Method for transmitting data in a telecommunications network and switch for implementing said method

• US 7,145,902 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sigram Schindler Beteiligungsgesellschaft Mbh (Sigram Schindler, PhD)
• Original Assignee: Teles Ag Informationstechnologien (TELES AG)
• Inventors: Schindler, Sigram, Paetsch, Frank, Illg, Andreas, Lüdtke, Karsten
• Primary Examiner(s): QURESHI, AFSAR M
• Application Number:
  US11/165,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20050243851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/395.2, 370/401, 370/465, 379/93.01
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6427 Subscriber Access Module; Concentrator; Group equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6443 Network Node Interface, e.g. Routing, Path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6472 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6475 N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/30 Routing of multiclass traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0428 Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13031 Pulse code modulation, PCM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 : Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 : Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 : ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 : Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 : Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/002 : Details

Abstract

A method for transferring data from a first switch to a second switch selectively by line-switching or by packet-switching as well as to a switch for carrying out the method. Data packets are thereby first transferred packet-switched through a packet-switching network to the second switch. With the presence of a corresponding control signal a line-switching connection is established from the first switch to the second switch and the data are then transferred through this connection.

Where applicable a renewed change over to a packet-switching transfer is carried out. A flexible packet-switching or line-switching data transfer linked with dynamic costs between the junctions of a telecommunications network is enabled.

Claims

1. A method for transferring data selectively by line switching or by packet switching from a first switch to a second switch, the first switch being part of or having access to a line-switching network, comprising:

a) establishing a connection through the line-switching network from the first switch to an access point of a packet-switching network;

b) transferring data through said connection from the first switch to the access point of packet-switching network;

c) packetizing the data into data packets if the data do not yet exist as data packets, and transferring the data packets through the packet-switching network from the access point to the second switch;

d) checking whether a control signal exists for changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching connection from the first switch to the second switch through the line-switching network, wherein the control signal is produced by the user of an end terminal connected to either of said first switch or said second switch;

e) establishing a connection from the first switch to the second switch through the line-switching network in response to said control signal, if such a line-switching connection is not yet present; and

f) changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching data transfer over the line-switching connection from the first switch to the second switch in response to said control signal and transferring data over the line switching connection from the first switch to the second switch.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the data packets after changing over to the line-switching data transfer remain as data packets and are transferred as such by line-switching.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein headers are removed from the data packets after changing over to the line-switching data transfer.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein data packets are sent to the access point of the packet-switching network and data is transferred to the line-switching network by the same data channel.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein data packets are transferred to the access point to the packet-switching network through a first data channel and the data are transferred for line-switching to the second switch through a second data channel.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the line-switching network is an ISDN network having ISDN switches, the data packets have a TCP/IP format and data channels used for the line-switching data transfer are ISDN B channels.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein, with the line-switching data transfer between the first switch and the second switch or between the first switch and the access point to the packet-switching network, the data of several users are multiplexed on one data channel by forming sub-channels of a fixed bandwidth.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the data of the user when line-switching is selected are transferred line-switched with a transfer rate which corresponds to a fraction of the transfer rate of a bandwidth which is available as standard to the user.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the line-switching network is an ISDN network and the data of a user to be transferred are transferred between the first and the second switches or between the first switch and the access point to the packet-switching network on a data channel with a bandwidth which is only a fraction of a standard bandwidth of 64 kbit/s, more particularly 32, 18, 8, 4, 2 or 1 kbit/s.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein, in the first switch, for an integer “

n”

greater than one, only every n-th byte or every n-th bit of an ISDN frame is copied over and forwarded on a data channel to the second switch or to the access point to the packet-switching network whereby an effective bandwidth of the line-switching data transfer is (64/n) kbit/s.

