Patent ID: 7392305

Claim:
An apparatus for dynamically changing a connection service category for a soft permanent virtual circuit, the apparatus comprising: a first interface for a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) connection leg; a second interface for a switched virtual circuit (SVC) connection leg; a control interface adapted to receive a command including a new connection service category for an existing soft permanent virtual circuit (SPVC), the SPVC including a PVC connection leg set up from a source end to the first interface and a SVC connection leg set up from the second interface to a destination end via a communications network; and a module responsive to the command, the module including: a releaser adapted to release the SVC connection leg, while maintaining the PVC connection leg; a resource allocator adapted to de-allocate resources from the PVC connection leg and to allocate new resources on the PVC connection leg, the new resources corresponding to the new connection service category and traffic parameters; and a connection creator adapted to create a new SVC connection leg in accordance with the new connection service category and the traffic parameters.