Patent ID: 7136386
Filing Date: 2006-11-14
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method for enabling broadband service subscribers to dynamically access, from subscriber customer premises equipment, broadband service destinations via an ATM network comprising a plurality of ATM switches, the customer premises equipment being connected to at least one service gateway via at least one fiber terminating device, the at least one service gateway being connected to at least one directory server, the method comprising: receiving a session request, which identifies a selected one of the broadband destinations, in the at least one service gateway, wherein the session request is transmitted over a broadband connection using an Internet protocol; retrieving, using the at least one service gateway, an ATM network address of the selected broadband destination from the at least one directory server; launching an SVC over the ATM network from the at least one service gateway to connect the subscriber to the ATM network address; and forwarding the session request and subsequent packets to the selected destination to establish a session over the ATM SVC connection, wherein when the subscriber terminates the session, the at least one service gateway tears down the ATM SVC connection, and wherein the at least one service gateway retains the ATM SVC connection for a predetermined period of time before the ATM SVC connection is torn down.