公开(公告)号：EP0941628A1

公开(公告)日：1999-09-15

申请号：EP97945990.0

申请日：1997-12-01

申请人： NORTEL NETWORKS CORPORATION

发明人： MAUGER, Roy, Harold ,  BRUECKHEIMER, Simon, Daniel ,  UNITT, Brian, Michael

IPC分类号： H04Q11 ,  H04L12

CPC分类号： H04Q11/0478 ,  H04L2012/5615 ,  H04L2012/5619 ,  H04L2012/5645 ,  H04L2012/5652 ,  H04L2012/5656 ,  H04L2012/5667

摘要： In a broadband network comprising a plurality of edge switches interconnected by a plurality of tandem switches, IP packet data is routed by determining from each packet whether that packet forms part of a flow of packets. Where a packet is determined to be part of a flow, it is segmented into minicells for transmission over a permanent virtual channel established across the network for that flow. Where a packet is not determined to be part of a flow, a destination edge switch is identified for that packet which is then transported to that edge switch via a default permanent virtual channel. Permanent virtual channels for new flows are established at the network periphery by defining a succession of nodes and virtual channels (VCs) to be used to reach the destination of that flow.