Patent ID: 7961602
Filing Date: 2011-06-14
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A packet communication method for transmitting an extra traffic in redundant communication between nodes in a network, comprising: selecting, by two switching nodes, one of a working communication path connecting the two switching nodes via nodes, and a backup communication path connecting the two switching nodes via backup nodes, the backup nodes designating nodes other than the two switching nodes; transmitting, by the two switching nodes, a first traffic between the two switching nodes via the selected communication path; transmitting, by the two switching nodes, a switching control packet between the two switching nodes via the backup communication path, the switching control packet including working communication path identification information representing whether the first traffic passes through the working communication path; determining, by the two switching nodes, the working communication path as a communication path through which the first traffic passes when the working communication path operates under normal conditions; determining, by the two switching nodes, the backup communication path as a communication path through which the first traffic passes when a failure has occurred in the working communication path; providing one of the backup nodes with an input port that is not included in the backup communication path, the input port holding packet processing mode information, wherein the input port changes processing on a second traffic different from the first traffic based on the packet processing mode information; setting, by the one of the backup nodes, a packet transmission mode to the packet processing mode information when the first traffic is passing through the working communication path; setting, by the one of the backup nodes, a packet blocking mode to the packet processing mode information when the first traffic is not passing through the working communication path; performing, by the backup nodes, a second traffic transmission procedure when the packet processing mode information held by the input port indicates the packet transmission mode, the second traffic transmission procedure comprising: discarding, by the input port, the second traffic received from outside the backup communication path via the input port when the packet processing mode information indicates the packet blocking mode.