Patent ID: 6898178

Claim:
An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) device for carrying out communications with an opposite device by using a virtual communication channel on an ATM network provided by a virtual path/virtual channel (VP/VC) fixedly set based on a permanent virtual channel (PVC), comprising: setting means for setting a communication path on a non-ATM network so as to connect with said opposite device, the communication path being used for backing up said virtual communication channel; deciding means for considering said communication path as a transmission path for an ATM cell when failure occurs in said virtual communication channel, and then deciding a channel characteristic of a backup virtual communication channel set on said communication path by negotiating with said opposite device through said communication path; and switching means for switching a communication channel to be used for communications with said opposite device from said failed virtual communication channel to the backup virtual communication channel on said communication path having the channel characteristic decided by said deciding means when the failure occurs in said virtual communication channel.