Integrated data link control with dynamic hyperchannel mapping

An improved data link control device for use in high speed data communication applications, for instance primary rate ISDN applications, includes facilities for dynamic HyperChannel mapping. In such mapping, plural communication channels which ordinarily could be used for separate communication applications are associated as a HyperChannel group, and data communication is carried out concurrently over all channels of the group so as to advantageously utilise the aggregate bandwidth of the group. The present mapping facilities comprise means for designating one channel in each mapped group as a reference channel for the group, means for associating all other channels in the group to the respective reference channel, means for storing control information relative to the respective reference channel, and means responsive to the control information for conducting a data communication operation through all of the grouped channels including the reference channel as if all of said channels constituted a single extended channel having a bandwidth equal to that of the reference channel multiplied by the number of channels in the group.