Patent ID: 6466577
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for providing a connection between a source endpoint and destination endpoint through an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, the method comprising the steps of:providing a network of plural ATM switching nodes, including an ingress node and an egress node, the ingress node having a receiving port for receiving ATM cells from a source endpoint, the egress node having a transmitting port for transmitting ATM cells to a destination endpoint; receiving source ATM cells at the ingress node, each ATM cell having a header which includes source virtual path identifier/virtual circuit identifier (VPI/VCI) information; mapping the source VPI/VCI information of each received source ATM cell to internal VPI/VCI information to provide internal ATM cells; switching the internal ATM cells through the network to the egress node; and mapping the internal VPI/VCI information of each internal ATM cell to the source VPI/VCI information at the egress node for transmission to the destination endpoint; wherein the source VPI/VCI information comprises a source VPI and a source VCI and wherein the step of mapping the source VPI/VCI information includes mapping the source VPI and the source VCI to an internal VCI comprising: selecting N bits of the source VCI; storing the N selected bits in a register; selecting M bits of the source VPI; storing the M selected bits in the register to the left of the N bits to provide M+N bits; and replacing the VCI field of the source ATM cell with the M+N bits from the register.