MXPA98008306A - Segmentation and re-assembly of minice - Google Patents

Abstract

In a telecommunication system using an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) with the protocol (AALM) of the ATM adaptation layer as a data transfer infrastructure, a method and apparatus for segmenting and reassembling the user's data packets . The method and apparatus improve the quality and efficiency of the telecommunication data transfer, avoiding the problems associated with excessively long minicells.

Description

"SEGMENTATION AND RE-ASSEMBLY OF MINICELDA" BACKGROUND The present invention relates to the transmission of telecommunications data, and more particularly, to the transmission of telecommunication data using an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) protocol. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for segmenting data transmission packets into smaller packets in order to improve the efficiency of data transmission. The ATM is a normal protocol for transmitting telecommunication data within a telecommunication system (e.g., a cellular telecommunication system). It is based on the transmission of the data in cells of fixed size, known as the ATM cells, where each ATM cell has a cost-effective load of 48 octets and a header of five octets. ATM is well known in the art and is commonly used for low bit rate applications (e.g., cellular voice communication). However, the ATM does not efficiently use the bandwidth in low bit rate applications.

Bandwidth is very expensive; therefore, it is very important to maximize bandwidth utilization when the ATM is used for low bit rate communication, bandwidth utilization can be improved by incorporating an ATM adaptation layer (AALm) 100 as illustrated in Figure 1. In general, the AALm is based on the compression of the user data (eg, voice data) in small data packets called mini-cells. The AALm can be subdivided into three sublayers: the convergence slabs 101, the sub-layer 102 of assembling and disassembling (AAD), and the sub-layer 103 of multiplexing and demultiplexing (MAD). Convergence sublayer 101 serves as an interface between the telecommunications application (i.e., the cellular telephone system) and the ADD sublayer 102. The AAD sublayer 102 inserts the user data into the mini cells in the sending entity (eg, a base station of the cellular telecommunication system) and extracts the user data from the mini cells in the receiving entity (eg a switching center). mobile of the cellular telecommunication system). The MAD sublayer 103 multiplexes the mini cells in ATM cells in the sending entity and demultiplexes the mini cells in the receiving entity. Figure 2 illustrates the manner in which the known methods, using the AALm 100, inserts each packet of the user data (e.g., user package 201) into a single mini-cell (e.g., mini-cell 202). In other words, there is a one-to-one relationship between each packet of the user's data and each mini-cell. Consequently, the length of each mini-cell can vary just a few octets to several hundred octets, depending on the length of the corresponding user's packet. In fact, a mini-cell can be longer than even several ATM cells (e.g., mini-cell 203). Even when the use of ATM with AALm achieves better utilization of bandwidth than ATM without AALm, other problems arise due to excessively long minicells, for example, mini-cells with a portion of data that is longer than a predefined length (eg The delay variation refers to the variation in the data transmission and the time of arrival, the variation of delay typically manifests itself as a "fluctuation" in the telecommunication signal. To avoid fluctuation, a system must add a delay variation factor to the fixed delay, resulting in greater total transmission times, although the addition of a delay variation factor to a fixed delay reduces jitter, delays large ones require the use of expensive echo cancellers, and also result in a total reduction in speech quality. Low bitrate settings, such as voice communication, are highly dependent on consistent data transmission delays (ie, small delay variations); therefore, low-bit rate applications are particularly susceptible to degenerative effects, mentioned above, caused by the transmission of user data in excessively large minicells. The second problem involving the use of large minicells arises when the telecommunication network or the final equipment switches the minicells from one ATM current to another. If the mini-cell user's package is shorter than or equal to the cost effective ATM cell load, there is little problem with placing a mini cell in an ATM cell on the switch's entrance edge by switching the mini cell in a desired address, extracting the mini-cell at the entrance edge, and multiplexing the mini-cell towards a new ATM current. Abbreviating, excessively long minicells, particularly minicells with portions of data that are longer than the cost-effective load of the ATM cell, can degrade both the quality of the voice and the efficiency of the network switching equipment, creating this way a need to limit large mini-cells by segmenting the user's data packets.

