Patent ID: 7136358

Claim:
A data converter for use in a network system comprised of a plurality of communication nodes in which data transmitted from a transmitter communication node are adapted to be received by a set of receiver communication nodes, the data converter comprising: data reception means for receiving data transmitted from the transmitter communication node to a first receiver communication node, with the transmitted data being formatted in a first format; information reception means for receiving a communication network parameter associated with the plurality of communication nodes of the network system; format conversion means comprising at least one format converter each used for converting said first format of the transmitted data received by the reception means at least in part to a second format; route control means for determining a communication route using a network topologly provided by connecting the communication nodes based on selection from a plurality of network plans using the format conversion parameter, each network plan being provided based on a format, a format conversion parameter relating to the first format of the transmitted data received by the reception means, format conversion performed by the format conversion means, format conversion performed by another communication node, and/or the communication network parameter received by the information reception means; and transmission means for transmitting the transmitted data converted by the format conversion means to a second receiver communication node, in accordance with the communication route determined by the route control means.