ATM switch system capable of preventing ATM cells with synchronization loss from being applied to a switch block thereof

摘要

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch system having a switch for exchanging an ATM cell between one of the inputs thereto and one of the outputs therefrom, comprises a plurality of linking blocks, an administrating block and a processor. Each of the linking blocks is coupled with the switch and applies the ATM cell to selected one of the inputs to the switch and checks whether or not the ATM cell is synchronized with a cell synchronization signal and activates a synchronization loss (SL) signal when the ATM cell is not synchronized with the cell synchronization signal. The administrating block is coupled with each of the linking blocks for checking whether or not the SL signal for each of the linking blocks is activated for a predetermined number of successive ATM cells and for isolating a selected one of the linking blocks, at which the SL signal is activated for the predetermined number of successive ATM cells, from the switch, wherein the isolated linking block stops applying the ATM cells to the switch. And the processor is coupled with the switch and the administrating block for controlling the switch to receive the ATM cells from a substitution linking block from the remaining linking blocks when the selected linking block is isolated.