COMPENDIUM An object of the present invention is to provide a telecommunication data transfer protocol that effectively utilizes the available bandwidth. Still another object of the invention is to provide a telecommunication data transfer protocol that effectively utilizes the available bandwidth and reduces speech quality problems and associated with the transfer of telecommunication data through excessively large mini-cams. . Still another object of the invention is to provide a telecommunication data transfer protocol that effectively utilizes the available bandwidth and avoids the problems associated with the switching of excessively large mini-cells from one ATM stream to another. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned objects and other objects are achieved by a method, apparatus or telecommunications system for generating data cells which includes segmenting a data packet into at least two segments; insert each of at least two segments in the respective mini cells; and multiplexing the respective mini-cells into at least one data cell. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a telecommunication method, apparatus or system for transporting a data packet that includes segmentation of the data packet into at least two segments; insert at least two segments towards the respective minicells; multiplexing the respective mini-cells into at least one data cell; and transmitting at least one data cell from a sending entity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reading the following detailed description together with the drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a known AALm protocol model; Figure 2 shows a known method for inserting the user's data packets in the mini-cells; Figure 3 illustrates the AALm protocol model in the new segmentation and reassembly sublayer; Figures 4a and 4b show the method for inserting the user data packets in the minicells in accordance with the new segmentation and reassembly sublayer; Figure 5 illustrates the segmentation process according to the "three codes method"; Figure 6 shows a current state diagram representing the reassembly process in accordance with the "three code method"; Figure 7 illustrates the codes of the minicell header in accordance with the "three-code method". Figure 8 illustrates the segmentation process in accordance with the "three code method"; Figure 9 shows a current state diagram representing the reassembly process in accordance with the "three code method"; Figure 10 illustrates the codes of the header of the mini-cell according to "three-code method"; Figure 11 illustrates an apparatus for segmenting the user data packets and assembling the mini cells; Figure 12 illustrates an apparatus for disassembling the minicells and reassembling the user's packages.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention segments excessively long user data packets and inserts each segment into a small mini cell. In contrast, the known methods transmit the entire user data packet in a long mini-cell. Segmenting and transmitting a user data packet in smaller mini-cams can reduce or eliminate the problems associated with long minicells such as degradation of speech quality, and the inefficiency of the network switching equipment. The present invention accomplishes this by introducing a new functional sublayer for the AALm protocol model. Figure 3 illustrates the AALm 300 with the new functional sublayer 301. The new functional sub-layer 301 is called the segmentation and reassembly sub-layer (SAR). The SAR sublayer 301 is invoked if the user data packet is so long that segmentation is necessary to avoid sending the user data to a receiving entity in a mini cell whose length, excluding the header, exceeds a predefined maximum length ( eg, the cost-effective ATM charge length). Figure 4a shows a sending entity 401 (e.g., a cellular telecommunication base station), an interconnect link 402, and a receiving entity 403 (e.g., a mobile switching center). The sending entity 401 and the receiving entity 403 both may contain the new protocol model illustrated in Figure 3. More specifically, the sending entity 401 contains the segmentation part of the SAR sublayer 301 and the receiving entity 403 contains the reassembly part of the SAR sublayer 301. The interconnect link 402 carries the ATM cells from the sending entity 401 to the receiving entity 403, and the ATM cells, in turn, carry the segmented user data (e.g., voice communication signals) in the mini cells. Figure 4b illustrates the manner in which the new AALm protocol model of the present invention takes each packet from the long user, (eg, user package 410), segments it, and places it in a number of small minicells, such like mini-cells 411, 412 and 413. Unlike the known ATM protocol model (refer to Figure 2), there is no longer a one-to-one relationship between each user data package and each mini-cell. In addition, Figure 4b illustrates that a single mini-cell can overlap no more than one edge of the ATM cell compared to the known protocol model illustrated in Figure 2. This is because the length of each mini-cell, as discussed in FIG. in the foregoing, it is limited, for example, to a length that is less than the cost-effective load of the ATM cell (i.e., 48 octets). There are two basic approaches to achieving segmentation and reassembly in accordance with the invention. None of these approaches is intended to suggest that the present invention is limited to these two approaches. Instead, the two approaches are considered to reflect two specific embodiments of the invention. The first approach or modality is called "three codes method". The second approach or modality is called the "two-code method". In general, both modalities employ the same basic segmentation strategy. A user package is divided into several segments. All except the last segment has a fixed and equal length. The length of the last segment is adjusted so that all segments together are of the same length as the original user's package. The segments are then placed on profitable mini-cell charges. Consequently, the length of each payload of the mini-cell is the same as the length of each corresponding user packet segment.

