METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENDING DELAY SENSITIVE INFORMATION ASSISTED BY PACKET SWITCHED NETWORKS
First Claim
1. In a computer network with a plurality of network nodes, the network nodes having a packet switched connection to a packet switched network, and selected ones of the network nodes having a delay sensitive connection to selected other ones of the network nodes, wherein the delay sensitive connection includes a plurality of individual delay sensitive channels, a method for determining a status of a delay sensitive connection from any network node in the computer network, the method comprising the following steps:
- receiving a selection input on a first network node to change a status of a delay sensitive connection between the first network node and a second network node;
changing the status of the delay sensitive connection based on the selection input; and
sending a control message with a predetermined protocol on the packet switched network from the first network node to the other network nodes in the computer network indicating the change in status of the delay sensitive connection.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sending delay sensitive information assisted by packet switched networks for network nodes in a computer network is presented. Delay sensitive information such as voice information is sent over higher cost delay sensitive connections. Control and status information for the delay sensitive connections is sent in control messages over lower cost packet switched connections to the nodes in the computer network. Information in the control messages is stored in status tables on the network nodes. The status table is used by network nodes to determine the status of any delay sensitive connections in the computer network and is used to establish a lowest cost connection path or a desired quality of service connection path when a delay sensitive connection between network nodes is requested. Sending delay sensitive control and status information over the lower cost packet switch connections to the network nodes and using status tables on the network nodes to establish delay sensitive connections significantly decreases the costs associated with using delay sensitive connections.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a computer network with a plurality of network nodes, the network nodes having a packet switched connection to a packet switched network, and selected ones of the network nodes having a delay sensitive connection to selected other ones of the network nodes, wherein the delay sensitive connection includes a plurality of individual delay sensitive channels, a method for determining a status of a delay sensitive connection from any network node in the computer network, the method comprising the following steps:
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receiving a selection input on a first network node to change a status of a delay sensitive connection between the first network node and a second network node;
changing the status of the delay sensitive connection based on the selection input; and
sending a control message with a predetermined protocol on the packet switched network from the first network node to the other network nodes in the computer network indicating the change in status of the delay sensitive connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a computer network with a plurality of network nodes, the network nodes having a packet switched connection to a packet switched network, selected ones of the network nodes having a delay sensitive connection to selected other ones of the network nodes, wherein the delay sensitive connection includes a plurality of individual delay sensitive channels, a method for determining a lowest cost delay sensitive connection, the method comprising the following steps:
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maintaining on the network nodes status tables containing information from control messages sent over the packet switched connection to the network nodes indicating changes in status of delay sensitive connections in the computer network;
receiving a selection input on a first network node to create a delay sensitive connection to a second network node;
determining from the first network node with a status table a lowest cost connection path to create the delay sensitive connection; and
establishing the delay sensitive connection between the first network node and the second network node with the determined lowest cost delay sensitive connection path. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
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18. A computer network communication apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
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status receiver, for receiving a selection input on a first network node to change a status of a delay sensitive connection between a first network node and a second network node in a computer network;
status changer, for changing the status of the delay sensitive connection based on the selection input; and
control message sender, for sending a control message with a predetermined protocol on a packet switched network from the first network node to other network nodes in a computer network indicating the change in status of the delay sensitive connection.
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Specification