths are stretched between meshes between the exchange modules or the method through the ATM coupling mechanism, and at the same time, it is possible to prevent the STM path usage rate from decreasing and There are advantages that the number of I / O interfaces installed in the exchange module can be reduced and the hardware can be simplified and the exchange cost can be reduced.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
In the figure, 1 and 11 are replacement modules,
2, 12 are switching units, 3, 13 are transmitting / receiving units, 4, 14 are internal buses, 5, 15 are path management units, 6 is a coupling mechanism between STM switching modules, 7
Is a communication path, 8 and 9 are control information paths, 10 is an ATM coupling mechanism, 16 is an ATM switch, and 17 is an ATM.
The coupling mechanism control unit 18 is an exchange.

That is, assuming that there are the exchange module 1 and the exchange module 11 which constitute the exchange 18, the embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking the control information transfer between the exchange modules as an example. The control information path 8 from the exchange module 1 is
It is connected to the ATM coupling mechanism 10 using the cross-connect function via the coupling mechanism 6 between STM exchange modules. The same applies to the exchange module 11.
If there are other exchange modules, they are similarly connected.

The operation will be described. (1) Main information (not control information) to be transferred between the exchange module 1 and the exchange module 11 is
Transfer from the exchange unit 2 to the exchange unit 12 via the internal bus 4, the transmission / reception unit 3, the STM communication path 7 (STM exchange module coupling mechanism 6), the transmission / reception unit 13, and the internal bus 14 (this is Since it is the transfer of main information, it is a matter not directly related to the present invention).

(2) The control information to be transferred between the exchange module 1 and the exchange module 11 is the exchange module 1
And the exchange module 11 are not negotiated, and the control path 8 set when the system is started up
And transferred via the control path 9.

(3) Each of the control path 8 and the control path 9 is an STM path, and control information addressed to a plurality of exchange modules flows through this path.

(4) The flow of control information from the exchange module 1 to the exchange module 11 is as follows.
To the ATM switch 16, the ATM coupling mechanism controller 17 and the ATM switch 16 connect to another control path 9 connected to the exchange module, and transfer to the transmitter / receiver 13.

(5) The control path 8 and the control path 9 can be set at 1.5 Mb / s × N depending on the amount of control information to be transferred (where N is an integer).

(6) The control path connection method described above can be applied not only to the exchange modules but also to modules (for example, trunk modules) that perform maintenance and operation of each exchange module. That is, the present invention can be applied not only to the exchange modules constituting one exchange, but also to the transfer of control information between the exchange modules constituting a certain exchange and the exchange modules constituting another exchange.

[0022]

As described above, the AT according to the present invention
According to the M control information transfer method, the following effects can be expected.

Since each switching module can share control information transfer with other switching modules by N (one or more) STM paths, the bandwidth required for the amount of control information to be transferred is 1.5 Mb. The STM path can be set in units of / s × N.

This is because the required number of STM paths is smaller than the method in which the STM paths are stretched between meshes between the exchange modules and the method through the ATM coupling mechanism, and at the same time, the STM path usage rate can be prevented from decreasing. By reducing the number of I / O interfaces installed in the exchange module, the hardware and software can be simplified and the exchange cost can be reduced.

In addition to this effect, the coupling mechanism between the STM switching modules and the ATM coupling mechanism are connected by a broadband line, and there are a plurality of STM paths therein. Therefore, a plurality of STM paths are provided between the switching modules. Even if there is
The order of ATM cells flowing in the STM path is guaranteed by concatenation (information in a plurality of STM paths does not flow at the same time, but information in each STM path continuously flows).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 11 ... Exchange module, 2, 12 ... Exchange section, 3, 1
3 ... Transceiver unit, 4, 14 ... Internal bus, 5, 15 ... Path management unit, 6 ... STM switching module coupling mechanism, 7 ... Speech path, 8, 9 ... Control information path, 10 ... ATM coupling mechanism, 16 ... ATM switch, 17 ... ATM coupling mechanism control unit, 18 ... Switch

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location H04Q 11/04 302 8843-5K 9076-5K H04Q 11/04 P

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A building block type exchange comprising a plurality of exchange modules for accommodating subscriber lines or inter-station transmission lines, etc., which are connected to each other by an STM inter-switch module connection mechanism, in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). In addition to providing an ATM coupling mechanism having the function of, the STM path for control information transfer from each switching module is coupled between the STM switching modules when transferring control information between switching modules in the building block type exchange. Via the mechanism, using the cross-connect function of the mechanism, connected to the ATM coupling mechanism in advance, and transferring the inter-exchange module control information via the STM switching module coupling mechanism and the ATM coupling mechanism. , The capacity of the STM path is the same as that of the coupling mechanism of the STM exchange module. A which is a integral multiple of the capacity of the connect speed unit
TM control information transfer method.