Claims
- 1. A wide-area multi-service communications network comprising:
multiple switching elements being configured to switch data from input channels to output channels in response to control signals, said multiple switching elements being configured to emulate both circuit switching and packet switching modes of operation; transmission lines with multiple channels interconnecting each of said multiple switching elements to at least another one of said multiple switching elements; access lines with multiple channels connecting the switching elements to users; control channels being configured to carry control signals, said control signals being configured to dynamically control said multiple switching elements being configured to switch said data, and said control channels being configured separately from each of said input channels and said output channels carrying said data; and control signals being configured to arrive in advance of said data being controlled thereby; wherein an individual one of said control signals can switch a specified number of said input channels and said output channels carrying said data for a specified length of time; wherein said input channels and said output channels carrying said data are dynamically assigned to particular data flows so as to efficiently utilize said input channels and said output channels; and wherein continuous and bursty data flows are transported without distortion.
- 2. A wide-area multi-service communications network according to claim 1 wherein at least one of voice streams, audio/video streams, and computer files are transported directly through said wide-area multi-service communications network without dividing said at least one of said voice streams, said audio/video streams, and said computer files and without inserting the data from said at least one of said voice streams, said audio/video streams, and said computer files into packets.
- 3. A wide-area multi-service communications network according to claim 1 wherein said data is transported by setting up end-to-end connections through the network, assigning to said end-to-end connections channels with a capacity to accommodate a data rate from a data source such that said capacity of said end-to-end connection channels assigned to a connection between a pair of users is at least one of symmetric, asymmetric, and zero in each direction between said pair of said users, and varying said capacity of said assigned channels as said data rate of said data source varies.
- 4. A wide-area multi-service communications network according to claim 1 wherein a client operating according to at least one of a standard telephone network interface, a standard Internet protocol, and a current telephone network and Internet procedure is compatible to send data to and receive data from servers having said multiple switching elements.
- 5. A wide-area multi-service communications network according to claim 1 wherein said data flowing from a client to a server traverses at least one of the Internet and a number of IP routers, while data flowing from a server to a client bypasses the Internet and transverses routers in said wide-area multi-service communications network.
- 6. A wide-area multi-service communications network according to claim 1 wherein both client data and server data are carried in IP packets, and wherein headers of said IP packets carrying said data from a server are at least one of ignored by the network and used by only a destination client.
- 7. A switching element being configured to switch data from input channels to output channels in response to control signals, said switching element being configured to emulate both circuit switching and packet switching modes of operation, said switching element implementing control channels configured to carry control signals, said control signals being configured to dynamically control said switching element being configured to switch said data, and said control channels being configured separately from each of said input channels and said output channels carrying said data, and control signals being configured to arrive in advance of said data being controlled thereby, wherein an individual one of said control signals can switch a specified number of said input channels and said output channels carrying said data for a specified length of time, wherein said input channels and said output channels carrying said data are dynamically assigned to particular data flows so as to efficiently utilize said input channels and said output channels, and wherein continuous and bursty data flows are transported without distortion.
REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This patent application claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/280,518, filed Apr. 2, 2001 by Kevin A. DeMartino for COMBINING THE ADVANTAGES OF CIRCUIT SWITCHING AND PACKET SWITCHING IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, which patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60280518 |
Apr 2001 |
US |