Figure 5 shows the segmentation process 500 for the "three code method" or modality that is achieved by the sending entity 401 before transporting the data to a receiving entity 403. For example, suppose that a 501 packet of the user has a length of 178 octets. The size of the fixed segment, for illustrative purposes, is adjusted to 16 octets. Those skilled in the art will appreciate, however, the size of the fixed segment can be graduated to any desired size. Therefore, 11 minicells with cost-effective charges that are 16 octets long (eg, 502 and 503 mini-cells) and a mini-cell with a cost-effective charge that is two octets long (eg, the 504 mini-cell) will carry the packet 501 of the segmented user from the sending entity 401 to the receiving entity 403. In sending entity 401, SAR sublayer 301 invokes sub-layer 302 of AAD. AAD sublayer 302 sets a mini-cell header in each mini-cell (e.g., 505, 506, and 507 mini-cell headers). The headings of the mini-cell define, among other things, the length of the corresponding profitable load and whether the mini-cell corresponds to a "first segment" 502, an "intermediate segment" 503, or a "last segment" 504. In the entity 403, sub-layer 302 of AAD extracts the headings of the mini-cell, which inform sub-layer 302 of ADD if the mini-cell corresponds to a "first segment", "intermediate segment", or a "last segment". The AAD sublayer 302 continues to pass the segments to the SAR sublayer 301 which reassembles the segments, one by one, back to the original data packet. After the SAR sublayer 301 adds the "last segment" of the data packet, it passes the assembly data packet to the convergence layer 304. If the length of the data packet is so short that "intermediate segments" are not required, the three-code mode will segment the data packet into a "first segment" and a "last segment" only. If the data package is so short that it can be adjusted in a single mini-cell, segmentation is not necessary. In this case, the sending entity 401 will send the data packet to the receiving entity 403, in a single mini-cell marked "last segment". Figure 6 shows a current state diagram representing the reassembly process 600 for the three code mode. The current state diagram comprises three current states: an inactive state 601, a reassembly state 602 and an abort state 603. At the beginning 620 or energization the reassembly process 600 supports the inactive state 601. The inactive state 601 only indicates that no reassembly is currently taking place. Under normal procedures, the reassembly process 600 supports the reassembly state 602 when the receiving entity 403 receives a mini-cell marked "first segment", as illustrated by the event 604. The SAR sub-layer 301 then stores the user data associated with it. the "first segment". The reassembly process 600 remains in the reassembly state 602 while the receiving entity 403 receives all the "intermediate segments", as illustrated by the event 605. As each "intermediate segment" arrives, the SAR sublayer 301 reassembles the data packet by adding the user data associated with these intermediate segments, in order, to the user data associated with the "first segment". When the receiving entity 403 receives the "last segment", as illustrated by the event 606, the SAR sublayer 301 adds the user data corresponding to the previously stored user data, and then presents the user data packet 501 completely reassembling the next sublayer, for example, the convergence sub-layer 304. The reassembly process 600 can then support the inactive state 601, as illustrated by the event 607.

When the entire data packet can be contained in a single mini cell, there is no need to invoke the SAR sublayer 301 as mentioned above. Therefore, no reassembly will take place at the receiving entity 403. To complete, Figure 6 indicates that the reception of a "last segment" while in the inactive state 601, causes the reassembly process 600 to support the reassembly state 602 as illustrated by event 613. The sub-layer 302 of AAD extracts the user data from the mini-cell and presents it directly to the sub-layer above the SAR sub-layer 301, for example, the convergence sub-layer 304. After which, the re-assembly process 600 again admits the inactive state 601. The re-assemble process 600 will admit the state 603 to abort, if you find one or more specific errors. For example, in another embodiment of the invention, a threshold can be defined indicating the maximum length of a data packet. If the SAR sublayer 301, in the reassembly of the data packet exceeds this maximum length, the reassembly process 600 will admit the abort condition 603 to clear the error as illustrated by event 608. After this, the reassembly process 600 re-admits inactive state 601 as illustrated by event 609.

