Point-to-point data transport over the internet utilizing label switching without IP headers

A method for conveyance of a plurality of voice data from a first Packet Circuit Gateway (PCG) over a plurality of Label Switching Routers (LSRs) within a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network and to a second PCG, said method comprising the steps of:

• negotiating a data link between said first PCG and said second PCG utilizing al conventional TCP/IP connection over said plurality of LSRs within said MPLS network, said negotiated data link establishing a desired path through said plurality of LSRs;
• assigning a value for a switching label based upon a first path link within said desired path through said plurality of LSRs;
• processing said plurality of said voice data utilizing voice data compression techniques, thereby producing a plurality of processed voice data,
• packaging a portion of said plurality of said processed voice data within each of a plurality of voice packet payloads;
• appending to each of said plurality of voice packet payloads a voice packet header, thereby creating a plurality of voice packets;
• concatenating said plurality of voice packets;
• appending said switching label to said concatenated plurality of voice packets to form a voice frame;
• and
• launching said voice frame from said first PCG for transport over said desired path through said plurality of LSRs within said MPLS network to said second PCG,
• wherein said voice frame does not include an Internet Protocol (IP) header.

A device for conveyance of voice data from a Packet Circuit Gateway (PCG) within an Internet Protocol (IP) based network having a plurality of Label Switching Routers (LSRs), said device comprising:

• means for assigning a value for a switching label based upon a predetermined (MPLS) Multi-Protocol Label Switching network path,
• means for packaging a plurality of said voice data within a voice packet payload;
• means for appending said switching label to said voice packet payload to form a voice frame;
• and
• means for launching said voice frame from said PCG for transport through said IP based network along the predetermined MPLS network path,
• wherein said voice frame does not include an IP header.