15. The method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein, with a data transfer from the first switch changing over from a packet-switching data transfer to the line-switching data transfer,

a) address information of the data packets is evaluated and classified according to a network topology, and

b) for the data packets whose destination addresses correspond to a same topological area of the network, the second switch is selected which is located in the same topological area.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein, to classify the data packets according to the network topology, the destination addresses of the data packets are sorted according to geographical areas whereby, for data packets whose destination addresses correspond to a same geographical area, the second switch is selected to be located in this geographical area.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein, for classifying the data packets according to geography, the destination addresses are compared with destination addresses stored in a data bank which contains a link between the destination addresses and associated geographical areas.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a) checking when the data is being transferred using the line switching data transfer, whether a second control signal exists for changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer to the second switch;

b) establishing a second connection through the line-switching network, during the existing transfer, from the first switch to the access point of the packet-switching network in response to said second control signal, if the connection to the access point is no longer present;

c) changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer during the existing transfer;

d) line-switching transferring of the data through the connection or the second connection from the first switch to the access point; and

e) packetizing the data into data packets if the data does not yet exist as data packets, and transferring the data packets through the packet switching network from the access point to the second switch.

20. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising locating the first switch between at least one end terminal of a user and an access point of the packet switching network, wherein data are transmitted from the at least one end terminal to the first switch.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein at least one end terminal is part of a local area network.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one send terminal is a telephone.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the telephone is an analog telephone.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the telephone is an ISDN telephone.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the telephone is a mobile telephone.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one end terminal is connected to a private branch exchange (PBX), which is in turn connected to the first switch.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the data produced at at least one end terminal are analog data.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the data produced at at least one end terminal are digital, non-packetized data.

29. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the data produced at least one end terminal are digital packetized data, wherein the first switch unpacks these packetized data and transmits them over the line-switching connection to the second switch as digital, non-packetized data.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the first switch is located between a plurality of user end terminals and an access of the packet switching network, wherein data are transmitted from the plurality of end terminals to the first switch.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the first switch is located at the at least one end terminal.

32. The method of claim 1 or 2, in which transferring the data through the packet-switching network comprises transferring the data through the internet.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point of the packet switching network is a POP (point of presence) of a service provider.

2. A method for transferring data selectively by line switching or by packet switching from a first switch to a second switch, the first switch being part of or having access to a line-switching network and a packet switching network, comprising:

a) packetizing the data into data packets in the first switch if the data does not yet exist as data packets;

b) transferring the data packets from the first switch through the packet-switching network to the second switch;

c) checking whether a control signal exists for changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching connection to the second switch, wherein the control signal is produced by the user of an end terminal connection to either said first switch or to said second switch;

d) establishing a connection from the first switch through the line-switching network to the second switch in response to said control signal, if such a line-switching connection is not yet present; and

e) changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching data transfer in response to said control signal and transferring data over the line switching connection to the second switch.

9. The method according to claim 2 wherein, with the line-switching data transfer between the first switch and the second switch the data of several users are multiplexed on one data channel by forming sub-channels of a fixed bandwidth.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the line-switching networks is an ISDN network and the data of a user to be transferred are transferred between the first and the second switches on a data channel with a bandwidth which is only a fraction of a standard bandwidth of 64 kbit/s, more particularly 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 or 1 kbit/s.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein, in the first switch, for an integer “

n”

greater than one, only every n-th byte or every n-th bit of an ISDN frame is copied over and forwarded on a data channel to the second switch, whereby an effective bandwidth of the line-switching data transfer is (64/n) kbit/s.

19. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

a) checking, when the data is being transferred using the line switching data transfer, whether a second control signal exists for changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer to the second switch;

b) changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer during the existing transfer in response to said second control signal; and

c) packetizing the data into data packets in the first switch if the data does not yet exist as data packets, and transferring the data packets through the packet-switching network to the second switch.

