Patent ID: 7046630

Claim:
A network for transferring packets between a plurality of packet communication networks, comprising: a plurality of edge nodes connected to said packet communication networks; a plurality of relay nodes connected between said edge nodes; a network management equipment connected to each of said edge nodes and said relay nodes, wherein said network management equipment comprises: a means for setting up a plurality of routes between said edge nodes in advance of a packet transfer request, setting up an available allotted bandwidth to each of the routes, and registering to each of the first nodes a destination node and a path of the destination node corresponding to the route before said packet transfer request; a means for collecting bandwidth information on network status of said routes respectively from said edge nodes and said relay nodes located on said plurality of routes; and a means for sending information on available routes and said bandwidth information on the network status respectively to said edge nodes and said relay nodes in accordance with said bandwidth information on the network status of the routes being collected; and wherein each of said edge nodes and said relay nodes comprise: a means for measuring said bandwidth information of a route and for sending said bandwidth information on said network status thus measured to said network management equipment, and wherein said edge nodes further comprise: a means for storing said bandwidth information on the network status and said route sent from said network management equipment; a means for selecting a route from said plurality of routes in accordance with a packet destination and said information on the route and said bandwidth information being stored in said means for storing; a means for converting an IP packet into a plurality of cells; and a means for transferring said plurality of cells to said selected route.