In still another embodiment of the invention, a timeout value could be defined. If in the reassembly of a data packet, the SAR sublayer 301 exceeds this time expiration value, the reassembly process 600 will admit the abort condition 603 to clear the error as illustrated by the event 610. After this, the process of reassembling 600 again admits the inactive state 601 as illustrated by the event 609. If the receiving entity receives a marked mini cell, "intermediate segment" while the reassembly process 600 is in the inactive state 601, the process of reassemble 600 would detect an error and would admit abort condition 603 to clear the error as illustrated by event 611. After which, the reassembly process 600 again admits the inactive state 601 as illustrated by event 609. , if the receiving entity 403 receives a mini-cell marked "first segment" while it is in the reassembly state 602, the reassembly process 600 would detect an error and admit the abort state 603 to clear the error as illustrated by event 612. After which, the process of reassembling 600 again admits the inactive state 601 as illustrated by event 609.

Figures 7a, 7b and 7c show how the headings of the mini-cell can be configured to identify whether the corresponding mini-cell is associated with "first segment", an "intermediate segment", and / or a "last segment", as well as the length of the corresponding segment. For example, Figure 7a illustrates that the four codes 48, 49, 50 and 51 identify the mini-cell 701 as corresponding to a "first segment" having a length of 8, 16, 32 or 48 octets, respectively. Similarly, Figure 7b illustrates that the four codes 52, 53, 54 and 55 identify the mini-cell 702 as corresponding to an "intermediate segment" having a length of 8, 16, 32 or 48 octets respectively. Figure 7c illustrates that codes 0 to 47 identify mini-cell 703 as corresponding to a "last segment" having a length of 1 to 48 octets, respectively. The specific codes in Figures 7a, 7b and 7c are illustrative. A person skilled in the art will understand that other codes could be used that carry out this function and that a greater or lesser number of codes could be assigned, if desired. However, the specific code values must be predefined in both the sending entity 401 and the receiving entity 403. This coding strategy allows the SAR sublayer 301 to segment the user data packet as necessary. For example, in still another embodiment of the invention, the length of the segment may still vary for segments corresponding to the same data packet of the user. As illustrated in Figure 5, the SAR sublayer 301 could segment the user packet 501 into eleven equal segments having a length of 16 octets and a segment with a length of 2 octets. However, the SAR sublayer 301 could also segment the user packet into a "first segment" that has a length of eight octets, three "intermediate segments" that have a length of 16 octets, an "intermediate segment" that has a length of 48 octets, an "intermediate segment" that has a length of 32 octets, and a "last segment" that has a length of two octets for a total length of 178 octets. Figures 7a, 7b and 7c illustrate that the headings of the mini-cell also contain other information. The headings of the mmicelda usually include a mini-cell connection identifier (CID). The CID separates the mini-cell connections from each other and allows a number of mini-cell connections to be multiplexed to the same ATM connection. For example, The CID can identify a specific cell phone call; therefore, the data packets corresponding to that call would be carried in mini-cages - II each having a header that contained the same CID value. Then it follows that each mini-cell that corresponds to the same segmented data packet would contain an identical CID value. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the length codes, for example 48 to 51 as illustrated in Figure 7a, could be defined for each CID value. Therefore, each CID value could have its own set of fixed length codes defined during the establishment of the connection. The mini-cell headers also contain a header integrity checking code (HIC) This code is used to protect the header information by detecting and correcting errors that may occur during the transmission of the mini-cell from the sending entity 401 to the receiving entity 403. Both CID and HIC codes are well known in the art. As discussed above, the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is called the "two-code method". Figure 8 shows the segmentation process 800 for the "two code method" or modality that is achieved by the sending entity 401 before transporting the data to the receiving entity 403. Most of the respects, the SAR sublayer 301 segment the user data packet 801 in the same way it would raise in the three code mode, with the exception that for example a combined code is used for both the "first segment" and all the "intermediate segments" as illustrated through headings 802 and 803 of the mini-cell. For example, suppose that the 801 packet of the segmented user has a length of 178 octets. Again, the size of the fixed segment, for illustration, is graduated to 16 octets. Therefore, 11 minicells with cost-effective charges that are 16 octets in length (eg, mini-cells 804 and 805) and a mini-cell with a cost-effective charge that is two octets in length (eg, mini-cell 806) will carry the 801 packet of the user from the sending entity 401 to the receiving entity 403. Figure 9 illustrates a current state diagram representing the reassembly process 900 for the two code mode. Like the current state diagram 600 in Figure 6, the current state diagram in Figure 9 comprises three states: an inactive state 901, a state 902 of reassembling, and an abort state 903. Since each of the events illustrated in Figure 9 are the same as