Patent ID: 7406085

Claim:
A method for obtaining virtual path identifier, virtual channel identifier, and encapsulation values in an asynchronous transfer mode access device for a network using non-static internet protocol address assignments and asynchronous transfer mode adaptation layer 5 , comprising: (a) generating a plurality of point-to-point protocol over Ethernet discovery packets and a plurality of dynamic host configuration protocol discovery packets; (b) adding headers to the plurality of point-to-point protocol over Ethernet discovery packets and plurality of dynamic host configuration protocol discovery packets to generate a first set of point-to-point protocol over Ethernet discovery packets, a second set of point-to-point protocol over Ethernet discovery packets, a first set of dynamic host configuration protocol discovery packets, and a second set of dynamic host configuration protocol discovery packets, each packet in the first set of point-to-point protocol over Ethernet discovery packets including a logical link control header, each packet in the second set of point-to-point protocol over Ethernet discovery packets including a virtual channel multiplexed header, first set of dynamic host configuration protocol discovery packets including a logical link control header, each packet in the second set of dynamic host configuration protocol discovery packets including a virtual channel multiplexed header; (c) encapsulating all the sets of discovery packets; (d) transmitting the encapsulated discovery packets to a central office; (e) determining if a valid response packet has been received to any of the transmitted packets; (f) establishing a virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier pair value and encapsulation value based upon a virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier pair value and encapsulation value of the received valid response; and (g) utilizing the established virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier pair value and encapsulation value for transferring data between the asynchronous transfer mode access device and a central office.