Patent ID: 7978715

Claim:
A network connection device for directly connecting an asynchronous network having a link aggregation function to a synchronous network, comprising: a plurality of first mapping/demapping units which are placed on a plurality of links respectively and map first asynchronous network frames, flowing from the asynchronous network to the synchronous network on the plurality of links redundantly configured using the link aggregation function, into first synchronous network frames, and which demap second synchronous network frames, each comprising a respective second asynchronous network frame and flowing from the synchronous network to the asynchronous network on the plurality of links, into the respective second asynchronous network frames mapped therein; and a collection/distribution unit wherein said collection/distribution unit is configured to perform: receiving said first synchronous network frames from said plurality of first mapping/demapping units; demapping said first synchronous network frames into said first asynchronous network frames mapped therein; collecting said first asynchronous network frames on the plurality of links onto a single link; mapping said first asynchronous network frames on said single link into a third synchronous network frame flowing to the synchronous network; receiving a fourth synchronous network frame comprising said second asynchronous network frames and flowing from the synchronous network; demapping said fourth synchronous network frame into said second asynchronous network frames mapped therein; distributing said second asynchronous network frames among a plurality of virtual ports; mapping each of said second asynchronous network frames distributed among the plurality of virtual ports into a respective one of said second synchronous network frames; and supplying said second synchronous network frames to a respective one of the plurality of first mapping/demapping units.