Patent ID: 6873598
Filing Date: 2005-03-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a status of virtual channels in a cell based network comprising a central office terminal comprising a plurality of interfaces and an ATM switch, a plurality of remote terminals each comprising a plurality of interfaces, and a plurality of end points communicating with an interface of the plurality of remote terminals, the method comprising: transmitting a test cell to a first predetermined interface along a first portion of a virtual channel including the first predetermined interface, the test cell being interleaved with data and management cells transmitted along the virtual channel; identifying the test cell at the first predetermined interface; transmitting a looped back test cell from the first predetermined interface along a second portion of the virtual channel including a second predetermined interface; determining if the looped back test cell is received at a specified queue of the central office terminal; and determining the status of the virtual channel based upon the looped back test cell.