Patent ID: 8027348
Filing Date: 2011-09-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A frame transfer method employed for a network configured by a plurality of nodes including a local node, a starting node of a transfer path in the network, and a terminating node, the local node being located between a terminal for transmitting a frame and the starting node, and the transfer path in the network being defined between the starting node and the terminating node, the method comprising the steps of: by the local node, receiving the frame transmitted from the terminal; by the local node, writing in the received frame, transfer path selection information for specifying a transfer path in the network to be used by the starting node of the transfer path for transferring the received frame through the network, and output line selection information for specifying an output line outside of the network to be used by the terminating node of the transfer path for outputting the transferred frame from the terminating node of the transfer path specified by the transfer path selection information, by the local node, transmitting to the starting node, the frame in which the transfer path selection information and the output line selection information are written; by the local node, transmitting to the starting node, the transfer path selection information corresponding to a plurality of destination terminal addresses which correspond to a plurality of said output line to which frames are to be transferred via the network, and the output line selection information corresponding to the plurality of destination terminal addresses for transmission to the terminating node; by the starting node, receiving the frame transferred from the local node; by the starting node, deciding a transfer path in the network to be used for transferring the received frame through the network according to the transfer path selection information included in the received frame, the transfer path selection information specifying the transfer path in the network leading to a destination of the frame outside of the network, by the starting node, transmitting the received frame to the terminating node on the network of the transfer path in the network decided by the starting node; wherein the local node is connected between the terminal and the starting node: by the starting node, writing the transfer path selection information in the frame; by the starting node, transmitting, to the terminating node on the network, the transfer path selection information corresponding to a plurality of destination terminal addresses which correspond to a plurality of said destination of frames outside the network to which frames are to be transferred via the network, and destination selection information corresponding to the plurality of destination terminal addresses for transmission to the terminating node; by the terminating node, receiving the frame transmitted from the local node for receiving the frame through the starting node of the transfer path; by the terminating node, deciding an output line outside of the network to be used for transmitting the frame according to the output line information included in the received frame, the output line information specifying the output line outside of the network decided from a destination of the frame; by the terminating node, transmitting the received frame to the terminal of destination of the frame through the output line outside of the network decided by the step of deciding by the terminating node; and by the terminating node, transmitting to the starting node, transfer path selection information corresponding to a plurality of destination terminal addresses which correspond to a plurality of said output line to which frames are to be transferred via the network, and output line selection information corresponding to the plurality of destination terminal addresses for transmission to the terminal.