Patent ID: 6078586
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A system for providing virtual private network services over an ATM network shared by multiple users, said ATM network having a plurality of ATM switches interconnected by links, each ATM switch adapted for routing ATM call traffic within said public ATM network, said system comprising:an interface means for generating a call setup message associated with a private network call to be routed within said public ATM network, said setup message comprising information including original source address of a call initiator and an original destination address of a call recipient subscribed to said private network;a processing network having intelligence and including control processing nodes interconnected with one or more ATM switches of said public ATM network;means implemented in said ATM switch for receiving said setup message and for modifying said setup message to include an address of a said control processing node while embedding said original source and destination addresses within said modified setup message; andmeans for routing said modified setup message from an ATM switch to a proximate control processing node at said address specified in said modified setup message,said control processing node comprising means for converting said embedded original source and destination addresses of said modified setup message into ATM network addresses recognizable by said ATM switches and routing said modified setup message back to said ATM switch for enabling said private network call to be routed over said public ATM network, and means for validating said embedded original source and destination addresses of said modified setup message.