Patent ID: 6907006

Claim:
An IP packet communication apparatus comprising: an input interface to be connected to an optical network for receiving an internet protocol (IP) packet; output interfaces to be connected to said optical network for transmitting an internet protocol (IP) packet; and switch means for transferring said IP packet received by said input interface to a desired output interface in accordance with a header value of said IP packet received by said input interface; wherein: each of said output interfaces detects a transmission performance or failure of said optical network by monitoring the IP packet received by said input interface to thereby produce, based on the monitoring the IP packet, an IP controlling packet used to notify said transmission performance to other IP packet communication apparatus, and then sends out said IP controlling packet from said output interface to said optical network; and said input interface receives an IP packet and an IP controlling packet that is generated on an other IP packet communication apparatus and that notifies the transmission performance from said other IP packet communication apparatus via said optical network, and analyzes a content of said received IP controlling packet.