Patent ID: 6418139
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: H04L,H04M

Abstract:
A system for routing of real time data traffic on a communications network comprising:a plurality of gatekeepers linked together to form a network wherein said plurality of gatekeepers control bandwidth and routing of data packets towards destination terminals; a plurality of routers which aggregate real time flow of data packets through said gatekeepers; terminals which are connected to the network via said gatekeepers and which negotiate connection parameters; means for compiling external routing information for each of said plurality of routers including shortest paths to each destination terminal; means for broadcasting said external routing information to other routers within said network to allow said other routers to update their external routing information and determine active neighboring routers, wherein a subsequent transmission from a first router only requires knowledge of a closest neighbor in a destination link; and control means for directing real time flow of said data packets from one end point terminal to another utilizing said gatekeepers and said routers, wherein real time traffic is allocated to a selected portion of a bandwidth of each link to provide efficient real time traffic transfer along with standard data traffic transfer; wherein said routers and gatekeepers utilize a process of determining a shortest path between said routers and gatekeepers and further wherein the shortest paths are utilized in establishing the communications network at the logical level of said gatekeepers and at a different network level for said routers, wherein spare capacity for each logical link is allocated to a second shortest path between said routers and said gatekeepers.