VERMITTLUNGSSYSTEM UND VERFAHREN MIT NIEDRIGERER UND DETERMINISTISCHEN VERZÖGERUNG

A system and method of switching information in a time division multiplexed (TDM) communications network are described. The TDM time slots correspond to channels of circuit information. A circuit interface receives information from the TDM communication network, extracts circuit data therefrom, and provides the extracted circuit data on an internal bus. It also receives circuit data from an internal bus and transmits the data received from the internal bus on to the TDM communications network. A switching fabric receives packets having a header and a payload in which the header includes information identifying a destination for the packet and in which the fabric transmits a received packet in accordance with the destination identification in the packet header. Adaptation logic, in response to the circuit interface, packs information from multiple circuits into a payload of a packet and schedules the delivery of such a packet to the fabric. The adaptation logic receives packets from the switching fabric; and merges circuit data from multiple packets onto an identified channel.