Patent ID: 6343326
Filing Date: 2002-01-29
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A network system having a predetermined protocol for transmitting a packet flow through an ATM network to a destination, said packet flow comprising at least a first packet and said packet flow being converted into a sequence of ATM cells, said system comprising:a source for transmitting said sequence of ATM cells using an unused VCI (Virtual Channel Identifier) wherein the unused VCIs are VCIs that have not been preassigned to an output address; and a node comprising a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, wherein said node further comprises: a plurality of input ports; a plurality of output ports; a router for determining one of said plurality of output ports using information included in a subset of the ATM cells that carry the first packet, said router associating said one of said plurality of output ports with the unused VCI thereby without using hop by hop massaging, thereby setting a switched path; and an ATM switch for transporting the ATM cells through the determined one of the output ports without control of the router when each of the ATM cells has a VCI identical with the unused VCI.