Patent ID: 6937574
Filing Date: 2005-08-30
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of routing packets through a connectionless communications network having a plurality of distinct sets of virtual ports, no virtual port belonging to more than one of the distinct sets, a respective distinct broadcast address being assigned to each distinct set of virtual ports, the method comprising: assigning a respective egress address to each packet entering the network via an ingress virtual port, the respective egress address corresponding to a respective destination address of the entering packet when a correspondence between the destination address and an egress address is known, and the respective egress address being a broadcast egress address being selected based on the ingress virtual port to correspond to the set comprising the ingress virtual port when no correspondence between the destination address and an egress address is known; adding to each packet entering the network via an ingress virtual port the respective egress address assigned to that packet to provide a corresponding modified packet; without establishing a connection through the network for routing the packet, routing the modified packet across the network according to the respective added egress address from the ingress virtual port to at least one egress virtual port associated with the assigned egress address, said routing being restricted to virtual ports belonging to the distinct set of virtual ports which includes the ingress virtual port; and removing from each modified packet received at an egress virtual port of the network the egress address assigned to that packet to provide a restored packet.