Patent ID: 7106706
Filing Date: 2006-09-12
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. In a network of the type comprising an access link for communicatively coupling user terminals with an access node, wherein the access node provides connectivity with a plurality of destinations including packet-terminated destinations and circuit-terminated destinations, and wherein communications from user terminals to a packet-terminated destination, when carried over the access link, are carried over the access link at a first service level, and communications from user terminals to a circuit-terminated destination, when carried over the access link, are carried over the access link at a second service level different than the first service level, a method comprising: (a) receiving a user request to establish a communication session from a user terminal to a specified circuit-terminated destination; and (b) in response to the user request, (i) setting up a first session from the user terminal to an intermediate packet-terminated destination via a communication path including the access link, so that the first session is carried over the access link at the first service level, (ii) setting up a second session from the intermediate packet-terminated destination to the specified circuit-terminated destination, and (iii) bridging the first session with the second session to produce an end-to-end session from the user terminal to the specified destination, wherein the first service level comprises a first data rate for communication over the access link, and the second service level comprises a second data rate for communication over the access link, the first data rate being higher than the second data rate.