JP3278519B2 - Information communication system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a network system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art <1> Bridges, routers, gateways, and the like are provided as network connection devices in a conventional communication network system such as a LAN. The bridge is a network connection device having only a so-called address filter function that terminates and processes up to layer 2 of a communication protocol between networks. The router has a slightly higher function than the bridge, and terminates and performs processing up to layer 3 of the communication protocol. The gateway terminates up to layer 7 of the communication protocol, and can completely convert the protocol to make a network connection.

[0003] However, such a conventional network connection device can only provide one-to-one protocol conversion by software processing. Therefore, when connecting from one LAN to multiple LANs,
It is necessary to separately prepare a network connection device for performing protocol conversion to each of them, and the amount of required hardware increases, and it is difficult to take a flexible network configuration. Was.

On the other hand, in recent years, a network connection device such as a multi-protocol router capable of supporting a plurality of protocols has been proposed or put into practical use, and a plurality of networks are connected by one network connection device. .

However, similarly to the above-described network connection device such as a gateway, software processing is performed to perform an input network protocol processing up to an upper layer and convert it to a corresponding network protocol. Thereafter, a network connection is performed by a method of performing protocol conversion up to a predetermined lower layer.

[0006] Such protocol conversion by software processing is not only easy to realize, but also easy to implement in a high-performance network connection device such as a multi-protocol router. This is a method often used in protocol conversion in.

However, there has been a problem that protocol conversion by software processing takes much longer than before. In particular, a multi-protocol router that processes multiple protocols at the same time requires a considerable amount of software processing. The reduction in throughput due to such software processing has been a major problem.

In particular, a connection-type high-speed network such as an ATM system and a currently operated LAN
A network connection device for connecting to a datagram communication network such as (Ethernet, FDDI, etc.) needs to have a function of simultaneously converting a plurality of protocols at high speed and a function of performing network identification at high speed. It is anticipated that it is difficult to perform such high-speed processing with a current network connection device using software processing.

<2> On the other hand, in the intra-company communication network (LAN), in recent years, high speed, multimedia, large scale,
The need for higher reliability is increasing. In particular, there is a strong need for a high-speed “to realize higher-speed information transfer”, and research and development of an ultra-high-speed LAN having a transmission speed of several hundred Mbps and several Gbps class have been actively conducted.

[0010] Here, for a general description of LAN technology, for example, in the literature such as "Information Network Handbook" (edited by the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers) and the like, the prior art is described. A shared-me network in which a plurality of terminals are connected via a shared transmission line (bus, ring)
Switch-based star LAN with high-speed interface that incorporates dia system and communication field flow
And, it is classified into.

FIG. 39 shows a typical shared-med
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an ia LAN system, which is composed of a plurality of terminals 2002 and 2004 and a common transmission line 2001 or 2003 connecting the terminals;
02, 2004 is a specific protocol such as CS
According to the access control method such as the MA / CD method or the token method, access contention is avoided on the transmission lines 2001 and 2003, and information is transmitted and received between terminals.

The shared-media LAN is a form in which control is distributed and paths are centralized. Since a plurality of terminals share a transmission path (bus, ring), the number of terminals increases. In addition, there is a problem that access competition on the shared transmission line increases and the shared transmission line becomes a throughput bottleneck. In particular, when the system becomes large-scale and the throughput of the entire network increases,
The ed-media LAN requires an ultra-high-speed transmission path corresponding to the throughput of the entire network. Therefore, in order to speed up the shared-media LAN, it is necessary to solve the problem that the shared transmission path (connection link) becomes a bottleneck.

FIG. 40 shows a typical star LAN.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system, in which a plurality of terminals 2006 are displayed.
And a switch 2005 accommodating a plurality of terminals 2006. Each terminal 2006 transmits a packet to the switch 2005 using a transmission line 2007 provided individually, and the switch 2005 transmits a packet from each terminal 2006. Receiving the received packet and transferring the information to a desired output port based on the destination information of the packet or the routing information created based on the destination information of the packet.
When the transfer destination terminal receives the packet transmitted from 005, information is transmitted and received between the terminals.

The star system LAN is a form in which control is centralized and routes are distributed. Transmission lines are individually provided for each terminal, and there is no contention for access of each terminal to the transmission line. This is a network form suitable for high-speed operation without a decrease in the throughput of the transmission line due to an increase in the number of terminals.

However, even in a star LAN, as shown in FIG. 41, when the system is scaled up and a plurality of nodes 2008 to 2011 are connected to form an entire system, a connection transmission line (transmission between nodes) Roads) 2012 to 2015 share information transfer from a plurality of terminals 2016.
There is a problem that the information transfer capability of the inter-node transmission path becomes a bottleneck and the throughput is not improved. Therefore, even when the speed of the star LAN is increased, sh
It is necessary to solve the same problem as in the wired-media LAN, that is, the problem that the information transfer capability of the connection link between nodes becomes a bottleneck.

Conventionally, in order to solve such a problem that the information transfer capability of the inter-node connection link becomes a bottleneck, (1) a method of improving the information transfer capability of the inter-node connection link itself; A method is used to make effective use of the information transfer capability of the connection link.