34. Switching apparatus for selectively routing a telephone call from a first end terminal to a second end terminal, comprising:

a device that provides access to a packet switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to the second end terminal;

means for transferring first data of the telephone call originated by the first end terminal through the packet switching network for delivery to the second end terminal;

a device for establishing a connection to a line-switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to the second end terminal;

means for transferring second data of the telephone call originated by the first end terminal over the connection through the line-switching network for delivery to the second end terminal; and

means responsive to a control signal for changing-over from a packet-switching mode of transfer of the first data of the telephone call to a line-switching mode of transfer of the second data of the telephone call without interruption of a call set-up procedure, wherein said control signal is produced by the user of the first end terminal.

35. A method for transferring data selectively by line-switching or by packet switching from a first switch to a second switch, the first switch being part of or having access to a line-switching network, comprising:

a) establishing a connection through the line-switching network from the first switch to an access point of a packet-switching network;

b) transferring data through said connection from the first switch to the access point of the packet-switching network;

c) packetizing the data into data packets if the data do not yet exist as data packets, and transferring the data packets through the packet-switching network from the access point to the second switch;

d) checking whether a control signal exists for changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching connection from the first switch to the second switch, wherein the control signal is produced by a network management system;

e) establishing a line-switching connection from the first switch to the second switch through the line-switching network in response to said control signal, if such a line-switching connection is not yet present; and

f) changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching data transfer over the line-switching connection from the first switch to the second switch in response to said control signal and transferring data over the line switching connection from the first switch to the second switch.

37. The method according to claim 35 or 36 wherein the data packets after changing over to the line-switching data transfer remain as data packets and are transferred as such by line-switching.

38. The method according to claim 35 or 36 wherein headers are removed from the data packets after changing to the line-switching data transfer.

39. The method according to claim 35 wherein data packets are sent to the access point of the packet-switching network and data is transferred to the line-switching network by the same data channel.

40. The method according to claim 35 wherein data packets are transferred to the access point of the packet-switching network through a first data channel and the data are transferred for line-switching to the second switch through a second data channel.

41. The method according to claim 35 or 36 wherein the line-switching network is an ISDN network having ISDN switches, the data packets have a TCP/IP format and data channels used for the line-switching data transfer are ISDN B channels.

42. The method according to claim 35 wherein, with the line-switching data transfer between the first switch and the second switch or between the first switch and the access point of the packet-switching network, the data of several users are multiplexed on one data channel by forming sub-channels of a fixed bandwidth.

44. The method according to claim 42 or 43 wherein the data of the user when line-switching is selected are transferred line-switched with a transfer rate which corresponds to a fraction of the transfer rate of a bandwidth which is available as standard to the user.

45. The method according to claim 42 wherein the line-switching network is an ISDN network and the data of a user to be transferred are transferred between the first and the second switches or between the first switch and the access point to the packet-switching network on a data channel with a bandwidth which is only a fraction of a standard bandwidth of 64 kbit/s, more particularly 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 or 1 kbit/s.

47. The method according to claim 45 wherein, in the first switch, for an integer “

n”

greater than one, only every n-th byte or every n-th bit of an ISDN frame is copied over and forwarded on a data channel to the second switch or to the access point to the packet-switching network, whereby an effective bandwidth of the line-switching data transfer is (64/n) kbit/s.

49. The method according to claim 35 or 36 wherein, with a data transfer from the first switch changing over from a packet-switching data transfer to the line-switching data transfer,

a) address information of the data packets is evaluated and classified according to a network topology, and

b) for the data packets whose destination addresses correspond to a same topological area of the network, the second switch is selected which is located in the same topological area.

50. The method according to claim 49 wherein, to classify the data packets according to the network topology, the destination addresses of the data packets are sorted according to geographical areas whereby, for data packets whose destination addresses correspond to a same geographical area, the second switch is selected to be located in this geographical area.

51. The method according to claim 50 wherein, for classifying the data packets according to geography, the destination addresses are compared with destination addresses stored in a data bank which contain a link between the destination addresses and associated geographical areas.

