Patent ID: 7969865

Claim:
A network system comprising at least one set of a path control unit and a data transmission unit coupled to the path control unit, wherein a first path control unit sets a path for transmitting data by using a signaling protocol, wherein a first data transmission unit coupled to the first path control unit further comprises an input interface for receiving the data and an output interface for outputting the data received by the input interface, wherein the first data transmission unit is configured to: send the data received by the input interface to an adjacent data transmission unit to which the first data transmission unit is directly coupled via the output interface according to instructions sent from the first path control unit; store first path information including a relation between the input interface and the output interface; change to second path information upon a fault being detected on the path for transmitting the data; store, upon the fault being detected, the first path information prior to being changed upon the fault being detected and the second path information as changed after the fault being detected while the path control unit is restarting, send one of the first path information prior to being changed upon the fault being detected and the second path information as changed after the fault being detected to the first path control unit; and select which one of the first path information prior to being changed and the second path information as changed after the fault being detected is to be sent to the first path control unit based on an internal state set according to a communication status with the first path control unit, and wherein the first path control unit is configured to: store the selected path information sent from the first data transmission unit, receive the selected path information sent from the first data transmission unit after the first path control unit has restarted in a state where a valid path is set, and restore the second path information as changed after the fault being detected to the first path information prior to being changed upon the fault being detected by acquiring path information stored in one or more other path control units that control adjacent data transmission units to which the first data transmission unit is directly coupled.