Patent ID: 6324185
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
In a digital carrier loop network comprising a plurality of switching nodes, a network termination, and a subscriber termination coupled to each other via communication links, a method for establishing a cross-connection between the network termination and the subscriber termination for transporting TDM traffic from the network termination to the subscriber termination, the method comprising:determining a network path between the network termination and the subscriber termination comprising a series of switching nodes, the series of switching nodes including a first switching node coupled to the network termination, a last switching node coupled to the subscriber termination and intermediate nodes between the first switching node and the last switching node;determining bandwidth requirements for supporting the cross-connection between the network termination and the subscriber termination;configuring a first data structure at the first switching node based on the bandwidth requirements, the first data structure storing switching and bandwidth allocation information for connecting the first switching node to the network termination and to an intermediate switching node coupled with the first switching node, the switching information including last switching node identification information;configuring an intermediate data structure at each of the intermediate switching nodes based on the bandwidth requirements and on the information stored in the data structures of the previous switching node in the series of switching nodes, the intermediate data structure storing switching and bandwidth allocation information for connecting the intermediate switching node to the previous switching node and to the next switching node in the series of switching nodes, the switching information including last switching node identification information;configuring a last data structure at the last switching node based on the bandwidth requirements and on the information stored in the data structure of an intermediate switching node coupled with the last switching node, the last data structure storing switching and bandwidth allocation information for connecting the last switching node to the switching node coupled with the second switching node and to the subscriber termination;encapsulating the TDM traffic in ATM cells; andtransporting the ATM cells between the network termination and the subscriber termination via the series of switching nodes using the information stored in the data structures at the switching nodes such that the ATM cells are switched at the switching nodes using ATM switching while bypassing TDM switching.