초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for sending delay sensitive information assisted by packet switched networks for network nodes in a computer network. Delay sensitive information such as voice information is sent over higher cost delay sensitive connections. Control and status information for the delay sensit

A method and apparatus for sending delay sensitive information assisted by packet switched networks for network nodes in a computer network. Delay sensitive information such as voice information is sent over higher cost delay sensitive connections. Control and status information for the delay sensitive connections is sent in control messages over lower cost packet switched connections to the nodes in the computer network. Information in the control messages is stored in status tables on the network nodes. The status table is used by network nodes to determine the status of any delay sensitive connections in the computer network and is used to establish a lowest cost connection path or a desired quality of service connection path when a delay sensitive connection between network nodes is requested. Sending delay sensitive control and status information over the lower cost packet switch connections to the network nodes and using status tables on the network nodes to establish delay sensitive connections significantly decreases the costs associated with using delay sensitive connections.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In a computer network with a plurality of network nodes, the network nodes having a packet switched connection to a packet switched network, and selected ones of the network nodes having a delay sensitive connection to selected other ones of the network nodes, wherein the delay sensitive connecti

1. In a computer network with a plurality of network nodes, the network nodes having a packet switched connection to a packet switched network, and selected ones of the network nodes having a delay sensitive connection to selected other ones of the network nodes, wherein the delay sensitive connection includes a plurality of individual delay sensitive channels, a method for determining a status of a delay sensitive connection from any network node in the computer network, the method comprising the following steps:receiving a selection input on a delay sensitive connection on a first network node to change a status on a delay sensitive connection between the first network node and a second network node; changing a status from the first network node on one or more of the plurality of individual delay sensitive channels on the delay sensitive connection based on the selection input; and sending a control message with a predetermined protocol on the packet switched network from the first network node to the other network nodes in the computer network indicating the change in status of the delay sensitive connection, wherein information received in the control message is stored in status tables on the plurality of network nodes, and wherein a selected network node determines with a status table a lowest cost delay sensitive connection path between the selected network node and any other network node in the computer network, and wherein the lowest cost delay sensitive connection path is a shortest delay sensitive connection path with a desired quality of service.