ATM device

Details ATM device ATM device

1998-03-19

2001-09-25

Cangialosi, Salvatore (Department: 2661)

Multiplex communications

Diagnostic testing

Determination of communication parameters

C370S252000, C370S395430

Reexamination Certificate

active

06295278

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) devices, and more particularly to an ATM device which serves as an ATM NE (Network Element) provided in a subscriber line which connects connecting an ATM switch and a subscriber home. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an ATM device which performs a PM (Performance Monitor) process, which is an OAM (Operation And Maintenance) function in the ATM layer.
Recently, a communication device that utilizes the ATM technique has been required to efficiently perform the OAM process in the ATM layer necessary for the operation and maintenance of an ATM network in order to meet various services.
In order to realize the efficiency of the OAM process in the ATM layer, it is required to provide an ATM device capable of efficiently performing the performance monitor process in the ATM layer and consuming a reduced amount of power.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional ATM device employs a structure as shown in
FIG. 1
in order to perform the performance monitor process which is the OAM function in the ATM layer.
In the performance monitor process that is the OAM function in the ATM layer, an activation cell is defined that includes an activate cell (hereinafter also referred to Act cell), an activate confirmed cell (hereinafter also referred to as ActConf cell), and activate request denied cell (hereinafter also referred to ActDenied cell). The Act cell requests to start to execute the performance monitor process for performance test. The ActConf cell permits starting to execute the performance monitor process. The ActDenied cell denies starting to execute the performance monitor process. Also, a deactivation cell is defined which includes a deactivate cell (hereinafter also referred to as Deact cell), a deactivate confirmed cell (hereinafter also referred to as DeactConf cell), and a deactivate request denied cell (hereinafter also referred to as DeactDenied cell). The deactivate cell terminates the performance monitor process that is in progress. The deactivate confirmed cell permits terminating the performance test which is in progress. The deactivate request denied cell rejects termination of the performance test which is in progress.
The ATM device shown in
FIG. 1
includes an ACT/DACT cell extractor
301
, a cell information notification register
302
, a CPU
303
, a cell output specification register
304
, an ACT/DACT cell inserter
305
. The ACT/DACT cell extractor
301
extracts the activation cell and deactivation cell on the ATM network. The cell information notification register
302
temporarily stores the information of the cells extracted by the cell extractor
301
in order to notify the CPU
303
of the information. The CPU
303
controls the start and termination of the performance monitor process on the basis of the information from the register
302
. The cell output specification register
304
stores the activation cell and the deactivation cell to be output under the control of the CPU
303
. The ACT/DACT cell inserter
305
inserts, into the ATM network, the activation cell and the deactivation cell specified in the cell output specification register
304
.
The CPU
303
is notified, via the register
302
, of the cell information concerning the activation cell and the deactivation cell extracted by the ACT/DACT cell extractor
301
, namely, cell information concerning the activate cell, activate confirmed cell, activate request denied cell, deactivate cell, deactivate confirmed cell and deactivate request denied cell.
The CPU
303
analyzes the received cell information, and controls the start and termination of the performance monitor process and a response to a request issued from a remote terminal.
More particularly, if the ACT/DACT cell extractor
301
extracts the activate cell, the CPU
303
determines whether the performance monitor process should be started in a channel specified by the information provided in the activate cell.
When it is determined that the performance monitor process should be started, the CPU
303
instructs the cell output specification register
304
to output the activate confirmed cell. The ACT/DACT cell inserter
305
sends the specified activate confirmed cell to the ATM network. When it is determined that execution of the performance monitor process should be rejected, the CPU
303
instructs the cell output specification register
304
to output the activate request denied cell. The ACT/DACT cell inserter
305
sends the specified activate request denied cell to the ATM network.
If the ACT/DACT cell extractor
301
extracts the deactivate cell, the CPU
303
determines whether the performance monitor process which is now in progress should be terminated in a channel specified by the information in the deactivate cell.
When the performance monitor process is allowed to be terminated, the CPU
303
instructs the cell output specification register
304
to output the deactivate confirmed cell. The ACT/DACT cell inserter
305
sends the specified deactivate confirmed cell to the ATM network. When termination of the performance monitor process is rejected, the CPU
303
instructs the cell output specification register
304
to output the deactivate request denied cell. The ACT/DACT cell inserter
305
sends the specified deactivate request denied cell to the ATM network.
When the own device sends the activate cell to the ATM network, the CPU
303
determines whether the ACT/DACT cell extractor
301
extracts the activate confirmed cell or activate request denied cell. When the activate request denied cell is extracted, the CPU
303
starts the performance monitor process from the own device. When the activate request denied cell is extracted, the CPU
303
cannot start the performance monitor process from the own device.
When the own device sends the deactivate cell to the ATM network, the CPU
303
determines whether the ACT/DACT cell extractor
301
extracts the deactivate confirmed cell or the deactivate request denied cell. When the deactivate confirmed cell is extracted, the CPU
303
terminals the performance monitor process which is in progress. When the deactivate request denied cell is extracted, the CPU
303
cannot terminate the performance monitor process that is in progress.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, the cell information notification register
302
of the conventional ATM device includes a memory
311
from which an interrupt request is applied to the CPU
303
when the memory
311
receives the cell information concerning the activate cell, activate confirmed cell, activate request denied cell, deactivate cell, deactivate confirmed cell and deactivate request denied cell.
However, in the conventional ATM device, the CPU is informed of all the activation cell and the deactivation cell in the performance monitor process of the ATM layer. Hence, the CPU analyzes all the activation cell and the deactivation cell, and determines, for each VP/VC channel, whether the performance monitor process should be started or terminated. Further, the CPU controls a response to each of all requests from other devices.
In practice, there is no need to process all the activation and deactivation cells extracted by the CPU, as will be described in detail later.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an ATM device in which the above disadvantages are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an ATM device capable of processing activation and deactivation cells which are really required to be processed by a CPU or the like.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by an ATM device comprising: an extractor which extracts a cell related to a performance monitor process for an ATM layer; a processing unit executing the performance monitor process; a memory which stores information concerning the performance monitor process; and a decision making unit which compares the information stored in the

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