The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 28, 1999
Jeffrey Weiss, Lincoln, RI (US);
Ming-Teh Ma, Newton, MA (US);
Bappa Sinha, Brighton, MA (US);
William J. Regan, Groton, MA (US);
Ed Klein, Holliston, MA (US);
Christopher James White, N. Chelmsford, MA (US);
Omnia Communications, Inc., Marlborough, MA (US);
Abstract
A unidirectional ring operates in accordance with a call setup procedure in which a single node on the ring, referred to herein as the “hub node,” simultaneously (i) processes call setup information from and provides call setup information to an ATM network, and (ii) controls the call setup operations of the nodes on the ring. When a source node that is part of the ring initiates a call, the node directs a call setup message to the hub node. The hub node determines if there is sufficient bandwidth available on the ring for the call. If so, the hub node passes the call setup message to the ATM network, and simultaneously multicasts call setup information to the nodes on the ring. While the call setup message is progressing over the ATM network in a conventional manner, the nodes on the ring simultaneously set up the associated virtual path and/or virtual circuit and send back connection information to the hub node. The hub node monitors the connection information to ensure that the connection over the ring is established. If the call is ultimately rejected by the destination node, the hub node multicasts to the nodes on the ring an instruction directing them to tear down the associated virtual circuit and/or virtual path. When the hub node receives a call setup message which is directed to a destination node that is a ring node, the hub node determines if there is sufficient bandwidth available on the ring to handle the call. If so, the hub node sends an appropriate acknowledgment message back to the node that sent the message to the ring. The hub node also multicasts call setup information to the nodes on the ring, instructing them simultaneously to set up a virtual circuit and/or virtual path for the call. If the destination node rejects the call, the hub node sends an appropriate call rejection message over the network to the source node and instructs the ring nodes to tear down the associated virtual circuit and/or virtual path.