Patent ID: 6870837

Claim:
A method comprising: configuring a circuit emulation service (CES) over an internet protocol (IP) network based on properties of the IP network, the CES being configured to establish a tunnel between a local interworking function and a remote interworking function; encapsulating data received at a constant bit rate at the local interworking function into a plurality of IP packets configured according to the CES, wherein the plurality of IP packets includes a first IP packet having a variable length; and transporting the IP packets from the local interworking function to the remote interworking function according to the CES; wherein configuring the CES comprises exchanging a plurality of CES control protocol (CESCP) information between the local interworking function and the remote interworking function; and wherein the plurality CESCP information comprises at least one of a circuit identification and an internet protocol address for the local and remote interworking functions, alarm indication signal options, idle condition options, a clock option, a check sum option, a minimum and a maximum circuit size, a multiple circuits option, a maximum transition delay, a maximum delay variation, a compression option, and an encryption option.