In order to improve the information transfer capability of the inter-node connection link itself, the number of connection links is increased as shown in FIG. 42, or the speed of one connection link is increased as shown in FIG. (A method of changing the connection link speed between nodes to static (semi-fixed)).

In order to effectively utilize the information transfer capability of the inter-node connection link, a method (variable) of dynamically changing the connection link speed between the nodes (2018, 2019) as necessary as shown in FIG. Link speed method) and FIG.
As shown in (1), a method using multilink transfer, which is a transfer method using a plurality of paths at the data link level, has been adopted.

As described above, conventionally, various studies have been made to improve the link speed between nodes in an information communication system and to make effective use of the information transfer capability of the link between nodes, but at the data link level. In a system configured by connecting a plurality of (three or more) packet processing nodes due to an increase in scale or the like, studies on "what is the physical network topology in which a bottleneck is unlikely to occur?" Only the network configuration is studied (there is not much network configuration study that can effectively utilize the intra-system information transfer capability at the network level).

Here, the data link level refers to information transfer between adjacent packet processing nodes (refers to information transfer in which information is transferred between the same buffer queues when transferring packet information; Transfer using a route is allowed).

The network level is defined as End-
This means information transfer of the packet processing node between End and End when a plurality of packet processing nodes exist between the packet processing nodes between Ends (when transferring packet information, the packet is transferred via different relay queues). Information transfer).

However, as the scale of the network increases, the information communication system becomes complicatedly connected between nodes (2020 to 2024) as shown in FIG. I have. In such a multipath environment, when information is transferred, the sum of the remaining bandwidths of the inter-node connection links is larger than the required bandwidth of the user ATM terminal, and the remaining bandwidth of any one connection link is equal to the user ATM bandwidth. In some cases, the bandwidth may be smaller than the required bandwidth of the terminal. In this case, although the information transfer capacity of the link between the nodes of the system is not insufficient,
A problem arises in that the band required by the user ATM terminal cannot be satisfactorily allocated.

For example, as shown in FIG.
[Mbps] user ATM terminals D and E are connected to user ATM terminals C and A by the shortest path 203, respectively.
In the state where the connection of 2,203 is set,
[Mbps] user ATM terminal F is user A
When trying to establish a connection to TM terminal B,
In any of the transfer paths 2031-2034 and 2032-2033, a transfer capacity of only a maximum of I / 2 [Mbps] can be allocated, and the connection link becomes a bottleneck. Despite the remaining bandwidth remaining, it cannot be allocated.

In order to solve this problem, the allocation of inter-node connection resources is not performed on a physical link basis, but a bandwidth allocation over a plurality of physical links is allowed, and information via a plurality of physical links is transmitted. The problem can be solved by performing the transfer.

That is, the transfer paths 2031-2034,
2032-2033, the total I [Mb
[ps]. However, even in this method, as shown in FIG.
31-2034 and the transfer path 2032-2033 are queued at different nodes 2041 and 2043, respectively, and then transferred to B. In addition to the transfer path transfer delay,
The difference in the queuing delay within the node also becomes a problem, and there is a problem that the order of information transfer is reversed.

Conventionally, the problem of inversion of the information transfer order in such multipath transfer is a method of rearranging information in order at a node that receives information from a plurality of paths, that is, information that is transferred earlier is multipathed. A method of waiting until the transmission order numbers are completed and transferring the information to the next node when the transmission sequence numbers are completed is adopted.

However, in the case of such a method, multi-path transfer can be performed at high speed depending on the internal state of the network (number of nodes passing, queuing state, etc.) and single-path transfer can be performed. The case where high-speed transfer is possible changes, and there is a problem that the information transfer capability of the network under the multipath environment cannot be effectively used regardless of which transfer method is used. This is because even if the processing capacity of the system components (nodes and links) is sufficiently high, the processing capacity of the nodes and the transmission capacity of the links cannot be fully utilized in the entire system in which a plurality of nodes are connected. It means there is.

The problems of the prior art described above can be summarized as follows: (a) In an information communication system configured by connecting a plurality of packet processing nodes, the inter-node information transfer capability of the packet processing nodes is max (node If the remaining bandwidth of the inter-node connection link is less than the remaining bandwidth of the inter-node connection link, the packet processing node does not have insufficient inter-node information transfer capability in the single path transfer. Regardless, the throughput decreases.

(B) In order to solve the above problem a, when a method is adopted in which a band allocation over a plurality of physical links is allowed and information transfer through a plurality of physical links is also allowed, Reversal of the information transfer order occurs.

(C) Depending on the internal state of the network (the number of nodes passing, queuing state, etc.), the case where multipath transfer is advantageous for high-speed transfer and the case where single-path transfer is advantageous for high-speed transfer change.