those marked similarly to the events described with respect to Figure 6, this description is not repeated here. However, note that Figure 9 also illustrates that events 611 and 612 that caused error detections in the 600 reassembly process do not apply in the two code mode. Figures 10a and 10b illustrate an example of a coding project for the two code mode. Figure 10a specifically shows that fewer codes are required in the mini-cell header since there is no need to distinguish between a "first segment" and an "intermediate segment". Figure 11 illustrates an exemplary hardware mode 1100 for implementing the segmentation and assembly of telecommunication signals using the AALm 300 described above. The AALm 300 first provides a packet 1101 of the user from the highest sublayer (i.e., the convergence sublayer 304) to the SAR sublayer 301. Fixed to the user pack 1101 is an indicator 1102 indicating the connection of both CID and ATM cell. A FIFO-IN 1103 stores and determines the length of the user's pack 1101. Then, a multiplexer (MUX-IN) 1104 extracts the indicator 1102 from the user's pack 1101 and sends a control signal 1105, representing the information contained in the indicator 1102, to the logic logic circuit 1106. The control logic circuit 1106 uses this control signal to select a specific address 1107 in a connection box 1108. The connection table 1108 contains pre-loaded rules for segmenting the user's pack 1101 as well as the information necessary to construct mini-header headers for each segment of the user's 1101 packet. The preload rules, they can, for example, define the number of specific segments into which the user pack 1101 can be divided, given the length of the user's pack 1101, as well as the length of each individual segment. In addition, each mini-cell connection corresponds to a different address in the connection box 1108. The MUX-IN 1104 calculates the actual size of each segment in accordance with the length of the user pack 1101 (provided by FIFO-IN 1103) and the pre-loaded rules stored at address 1107 in the connection box 1107. In order to assemble each mini-cell, the logic control circuit 1106 picks up the ATM connection and the address information of the mini-cell of the address 1107 in the connection frame 1108. The logic control circuit 1106 sends this information to a multiplexer (N-MUX-OUT) 1109, which generates the minicells by setting the header information of the mini-cell to the corresponding segments of the user's 1101 packet provided by FIFO-IN 1103. The MUX-OUT 1109 also sets the appropriate ATM connection information to each mini-cell as illustrated by the ATM 1110 indiador. The SAR sublayer 301 stores the minicells in a FIFO-OUT 1111 before directing them to the sub-layer 302 of MAD. In another embodiment of the present invention, the SAR sublayer 301 could employ a plurality of FIFO-IN devices to segment several user packets, in parallel. In addition, the FIFO-IN 1103 could be co-located in the same position as the connection box 1108. Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary hardware embodiment 1200 for implementing the disassembly of the mini-cells and the reassembly of the user's packets at the receiving entity 403, using the ALALm 300 described above. The process begins when the sub-layer 302 of MAD in the receiving entity 403 stores a mini-cell 1201, with a corresponding ATM indicator 1202 in a FIFO-IN 1203. The ATM indicator 1202 indicates the ATM cell from which the mini-cell was demultiplexed. The logic control circuit 1204 then extracts the ATM indicator 1202 and the mini-cell header using a MUX-IN 1205. The information on the mini-cell header contains a code as explained above, which identifies each mini-cell associated with it. with a "first", "intermediate", or "last segment" (depending on whether you are using a three-code mode or a two-code mode). This, in turn, indicates, for example, if a new reassembly process is going to start, if a re-assembly process is going on or if the reassembly process is complete. If the mini-cell heading indicates that a new reassembly process is being initiated, the logic logic circuit 1204 picks up an indicator 1206 from the connection frame 1207 and places the same in FIFO-OUT 1208, together with the data segment associated with the first mini-cell The location (i.e., the address) of the indicator 1206 is defined by the ATM indicator 1202 together with CID in the header of the mini-cell. Once the indicator 1206 and the first segment are stored in FIFO-OUT 1208, all subsequent data segments of the consecutive mini-cells belonging to the same connection as the mini-cell (ie having the same CID value) are transmit to FIFO-OUT 1208 using the MUX-IN 1205 and a MUX-OUT 1209. When the "last segment" arrives, the SAR sublayer 301 directs the user packet 1210 completely reassembled, to the next sublayer, eg, the sublayer 304 of convergence. As above, the SAR sublayer 301 could employ a plurality of FIFO-OUT devices to reassemble, in parallel, the mini-cells of a plurality of mini-cell connections. In addition, the FIFO-OUT device 1209 could be co-located in the same position as the connection box 1204. The present invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments. Nevertheless, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that it is possible to encompass the invention in specific forms other than those of the exemplary embodiments described above. This can be done without deviating from the spirit of the invention. These exemplary modalities are illustrative only and should not be considered restrictive in any way. The scope of the invention is provided by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description and all variations of equivalents that fall within the scale of the claims are intended to be encompassed herein.

