Patent ID: 8428059

Claim:
An network apparatus for relaying packets, comprising: a first port unit to be coupled to a first link that is used in time division of a first kind of time slots; a second port unit to be coupled to a second link that is used in time division of a second kind of time slots, each of the second kind of time slots is shorter than each of the first kind of time slots; at least two output banks that are storage areas to temporarily store the packets flowing from the first link to the second link; a switch coupling between the first port unit and the second port unit; and a controller to control the switch; and upon detecting switching to a first transmission time slot among the first kind of time slots, the controller couples the first port unit through the switch to a first output bank of the output banks and couples another output bank to the second port unit or the second link to cause the first output bank to temporarily store packets from the first link, upon detecting switching from the first transmission time slot to a next time slot among the first kind of time slots, the controller couples the first output bank to the second port unit or the second link and couples the first port unit through the switch to the another output bank, and upon detecting switching to a second transmission time slot among the second kind of time slots, the controller causes the second port unit to transmit the packets stored in an output bank coupled to the second port unit or the second link to the second link.