Patent ID: 6490252
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: H04J,H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A network switching node, comprising:a control CPU; a user network interface coupled to said control CPU and coupled to receive user traffic; a first network interface configured to adapt at least a first portion of said user traffic into a first network format and transfer said at least first portion of said user traffic across a first network; at least one secondary network interface configured to adapt at least a second portion of said user traffic into a format compatible with at least one secondary network and transfer said at least a second portion of said user traffic across said at least one secondary network; and a switching unit intercoupling said user network interface, said control CPU said first network interface, and said at least one secondary network interface, wherein said switching unit is configured to switch said at least a second portion of said user traffic to said at least one secondary network interface responsive to said control CPU determining that a usage level of said first network exceeds a predetermined threshold; wherein said at least a second portion comprises a portion of said user traffic determined to exceed said predetermined threshold on said first network, wherein said second portion may comprise a portion of a same type of user traffic as the first portion; and wherein said first portion and said second portion are reintegrated at a destination.