Claims (45)

CLAIMS:

1. In a telecommunications system, a method for generating data cells comprising the steps of: segmenting the data packet into at least two segments; insert each of at least the two segments in the respective minicells; and multiplexing the respective minicells in at least one data cell.

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of segmenting a data packet further comprises the step of: segmenting the data packet and the data packet is longer than a predefined length.

The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined length is the same length as the cost effective load portion of at least one data cell.

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inserting each of the last two segments into the respective minicells further comprises the step of: attaching a code to each of at least the last two segments.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the code appended to each of the last two segments defines a length and a segment type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from the group of segment types that includes the type of the first segment, a type of the second segment and a type of the last segment.

The method of claim 4, wherein the code appended to each of at least two segments defines a length and a segment type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of types segment that includes a type of a first segment and a type of the last segment.

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one data cell is an asynchronous transfer mode cell.

8. In a telecommunications system, a method for transporting a data packet comprising the steps of: segmenting the data packet into at least two segments; insert at least two segments in the respective minicells; multiplexing the respective minicells in at least one data cell; and transmitting at least one data cell from a sending entity.

The method of claim 8, wherein the step of segmenting the data packet further comprises the step of: segmenting the data into at least two segments if the data packet is longer than a predefined length.

The method of claim 9, wherein the predefined length is the same length of a portion of the cost-effective load of at least one data cell.

The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of: receiving at least one data cell in a receiving entity; extracting each of the respective minicells from at least one data cell; extract at least two segments of the respective minicells; and reassembling the data pack by combining at least two extracted segments.

The method of claim 11, wherein the step of reassembling the data packet further comprises the steps of: storing a set of predefined reassembly rules; and recombining at least two segments in accordance with the set of predefined reassembly rules, wherein the step of recombining the last two signals continues until the last of at least two segments has recombined.

The method of claim 11, wherein the step of inserting at least two segments into the respective minicells further comprises the step of: attaching a code to each of at least two segments.

The method of claim 13, wherein the code that has been appended to each of the last segments defines a length and a segment type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from the type group segment that includes a type of the first segment, a type of the second segment and a type of the last segment.

The method of claim 13, wherein the code appended to each of at least two segments defines a length of a segment type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of types segment that includes a type of the first segment and a type of the last segment.

16. An apparatus for generating data cells comprising: means for segmenting a data packet into at least two segments; means for inserting each of the last two segments in the respective mini-cells; and means for multiplexing the respective minicells in at least one data cell.

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for segmenting a data packet further comprises: means for segmenting the data packet into at least two segments if the data packet is longer than a predefined length.

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the predefined length is the same length as the cost effective loading portion of at least one data cell.

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for inserting each of at least two segments into the respective minicells further comprises: means for attaching a code to each of at least two segments.

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for attaching a code to each of at least two segments further comprises: a means for attaching a code defining a length and a segment type for the corresponding segment, in where the segment type is selected from a group of segment type that includes a type of the first segment, a type of the second segment and at least one type of the last segment.

