Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

James William Baumgart

Harold Wayne Johnson

Bryan Lee Gorman

William Lee Edwards

Frank Anthony DeNap

Abdullah Murat Bog

Martin Joseph Kaplan

John Arndt Strand, Iii

Michael Thomas Swink

Timothy Gene Kelley

The invention comprises a series of architectures that are implemented in four phases to provide a migration path from an initial ATM service offering to a full service ATM network. The initial ATM network includes several metropolitan ATM networks that are interconnected by a core ATM network. Each metropolitan ATM network includes a service node that controls ATM network elements to deliver services. In Phase I, a business hub that is connected to the metropolitan ATM network integrates voice, data, and Internet traffic over a single ATM connection that contains permanent Virtual Connections (PVCs) to various destinations, such as other business hubs, a gateway to local and long distance networks, the Internet, a frame relay network. In Phase II, the architecture is extended to smaller business markets. Businesses are provided with the PVC-based ATM service using xDSL/ATM connections that are multiplexed at a central office and then provided to the service node over the metropolitan ATM network. A remote dial-in feature is also added. In Phase III, a work-at-home hub is provided for telecommuting. The work-at-home hub uses an xDSL/ATM connection through the central office to the service node. Phase III also includes the deployment of a session manager and provider agents that interact to interpret user requests and establish the requisite communications paths using Switched Virtual Connections (SVCs). The business can replace existing some or all PVC-based service with more efficient SVC-based service. In Phase IV, the architecture is extended to the residential market. A residential hub is provided for residential communications over an xDSL/ATM connection through the central office to the service node. An analog hub is provided for conventional telephone service through the service node.

Asynchronous transfer mode architecture migration

The invention is an ATM communications system that provides the option of advanced communications services or conventional telephone service to the customer. Advantageously, the ATM communications system does not require the widespread deployment of class 5 telephone switches to provide telephone service. A residential communications hub is located at a residence and communicates with the telephones at the residence using the analog telephony format. The residential communications hub converts between the analog telephony format and the ATM format. The residential communications hub is connected to a DSL mux by telephone wiring that carries the ATM/DSL format. The residential communications hub and the DSL mux communicate using the ATM/DSL format. The DSL mux converts between the ATM/DSL format and the ATM/SONET format. The DSL mux is connected to the an ATM switch by a broadband connection that carries the ATM/SONET format. The DSL mux and the ATM switch communicate using the ATM/SONET format. The ATM switch establishes ATM communications paths for the telephone service. A telephony hub is connected to telephones by telephone wiring that carries the analog telephony format. The telephony hub communicates with the telephones using the analog telephony format. The telephony hub is connected to the ATM switch by a broadband connection that carries the ATM/SONET format. The telephony hub and the ATM switch communicate using the ATM/SONET format.

Asynchronous transfer mode system for providing telephony service

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Valley Center, CA, United States of America

James William Baumgart