Importance

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Abstract

A cell relay network (38, FIG. 2) transmits cells having different priorities through a single virtual connection using several methods (100, FIG. 4; 200, FIG. 5; 300, FIG. 3). Congestion control is accomplished by a negotiation process between a network user's communication equipment at a source node (900, FIG. 9) and a network control element (1000, FIG. 10) associated with the network fabric 18 at the time of connection set-up. A source node (900) initially transmits a request for a connection to the network control element (1000). Along with a connection request, the source node also transmits a requisition for permission to transfer through the network during a predetermined time interval cells having multiple priorities. The network control element responds to the requisition by sending to the source node a connection admissions attributes message (44, FIG. 2) containing allowable connection attributes. The source node enforces the connection attributes authorized by the network in the connection admission attributes message.

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First Claim