Enron Warpspeed Services, Inc.

Corps of Discovery Patent Holding LLC

Ehron Warpspeed Services, Inc.

William A Rundquist

Michael E Golden

James H Woodyatt

Richard Edward Cobb, Jr

George R Grenley

Todd D Chu

Jessica Dasha Jex

Miguel J DeAvila

A method and apparatus provide reserved bandwidth and QOS/COS virtual circuit connections in a network using both conventional and novel reservation protocols and frame formats. An apparatus according to the invention includes an enterprise control point that communicates with switches via a reserved signaling channel. The switches have been upgraded or replaced to include enhanced functionality. The enhanced switches detect packets that include requests for reserved connections according to existing reservation protocols such as RSVP and IEEE 802.1P/Q. Such detected packets are forwarded to the enterprise control point for processing via a reserved signaling channel. The enterprise control point identifies a path within the network that can satisfy the requested QOS/COS and reserves the requested resources all along the path from beginning to end. A method according to the invention includes detecting packets that include requests for reserved connections according to existing reservation protocols such as RSVP and IEEE 802.1P/Q, forwarding detected packets to an enterprise control point for processing via a reserved signaling channel, identifying a path within the network that can satisfy the requested QOS/COS and reserving the requested resources all along the path from beginning to end.

Method and apparatus for providing guaranteed quality/class of service within and across networks using existing reservation protocols and frame formats

The present invention provides broadband multimedia communication over the standard circuit-switched public switched telephone network infrastructure (PSTN) and other physical or virtual circuit-switched infrastructures while simultaneously and transparently interoperating with the public Internet packet-switched infrastructure to effectively merge the capabilities of the two types of infrastructures into a seamless capability that can bring the benefits of using both types of existing switching infrastructures to large groups of users under the control of the same common and simple interface tools such as web browsers. The invention enables users to establish both packet-switched connections for sending or receiving content for which low-latency and unpredictable response times are not a problem (i.e. text, small graphics, e-mail, small file transfers); and circuit-switched connections for sending or receiving content that benefits from streaming data at fixed data rates, without contention for bandwidth from other users during a communication session, (i.e. video, voice, complex graphics and animations, or large file transfers). The broadband network of the present invention thus mates the convenience of point-and-click on-demand Internet-type packet-switched connectivity with the continuity of a circuit-switch connection, and bundles B channels, or controls connections on virtual circuit switches such as ATM or RSVP for the required bandwidth on-demand for video conferencing and other high-bandwidth applications.

Method and apparatus for controlling bandwidth in a switched broadband multipoint/multimedia network

The present invention provides broadband multimedia communication over the standard circuit-switched public switched telephone network infrastructure (PSTN) and other physical or virtual circuit-switched infrastructures while simultaneously and transparently interoperating with the public Internet packet-switched infrastructure to effectively merge the capabilities of the two types of infrastructures into a seamless capability that can bring the benefits of using both types of existing switching infrastructures to large groups of users under the control of the same common and simple interface tools such as web browsers. The invention enables users to establish both packet-switched connections for sending or receiving content for which low-latency and unpredictable response times are not a problem (i.e. text, small graphics, e-mail, small file transfers); and circuit-switched connections for sending or receiving content that benefits from streaming data at fixed data rates, without contention for bandwidth from other users during a communication session, (i.e. video, voice, complex graphics and animations, or large file transfers).

Network for providing switched broadband multipoint/multimedia intercommunication

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

William A Rundquist