Circuit switching system for interconnecting logical links between packet switching networks

A circuit switching system interconnected to a plurality of packet capable end point systems by a plurality of communication facilities for establishing logical links in logical channels in said plurality of communication facilities between said plurality of packet capable end point systems to communicate packets between said plurality of packet capable end point systems, comprising:

• means responsive to a first setup request from a first one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems to establish a logical link to a second one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems received via a first logical channel for connecting said logical channel from said first one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems to a second logical channel from said second one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems with said logical link being established on said first and second logical channels;
• said connecting means further responsive to a second setup request from said first one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems received via said first logical channel to said second one of said packet capable end point systems for signaling said second one of packet capable end point systems that communication is to be established for another logical link via said second logical channel from said second one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems and via said first logical channel from said first one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems;
• said connecting means further responsive to a third setup request received via said first logical channel from said first one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems for a logical link to a third one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems for denying said third setup request.

A circuit switching system interconnected to a plurality of packet switching networks by a plurality of trunks for establishing logical links on logical channels communicated on said plurality of trunks in response to setup requests using a packet protocol from said plurality of packet switching networks to interconnect said plurality of packet switching networks, comprising:

• means responsive to said setup requests from said plurality of packet switching networks with each setup request requesting a logical link on a logical channel for interpreting the packet protocol of each setup request to obtain destination information;
• means responsive to the destination information of a first interpreted setup request from a first one of said plurality of trunks interconnected to a first one of said plurality of packet switching networks designating a second one of said plurality of packet switching networks for connecting a first logical channel of said first one of said plurality of trunks to a first logical channel of a second one of plurality of trunks interconnected to said second one of said plurality of packet switching networks;
• means responsive to the connection of said first logical channel of said first one of said plurality of trunks to said first logical channel of said second one of said plurality of trunks for signaling said first and second ones of said plurality of packet switching networks using said packet protocol that a logical link of said first logical channels of said first and second ones of said plurality of trunks is to be selected for communication;
• said connecting means comprises means responsive to destination information also designating said second one of said plurality of packet switching networks of a second interpreted setup request for a second logical link on said first logical channel of said first one of said plurality of trunks to said second one of said plurality of packet switching networks from said first one of said plurality of packet switching networks for indicating that another logical link is to be selected from said first logical channels of said first and second ones of said plurality of trunks for communication between said first and second ones of said plurality of packet switching networks;
• and
• said signaling means further responsive to said indicating means for signaling said first and second ones of said plurality of packet switching networks using said packet protocol that said other logical link of said first logical channels of said first and second ones of said plurality of trunks is to be selected for communication.

A method for interconnecting a plurality of packet capable end points connected by a plurality of communication facilities to a circuit switching system by establishing logical links in logical channels in said plurality of communication facilities between said plurality of packet capable end points to communicate packets between said plurality of packet capable end points via said circuit switching system, said method comprising the steps of:

• connecting, in response to a first setup request from a first one of said packet capable end points to establish a logical link to a second one of said packet capable end points received via a first logical channel, said first logical channel from said first one of said plurality of packet capable end points to a second logical channel from said second one of said packet capable end points with said logical link being established on said first and second logical channels;
• signaling, in response to a second setup request from said first one of said packet capable end points received via said first logical channel to said second one of said packet capable end points, said latter one of said packet capable end points that communication is to be established for another logical link via said second logical channel from said second one of said packet capable end points and said first logical channel from said first one of said plurality of packet capable end point systems;
• denying, in response to a third setup request received via said first logical channel from said first one of said plurality of packet capable end points for a logical link to a third one of said plurality of packet capable end points, said third setup request.