System and method for routing data cells through an ATM architecture using quality of service data in a service control point

An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network infrastructure comprising:

• a plurality of nodes capable of transmitting and receiving ATM cells;
• a plurality of ATM switches for transferring said ATM cells between said nodes;
• an ATM switch controller capable of routing a call through said ATM network, comprising:
• a database capable of storing at least one of quality of service (QoS) data and congestion level data received over one or more special purpose connections from a plurality of ATM switches in said ATM network;
• and
• a route selection controller capable of receiving a call request from a first of said plurality of ATM switches and selecting a call route connection through said ATM network to a second of said plurality of ATM switches, wherein said second ATM switch adjoins said first ATM switch and said selected call route connection is selected in response to at least one of QoS data and congestion level data of said second ATM switch stored in said database.

For use in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch controller disposed in an ATM network comprising a plurality of ATM switches, a method of routing a call through the ATM network comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one of quality of service (QoS) data and congestion level data over one or more special purpose connections from a plurality of ATM switches;
• storing the received at least one of QoS data and congestion level data in a QoS database;
• receiving a call connection request from a requesting ATM switch;
• determining an end-user QoS requirement associated with the call connection request;
• comparing the end-user QoS requirement with the stored at least one of quality of service (QoS) data and congestion level data associated with at least one ATM switch adjoining the requesting ATM switch;
• and
• selecting a call route connection through said ATM network to said at least one adjoining ATM switch.