Extended virtual user-to-network interface with ATM network

• US 7,839,866 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Kuo-Hui, Chou, Peter, Soon, Shih Chung, Chen, Wenge, Sinwald, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duong; Duc T
• Application Number:
  US12/057,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.21, 370/395.43, 370/397, 370/399, 370/400, 370/401, 370/419, 370/420, 709/231, 709/232
• US Class Current: 370/399
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2883 ATM DSLAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5614 User Network Interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 using establishment or release of connections between ports

Abstract

Communication between a source and a destination is dynamically established. A connection request is received. The connection request is based on a request transmitted over a best-effort path from the source. A network connection is established having a specified quality of service (QoS) based on the request between the source and the destination. Data for a first application is transmitted over the network connection and data for a second application is transmitted over the best-effort path.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically establishing communication between a source and a destination, comprising:

receiving a connection request based on a request transmitted over a best-effort path from the source; and

establishing a network connection having a specified quality of service (QoS) based on the request between the source and the destination,

wherein data for a first application is transmitted over the network connection and data for a second application is transmitted over the best-effort path, and

wherein application-level routing of the data for the first application occurs via a separate gateway different from a default gateway used to route the data for the second application.

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the first application requires the specified quality of service.

3. The method according to claim 2,

wherein the second application does not require the specified quality of service.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the network connection comprises a switched virtual circuit (SVC).

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the network connection comprises a soft permanent virtual circuit (SPVC).

6. A system implemented on at least one processor for dynamically establishing communication between a source and a destination, comprising:

a receiver that receives a connection request based on a request transmitted over a best-effort path from the source; and

a processor that establishes a network connection having a specified quality of service (QoS) based on the request between the source and the destination,

wherein data for a first application is transmitted over the network connection and data for a second application is transmitted over the best-effort path, and

wherein application-level routing of the data for the first application occurs via a separate gateway different from a default gateway used to route the data for the second application.

7. The system according to claim 6,

wherein the request is received by a connection server via an application programming interface (API).

8. The system according to claim 6,

wherein the first application comprises a video conference.

9. The system according to claim 6,

wherein the request comprises at least one of a destination address, a shared session key, a class of service and a traffic descriptor.

10. The system according to claim 9,

wherein the class of service comprises one of constant bit rate (CBR) and variable bit rate (VBR).

11. The system according to claim 9,

wherein the traffic descriptor comprises requested bandwidth information.

12. The system according to claim 9,

wherein the traffic descriptor comprises one of sustained cell rate (SCR), peak cell rate (PCR) and maximum burst size (MBS).

13. A non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions for dynamically establishing communication between a source and a destination, the set of instructions directing at least one processor to perform acts of:

receiving a connection request based on a request transmitted over a best-effort path from the source; and

establishing a network connection having a specified quality of service (QoS) based on the request between the source and the destination,

wherein data for a first application is transmitted over the network connection and data for a second application is transmitted over the best-effort path, and

wherein application-level routing of the data for the first application occurs via a separate gateway different from a default gateway used to route the data for the second application.

14. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium according to claim 13,

wherein the application-level routing of the data for the first application occurs during a session for the first application.

15. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium according to claim 14,

wherein the application-level routing terminates when the session terminates.

16. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium according to claim 13,

wherein the network connection is established based on source information obtained for the source and destination information obtained for the destination.

17. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium according to claim 16,

wherein the source information comprises at least one of link port speeds and digital subscriber line (DSL) synchronization rates, and

wherein destination information comprises at least one of link port speeds and digital subscriber line synchronization rates.

18. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium according to claim 13,

wherein the receiving further includes receiving a second connection request from the destination.

19. The non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium according to claim 18,

wherein receiving the second connection request within a predetermined timeout period indicates acceptance of the connection request by the destination.