Patent ID: 6512745
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: H04L,H04Q

Abstract:
A network which transfers packets between a plurality of packet communication networks, comprising:a plurality of nodes which transmit and receive the packets to and from the packet communication networks; a network management equipment which supervises and controls statuses of said plurality of nodes and the networks, said network having a plurality of routes preliminarily set up for transferring the packets between said plurality of nodes, wherein a first node of said plurality of nodes selects one of the plurality of packet transferring routes, which have been preliminarily set up, when the first node receives a first packet from one of the packet communication networks, based on the destination of the first packet and the status of the node and the network, and converts said first packet to a second packet with a header affixed thereto corresponding to a transfer destination, for outputting said converted second packet to an intermediate node on the selected route, and wherein said intermediate node transfers said second packet, based on the header of the second packet, to a second node of said plurality of nodes which is connected to another packet communication network being the destination of the first packet such that when the status of the network has been changed, said first node changes, based on the change of the status, the original transferring route, at which the first packet has been transmitted before the change of the status of the network, to another transferring route where the change of the transferring route for the first packet is to be carried out after a last cell of the second packet which has been converted from the first packet is outputted.