Patent ID: 6885677
Filing Date: 2005-04-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A communications device comprising: a general purpose computer including at least one central processor, a memory storing program instructions to be executed by the processor, a user input/output mechanism coupled to the central processor, and a plurality of expansion slots coupled to the central processor through a bridge circuit; and at least one network interface card plugged into one of the expansion slots and being controlled, at least in part, by the processor, wherein the at least one network interface card comprises an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) card; wherein the program instructions executed by the processor enable the communications device to implement multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) using label distribution protocol to communicate with other communications devices, the program instructions including: a set of computer instructions for determining that the memory stores an outgoing packet; a set of computer instructions for assigning a VPI.VCI (virtual path identifier. virtual circuit identifier) label to the outgoing packet; the VPI.VCI label assigned using label distribution protocol; a set of computer instructions for forwarding the packet to the ATM network interface card to be output with the VPI.VCI label; a set of computer instructions for receiving an incoming packet on an incoming channel, the incoming packet being an IP (Internet Protocol) packet labeled with a VPI.VCI label; and a set of computer instructions for forwarding the incoming packet to an IP handler, the IP handler comprising software instructions operating on the general purpose computer.