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for attaching a code in each of at least two segments further comprises: means for attaching a code defining a length of a segment type for the corresponding segment, in where the segment type is selected from a group of segment types that includes a type of the first segment and a type of the last segment.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one data cell is an asynchronous transfer mode cell.

23. An apparatus for transporting a data packet comprising: means for segmenting the data packet into at least two segments; means for inserting at least two segments into the respective minicells; means for multiplexing the respective minicells in at least one data cell; and means for transmitting at least one data cell from a sending entity.

The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for segmenting the data packet into at least two segments further comprises: means for segmenting the data packet into at least two segments if the data packet is longer that of a defined length.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the predefined longevity is the same length as the cost effective load portion of at least one data cell.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising: means for receiving at least one data cell in a receiving entity; means for demultiplexing each of the respective minicells of at least one data cell; means for extracting at least two segments from their respective minicells; and means for reassembling the data pack by combining at least two extracted segments.

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the means for reassembling the data packet by combining at least two extracted segments comprises: means for storing a set of predefined reassembly rules; a multiplexer means for recombining at least two segments in accordance with the set of predefined reassembly rules until the last segment is recombined.

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein a means for inserting at least two segments into the respective mini-cells further comprises: means for attaching a code to each of at least two segments.

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the code defines a length of a segment type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of segment type that includes a type of the first segment, a type of a second segment and a type of the last segment.

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the code defines a segment length and type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of segment type that includes a type of the first segment and a type of the last segment.

31. A telecommunication system for generating data cells comprising: a logic control circuit for segmenting a data packet into at least two segments; a first multiplexer for inserting each of at least two segments into the respective mini-cells; and a second multiplexer for inserting the respective minicells into at least one data cell.

32. The telecommunications system of claim 31, wherein the control logic circuit segments the data packet if the length of the data packet is longer than a predefined length.

33. The telecommunications system of claim 32, wherein the predefined length is the same length as the cost-effective load portion of at least one data cell.

34. The telecommunications system of claim 31 further comprising: a connection box storing at least two codes, wherein the first multiplexer append at least two codes to at least two segments, respectively.

35. The telecommunications system of claim 34, wherein each of the last two codes defines a segment length and type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of segment type that it includes a type of the first segment, a type of the second segment and a type of the last segment.

36. The telecommunications system of claim 34, wherein each of at least two codes defines a segment length and type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of segment type. which includes a type of a first segment and a type of the last segment.

37. The telecommunications system of claim 31, wherein at least one data cell is an asynchronous transfer mode cell.

38. A telecommunications system for transporting a data packet comprises: a logic control circuit for segmenting a data packet into at least two segments; a first multiplexer for inserting each of at least the two segments into the respective mini-cells; and a second multiplexer for inserting the respective minicells in at least one data cell; and a transmitter for transmitting at least one data cell from a sending entity.

39. The telecommunications system of claim 38, wherein the control logic circuit segments the data packet into at least two segments and the data packet is longer than a predefined length.

40. The telecommunications system of claim 39, wherein the predefined length is the same length as the cost-effective payment portion of at least one data cell.

41. The telecommunications system of claim 38, further comprising: a first data buffer to receive at least one data cell in the receiving entity; a demultiplexer for extracting each of the respective cells from at least one data cell; a second demultiplexer for extracting at least two segments from their respective minicells; and a second logic control circuit for controlling the reassembly of the data pack by recombining at least two extracted segments.

42. The telecommunications system of claim 41 further comprising: a connection box for storing a set of predefined reassembly rules, wherein the second logic control circuit recombines at least two segments in accordance with the set of rules of Reassemble predefined until the last segment is collected.

43. The telecommunications system of claim 41, wherein the first multiplexer append a code to each of at least two segments.

44. The telecommunications system of claim 43, wherein each of at least two codes defines a segment length and type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of segment type. which includes a type of first segment, a type of second segment and a type of the last segment.

45. The telecommunication system of claim 43, wherein each of at least two codes defines a segment length and type for the corresponding segment, and wherein the segment type is selected from a group of segment type. which includes a type of first segment and a type of the last segment.