Buffer storage apparatus and data path concentrator incorporating this buffer storage apparatus

The data bandwidth of buffer storage apparatus comprising a set of buffers (A, B) is broadened by switching between the buffers when one of the buffers is empty and another one of the buffers has received a predetermined number of signals even though that data-receiving buffer is not yet full. With data transferred in blocks of data bytes, switching between buffers occurs on the address boundaries of the data blocks. Therefore, switching between buffers can occur at a plurality of points within the data-receiving one of the buffers. By using a plurality of such buffer storage apparatus to connect individual data burst units to a plural-port high-speed common unit, each data burst unit has greater access to the high speed common unit.