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Abstract

An ATM cell interface for dispatching an ATM cell comprising N input ports, where N.gtoreq.1 and is an integer. A table lookup mechanism directs a cell from an input port to any desired destination. The table lookup mechanism has entries which identify desired destination for corresponding cells. The number of possible entries in the table lookup mechanism is less than a total number of entries supported by the ATM cell header. The table lookup mechanism preferably includes a first table which produces a first signal based on the value of the VPI field and a second level table which produces a second signal based on the value of the VCI field. The first and second signals are used to route the cell from an input port to a desired destination. A method for dispatching an ATM cell comprising the steps of locating a table entry in a first level table corresponding to a value of a VPI field of the cell. Then there is the step of producing a first signal corresponding to the table entry. Next, there is the step of locating a connection entry in a second level table corresponding to a value of a VCI field of the cell and the first signal. Then there is the step of producing a second signal corresponding to the connection entry. Next there is the step of directing a cell to a desired destination corresponding to the second signal.

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First Claim