52. The method according to claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

a) checking, when the data is being transferred using the line switching data transfer, whether a second control signal exists for changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer to the second switch;

b) changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer during the existing transfer in response to said second control signal; and

c) packetizing the data into data packets in the first switch if the data does not yet exist as data packets, and transferring the data packets through the packet-switching network to the second switch.

54. The method of claim 35 or 36, further comprising locating the first switch between at least one end terminal of a user and an access point of the packet switching network, wherein data are transmitted from the at least one end terminal to the first switch.

55. The method according to claim 54, wherein at least one end terminal is part of a local area network.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein at least one end terminal is a telephone.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the telephone is an analog telephone.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the telephone is an ISDN telephone.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein the telephone is a mobile telephone.

60. The method of claim 54, wherein at least one end terminal is connected to a private branch exchange (PBX), which is in turn connected to the first switch.

61. The method of claim 54, wherein the data produced at at least one end terminal are analog data.

62. The method of claim 54, wherein the data produced at at least one end terminal are digital, non-packetized data.

63. The method of claim 35 or 36, wherein the data produced at at least one end terminal are digital packetized data, wherein the first switch unpacks these packetized data and transmits them over the line-switching connection to the second switch as digital, non-packetized data.

64. The method of claim 54, wherein the first switch is located between a plurality of user end terminals and an access point of the packet switch network wherein data are transmitted from the plurality of end terminals to the first switch.

65. The method of claim 54, wherein the first switch is located at the at least one end terminal.

66. The method of claim 35 or 36, in which transferring the data through the packet-switching network comprises transferring the data through the Internet.

67. The method of claim 35, wherein the access point of the packet switching network is a POP (point of presence) of a service provider.

36. A method for transferring data selectively by line switching or by packet switching from a first switch to a second switch, the first switch being part of or having access to a line-switching network and a packet switching network, comprising:

a) packetizing the data into data packets in the first switch if the data does not yet exist as data packets;

b) transferring the data packets from the first switch through the packet-switching network to the second switch;

c) checking whether a control signal exists for changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching connection to the second switch, wherein the control signal is produced by a network management system;

d) establishing the line-switching connection through the line-switching network to the second switch in response to said control signal, if the line-switching connection is not yet present; and

e) changing-over from the packet-switching data transfer of the data packets through the packet switching network to a line-switching data transfer in response to said control signal and transferring data over the line switching connection to the second switch.

43. The method according to claim 36 wherein, with the line-switching data transfer between the first switch and the second switch the data of several users are multiplexed on one data channel by forming sub-channels of a fixed bandwidth.

46. The method according to claim 43 wherein the line-switching network is an ISDN network and the data of a user to be transferred are transferred between the first and the second switches on a data channel with a bandwidth which is only a fraction of a standard bandwidth of 64 kbit/s, more particularly 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 or 1 kbit/s.

48. The method according to claim 46 wherein, in the first switch, for an integer “

n”

greater than one, only every n-th byte or every n-th bit of an ISDN frame is copied over and forwarded on a data channel to the second switch, whereby an effective bandwidth of the line-switching data transfer is (64/n) kbit/s.

53. The method according to claim 36, further comprising the steps of:

a) checking, when the data is being transferred using the line switching data transfer, whether a second control signal exists for changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer to the second switch;

b) changing-over to a packet-switching data transfer during the existing transfer in response to said second control signal; and

c) packetizing the data into data packets in the first switch if the data does not yet exist as data packets, and transferring the data packets through the packet-switching network to the second switch.

68. Switching apparatus for selectively routing a telephone call from a first end terminal to a second end terminal, comprising:

a device that provides access to a packet switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to the second end terminal;

means for transferring first data of the telephone call originated by the first terminal through the packet switching network for delivery to the second end terminal;

a device for establishing a connection to a line-switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to the second end terminal;

means for transferring second data of the telephone call originated by the first terminal over the connection through the line-switching network for delivery to the second end terminal; and

means responsive to a control signal for changing-over from a packet-switching mode of transfer of the first data of the telephone call to a line-switching mode of transfer of the second data of the telephone call without interruption of a call-up procedure, wherein said control signal is produced by a network management system.

