Patent ID: 7881193

Claim:
A network system comprising: a switch device including a plurality of ports having at least first and second ports, for receiving a packet at the first port thereof and transmitting the packet from the second port thereof, the second port corresponding to a destination of the packet; a plurality of communication terminals that are connected to the plurality of ports of the switch device, respectively, to transmit and receive packets between the plurality of communication terminals through the switch device; and a plurality of signal line groups for connecting said plurality of communication terminals to said plurality of ports of said switch device, respectively, each said signal line group having a plurality of signal lines, with said packet being transmitted through one of the signal lines in each said signal line group; each said communication terminal including: a connection request unit that transmits a connection request, which carries information about the destination of the packet, to the switch device; and an unused signal line communication unit that performs communication using a signal line that is not being used for packet transmission when a connection-possible notification is received from the switch device, the switch device including: a connection determination unit that determines, upon receiving the connection request, whether or not connection to the second port is possible; a connection possibility notifier that transmits, when the connection determination unit determines that the connection to the second port is possible, the connection-possible notification to the connection-request-transmitting communication terminal; and an unused signal line connecting unit that connects, when the connection determination unit determines that the connection to the second port is possible, a signal line, which is not being used for packet transmission among the signal lines of said port connected to the connection-request-transmitting communication terminal, to a signal line of the second port.