Inter-module communication capability for a future ATM switching system

The authors study the environmental conditions surrounding the next-generation switching systems and introduce a system configuration aimed at developing independent and distributed control using a self-routing switching network. An ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) switching network is used for intermodule communication. The intermodule cell has no header dedicated to intermodule communication; it is the same as the user-network cell and inter-network cell. The structure of intermodule communication software is based on the classification of intermodule messages. Intermodule messages are assigned priorities, and these priorities are used to control congestion. The operation status check is an easy and effective method for module fault processing