Patent ID: 7697539

Claim:
A method for use by a first gateway to establish data commiunication between a first client modem and a second client modem over a packet network, said method comprising: receiving a call from said first client modem over a first telephone line; negotiating, in response to said call, over said first telephone line with said first client modem to establish a first physical modem connection between said first client modem and a first gateway modem of said first gateway; informing a second gateway of said call over said packet network; establishing a gateway-to-gateway transport link with said second gateway over said packet network; receiving a first set of data link parameters supported by said first client modem; receiving a second set of data link parameters supported by both a second gateway modem of said second gateway and said second client modem; harmonizing a set of data link parameters supported by said first gateway modem with said first set of data link parameters and said second set of data link parameters to determine a final set of data link parameters supported by all of said first client modem, said first gateway modem, said second gateway modem and said second client modem, wherein said harmonizing said set of data link parameters supported by said first gateway with said first set of data link parameters supported by said first client modem is performed by exchanging XID frames between said first gateway modem and said first client modem; establishing a first data link protocol over said first physical modem connection using said final set of data link parameters; wherein data is communicated between said first client modem and said second client modem over an end-to-end reliable connection between said first client modem at one end and said second client modem at the other end, wherein said end-to-end reliable connection uses said final set of data link parameters.