Patent ID: 7139275
Filing Date: 2006-11-21
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of providing differentiated services for IP packets transported on an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone, said method comprising: provisioning a first switched virtual circuit (SVC) and a second SVC on said ATM backbone, each of said first SVC and said second SVC being provisioned as a unicast point-to-point virtual circuit terminating between same end devices; receiving an IP packet; determining whether to send said IP packet on said first SVC or said second SVC according to services desired to be provided for said IP packet, wherein said determining comprises examining a header of said IP packet and wherein said services desired for said IP packet being based on said header, said determining also comprising maintaining a data structure indicating a specific one of said first SVC and said second SVC on which to send IP packets having a specific precedence value in a type of service (TOS) field in said header; and sending said IP packet on the determined one of said first SVC or said second SVC, wherein said IP packet is sent on either said first SVC or said second SVC according to the data stored in said data structure.