69. Switching apparatus for selectively routing a telephone call from a first end terminal to a second end terminal, comprising:

means for establishing a connection to a packet switching network through which data can be sent to the second end terminal;

means for transferring first data of the telephone call originated by the first end terminal over the connection through the packet switching network for delivery to the second end terminal,

means for establishing a connection to a line-switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to the second end terminal;

means for transferring second data of the telephone call originated by first end terminal over the connection through the line-switching network for delivery to the second end terminal; and

means responsive to a control signal for changing-over from a packet-switching mode of transfer of the first data of the telephone call to a line-switching mode of transfer of the second data of the telephone call without interruption of a call set-up procedure.

70. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 69, wherein the means responsive to the control signal includes means for receiving the control signal from the user of the first end terminal.

71. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 69, further including means for automatically producing the control signal when a data blockage occurs in the connection through the packet switching network to the second end terminal.

72. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 71, which includes means for changing-over from the line-switching transfer of the second data of the telephone call to packet-switching transfer of data of the telephone call when there is no longer a need for line-switching transfer of data of the telephone call.

73. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the means for establishing a connection through a line-switching network to the second end terminal includes means for accessing a database of network topology in order to select a connection through the line-switching network that bypasses the data blockage.

74. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 71, wherein the means for automatically producing the control signal is included in said switching apparatus.

75. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 69, which includes a network.

76. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 69, which includes means for multiplexing data of several users over the connection through the line-switching network to the second end terminal.

77. A method of selectively routing a telephone call from a first end terminal to a second end terminal, comprising:

establishing access of said first end terminal to a packet switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to the second end terminal;

transferring first data of the telephone call originated by the first end terminal over the packet switching network for delivery to the second end terminal,

responding to a control signal for changing-over from a packet-switching mode of transfer of the first data of the telephone call to a line-switching mode of transfer of second data of the telephone call originated by the first end terminal without interruption of a call set-up procedure, by establishing a connection from said first end terminal to a line-switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to the second end terminal and establishing said line-switching mode of transfer of the second data of the telephone call over the connection through the line-switching network for delivery to the second end terminal.

78. The method as claimed in claim 77, which includes receiving the control signal from a user of the first end terminal.

79. The method as claimed in claim 77, which includes automatically producing the control signal when a data blockage occurs in the packet switching network to the second end terminal.

80. The method as claimed in claim 79, which includes changing-over from the line-switching transfer of the second data of the telephone call to packet-switching transfer of data of the telephone call when there is no longer a need for line-switching transfer of data of the telephone call.

81. The method as claimed in claim 77, wherein the establishing of a connection through the line-switching network to the second end terminal includes accessing a database of network topology in order to select a connection through the line-switching network that bypasses the data blockage.

82. The method as claimed in claim 77, which includes a network management system producing the control signal.

83. The method as claimed in claim 77, which includes multiplexing data of several users over the connection through the line-switching network to the second end terminal.

84. Switching apparatus for switching data packets from multiple origin end terminals, the data packets containing headers including information identifying respective origin and destination end terminals, the switching apparatus comprising:

a packet switching device for transferring data packets through a packet switching network through which data can be sent for delivery to destination end terminals;

a line switching device for establishing line connections through a line-switching network through which data can be sent to the destination end terminals; and

a control device connected to the packet switching device and the line switching device for directing the data packets from the multiple origin end terminals to either the packet switching device or to the line switching device, the control device being responsive to the data packet headers for controlling the packet switching device and the line switching device for establishing and maintaining respective communications connections for data transfer with real-time properties between origin end terminals and destination end terminals, the control device also being responsive to a control signal for changing-over from packet-switching transfer of first data of a communications connection to line-switching transfer of second data of the communication connection without interruption of the communications connection.

85. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 84, which includes an unpacketing device connected to the line switching device for unpacketing data packets for transmitting data of the unpacketed data packets over a line connection established by the line switching device through the line-switching network.

86. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 84, wherein the control device is adapted for receiving the control signal from the origin end terminal of the communications connection.

87. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 84, which includes a device for automatically producing the control signal when a data blockage occurs in the routing of data packets of the communications connection through the packet switching network.

88. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 87, wherein the control device initiates a change-over from the line-switching transfer of the second data of the communications connection to packet-switching transfer of data of the communications connection when there is no longer a need for line-switching transfer of data of the communications connection.

89. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 87, which includes a database of network topology, and wherein the line switching device is coupled to the database of network topology for accessing the database of network topology in order to select a connection through the line-switching network that bypasses the data blockage.

90. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 84, which includes a network management system for producing the control signal.

91. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 84, wherein the line switching device includes a multiplexer device for multiplexing data of several origin end terminals over a single line connection through the line-switching network.

92. A method of routing data packets from multiple origin end terminal in a data network, the data packets containing headers including information identifying respective origin and destination end terminals in the data network, the method comprising:

directing the data packets from the multiple end terminals to either a packet switching device or to a line switching device by inspecting the data packet headers, and in response to the data packet headers, establishing and maintaining respective communications connections for data transfer with real-time properties between origin end terminals and destination end terminals, and

responding to a control signal by changing-over from packet-switching transfer of first data of at least one of the communications connections over a packet-switching network to line-switching transfer of second data of said at least one of the communication connections over a line-switching network without interruption of said at least one of the communications connections.

93. The method as claimed in claim 92, which includes unpacketing data packets and transmitting data of the unpacketed data packets over a line connection established by the line switching device through the line-switching network.

94. The method as claimed in claim 92, which includes receiving the control signal from the origin end terminal of said at least one communications connection.

95. The method as claimed in claim 92, which includes automatically producing the control signal when a data blockage occurs in the routing of data packets of said at least one communications connection through the packet switching network.

96. The method as claimed in claim 95, wherein the control device initiates a change-over from the line-switching transfer of the second data of the communications connection to packet-switching transfer of data of the communications connection when there is no longer a need for line-switching transfer of data of the communication connection.

97. The method as claimed in claim 95, which includes accessing a database of network topology in order to select a connection through the line-switching network that bypasses the data blockage.

98. The method as claimed in claim 92, which includes a network management system producing the control signal.

99. The method as claimed in claim 92, which includes multiplexing date of several origin end terminals over a single line connection through the line-switching network.

100. Switching apparatus for switching Internet Protocol (IP) data packets from multiple origin end terminals, the data packets containing headers including information identifying respective origin and destination end terminals, the switching apparatus comprising:

an IP packet switching device for packet-switching transfer of data through the Internet for delivery to destination end terminals;

a line switching device far establishing line connections through a public telephone network through which data can be sent to the destination end terminals; and

a control device connected to the IP packet switching device and the line switching device for directing the IP data packets from the multiple origin end terminals to either the packet switching device or to the line switching device, the control device being responsive to the data packet headers for controlling the packet switching device and the line switching device for establishing and maintaining respective communication connections for data transfer with real-time properties between origin end terminals and destination end terminals, and the control device also being responsive to an overload in the Internet for automatically changing-over from packet-switching transfer of first data of a communications connection to line-switching transfer of second data of the communication connection without interruption of the communications connection when a data blockage occurs in the routing of data packets of the first data of the communications connection through the Internet.

101. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 100, which includes an unpacketing device connected to the line switching device for unpacketing IP data packets for transmitting data of the unpacketed IP data packets over a line connection established by the line switching device through the public telephone network.

102. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 100, wherein the control device initiates a change-over from the line-switching transfer of the second data of the communications connection to packet-switching transfer of data of the communications connection when there is no longer a need for line-switching transfer of data of the communications connection.

103. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 100, which includes a database of network topology and wherein the line switching device is coupled to the database of network topology for accessing the database of network topology in order to select a connection through the line-switching network that bypasses the overload.

104. The switching apparatus as claimed in claim 100, wherein the line switching device includes a multiplexer device for multiplexing data of several origin end terminals over a single line connection through the public telephone network.

105. A data switch apparatus, comprising:

a data input;

a packet switch having a connection to a packet switching network;

a line switch having a connection to a line switching network; and

a controller that receives data from said data input and transfers said data to either said packet switch or to said line switch in response to a control signal that is developed as a result of monitoring of quality of service of said packet switching network; and

Wherein said controller further comprises a data packeting/unpacketing device for packetizing unpacketed data received at said data input to be transferred to said packet switch.

106. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said controller monitors quality of service of said packet switching network and develops said control signal.

107. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein a network management system monitors quality of service of said packet switching network and develops said control signal.

108. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein a user of said data switch apparatus monitors quality of service of said packet switching network and develops said control signal.

109. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said monitoring is performed during a set-up process for a data transfer session between a first end terminal connected to said data input and a second end terminal connected to said packet switching and line switching networks.

110. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said monitoring is performed during a data transfer session between a first end terminal connected to said data input and a second end terminal connected to said packet switching and line switching networks.

111. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said quality of service monitoring comprises monitoring of an available bandwidth of said packet switching network.

112. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said quality of service monitoring comprises monitoring of packet loss information on said packet switching network.

113. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said quality of service monitoring comprises monitoring of packet transmission delay information on said packet switching network.

114. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said data comprises voice data.

115. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said data comprises video data.

116. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said data comprises audio data.

117. A data switch apparatus as set forth in claim 105, wherein said data comprises application data.

118. A method of routing IP data packets from multiple origin end terminals in an IP data network, the IP data packets containing headers including information identifying respective origin and destination end terminals in the IP data network, the method comprising:

inspecting the IP data packet headers at a switch in the IP data network in order to establish a respective communications connection for IP data packets from at least one of the origin terminals to a destination end terminal in the IP network, the respective communications connection being initiated from the switch by packet switching of IP data packets from the switch, and ensuring that the respective communications connection has a desired bandwidth by changing over, from the packet switching of the IP data packets from the switch, to line switching of the IP data packets from said at least one of the origin end terminals to said destination end terminal, when it is found that the packet switching of the IP data packets from the switch does not have the desired bandwidth.

119. The method as claimed in claim 118, wherein the line switching of the IP data packets from said at least one of the origin end terminals to said destination end terminal includes unpacketing the IP data packets and transmitting data of the unpacketed data packets over a line connection and then re-packeting the data of the unpacketed data packets having been transmitted over the line connection.

120. The method as claimed in claim 118, which includes initiating a change-over from the line-switching to packet-switching of the IP data packets from said at least one of the origin end terminals to said destination end terminal when there is no longer a need for line-switching transfer of the IP data packets of the respective communications connection.

121. The method as claimed in claim 118, which includes using the packet switching of the IP packets from the switch for trace routing for the respective communications connection.

122. The method as claimed in claim 118, which includes accessing a database of network topology in order to select a line-switching connection that bypasses a data blockage of the packet switching of the IP data packets from the switch.

123. The method as claimed in claim 118, which includes a network management system producing a control signal when the packet switching of the IP data packets from the switch does not have the desired bandwidth, and the switch responding to the control signal by changing over, from the packet switching of the IP data packets from the switch, to line switching of the IP data packets from said at least one of the origin end terminals to said destination end terminal.

124. The method as claimed in claim 118, wherein the switch provides access to the Internet, the packet switching of the IP data packets from the switch is initiated over the Internet, and the method includes changing over at the switch, from the packet switching of the IP data packets from the switch, to line switching of the IP data packets from said at least one of the origin end terminals to said destination end terminal.

125. The method as claimed in claim 118, which includes the switch multiplexing data of several origin end terminals over a single line-switched connection.