Patent ID: 7756009

Claim:
A method for establishing, in an optical network having a plurality of physical paths between a plurality of nodes and a first virtual path (VP) with a first associated priority comprising at least one connection between a head node and an end node running on a first physical path in said optical network, a second VP having a second associated priority, the method comprising the steps of: (a) at one of the nodes of the optical network, identifying a second physical path, wherein (i) said second physical path is one of said plurality of physical paths, (ii) said second physical path is between a first node and a second node of said nodes; (iii) said second physical path comprises said at least one connection, and (iv) said second associated priority is greater than said first associated priority; (b) at one of the nodes of the optical network, bumping said at least one connection; and (c) at one of the nodes of the optical network, allocating said at least one connection to said second VP; wherein said associated second priority comprises: (a) a priority profile, wherein (b) said priority profile comprises a plurality of priority types, and (c) said priority type comprises a plurality of priority levels; wherein said priority types comprises at least one of the groups consisting of a connection priority and a hold priority; wherein said priority types comprises at least one of the groups consisting of Call Setup Priority (CSP), Call Restoration Priority (CRP), Call Hold Nominal Path Priority (CHNP), and Call Hold Restoration Priority (CHRP); and wherein the second associated priority further comprises: (a) said CRP is greater than said CSP, (b) said CRP is less than or equal to said CHRP, and (c) said CSP is less than or equal to said CHNP.