Architecture for a modular communications switching system
 An architecture for a modular communications system is disclosed. The modular communications system comprises at least one control module; a plurality of resource modules for receipt of external payload data provided to said system or for manipulation of the payload data; a plurality of resource module links, one link connecting each resource module to the control module and each resource module. The control module comprises a switch for switching payload data between the plurality of resource modules; and a bandwidth allocator comprising a bandwidth selector and a distributor each connected to the switch and to the resource module links. The bandwidth selector allows the selection of the bandwidth of payload data passed from any of the resource modules to the time switch. Similarly, the bandwidth distributor allows for the selection of the bandwidth of payload data switched through the switch and provided to any of the resource modules from the control module. Preferably, all the resource module links are electrically isolated from each other. The architecture provides for the modular assembly of a telecommunications offering varied capacities, redundancies and services. 
Nortel Networks Corporation
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inventional inventional inventional
Edmund Bruce I. Harold J. Anatoly
Wong Barkhouse Snow Tarsky