[0031]

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Shared-med
In the case of the ia LAN and the star LAN, not only the speed of the system components (nodes and links) alone is increased, but also the problem that the information transfer capability of the inter-node connection link becomes a bottleneck is solved. , The system components (nodes, links) are connected to improve the throughput of the entire system.
It is an important technical issue to make effective use of the processing and transmission capabilities of (link). The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has been made in order to improve the throughput of an entire system configured by connecting system components (nodes and links), and to transfer information of the system components (nodes and links). An object of the present invention is to provide an information communication system capable of effectively utilizing the capabilities.

[0032]

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[0036]

[0037]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An information communication system according to the present invention is capable of reassigning information transfer capability to a plurality of physical links at a data link level and capable of accommodating multiple speeds in a mixed manner. A packet processing node, and transmission means for interconnecting the packet processing nodes, wherein when transferring a packet from one of the non-adjacent packet processing nodes to the other of the packet processing nodes, a multipath Determine whether to transfer by using a single path or by using a predetermined conditional expression.Even if transferring by single path at the network level, transfer by multipath at the data link level It is characterized by having made possible. Preferably, when the packet processing node receives information from the preceding packet processing node by multipath at the data link level, after rearranging the received information in order,
A means for transferring the packet to the subsequent packet processing node may be included. Preferably, the predetermined conditional expression may be based on a minimum transfer delay time and a maximum transfer delay time between the nodes.

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In the information communication system according to the present invention, the portion for allocating the information transfer capability of the packet processing node to the accommodation of the terminal and the portion for the connection between the packet processing nodes are separated. Allocated information transfer capability is assigned to one or more physically different connection links between the packet processing nodes, and the bandwidth allocation for one or more physical links between the packet processing nodes is made between the nodes. The configuration is such that it can be performed based on the sum of the remaining bandwidth of the connection links, and the multi-link transfer at the data link level is allowed for the information transfer between packet processing nodes. Between the remaining bandwidth of the connection link between the nodes and the transfer bandwidth required to transfer information between packet processing nodes , Max (remaining bandwidth of inter-node connection link) <band required for inter-node information transfer <Σremaining bandwidth of inter-node connection link also holds when the information transfer capability of inter-node connection link becomes a throughput bottleneck. Therefore, it is possible to provide a system that realizes high-speed packet transfer between nodes and is less likely to have a bottleneck in information transfer capability between nodes. Also, in the information communication system according to the present invention, a plurality of physical links between the packet processing nodes are allocated and routed as if they were one physical link. The routing cost can be reduced. Further, in the information communication system according to the present invention, the bandwidth allocation for performing the information transfer between the packet processing nodes is made as if based on the sum of the remaining bandwidths of one or more physical links existing between the packet processing nodes. It is characterized by allowing information transfer with a transfer bandwidth larger than the maximum remaining bandwidth of the physical link existing between the packet processing nodes, as if it were allocated to the physical link of the packet, so that high-speed and highly bursty information A system with high transfer durability can be provided. Further, in the information communication system according to the present invention, multipaths exist in a concentrated manner when information is transferred between packet processing nodes (although the existence of logical multipaths at the data link level is allowed, Since logical multipath at the network level is not allowed), the number of hops of the multipath route becomes the same, the problem of delay time variation due to the route, and the delay when using the multipath route simultaneously. Can be easily solved. Further, since the information communication system of the present invention does not allow physical multipath at the network level, it has a logical level at the network level which is lower than that at which physical multipath at the network level is allowed. It is highly consistent with the operation and management of a network without allowing a multipath, and it is possible to more efficiently utilize the information transfer capability of system components (nodes and links) of the network.

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[0093]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

<1> [Embodiment 1-1] FIG. 1 shows a basic embodiment of a network connection system using a network connection device according to the present invention. The network connection device (hereinafter referred to as IWU (InterW
or LAN) using two different LANs
111 and the LAN 112 are connected.
111 to the IWU 221 and the LAN 112 to the IWU 222
And IWU 221 and IWU 22
2 uses an ATM protocol as a unique protocol between IWUs, and IWU 221 uses LAN 111 and A
After performing protocol conversion with the TM protocol, the IWU22
2 is configured to perform protocol conversion between the LAN 112 and the ATM protocol. By using such a network connection method, the bandwidth of the inter-IWU communication path 91 can be effectively used, and a highly reliable communication path can be provided between the IWUs.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the schematic internal configuration of the network connection device IWU 221 of this embodiment.

The IWU 221 contains the connected L
About the information sent from AN 111, LAN 111
From the IP protocol to the ATM protocol, and the information sent from the inter-IWU communication
An inter-IWU protocol converter 31 for converting a TM protocol to a LAN 111 protocol is provided.
The IWU-to-IWU protocol conversion means 31 is configured using a destination information identification means 41 and a protocol conversion means 51. The destination information identification means 41 identifies the destination information of the information sent from the LAN 111 and responds to the destination information. The connection between the IWUs is allocated, and the protocol conversion unit 51 converts the frame format and the transmission speed. At the same time, the information sent from the inter-IWU communication path is transmitted from the ATM protocol to the LAN1.
In order to convert the information into a protocol, the protocol conversion means 51 converts the frame format and the transmission speed, and determines which connection in the communication path between the IWUs has passed.
, The processing of writing the destination information corresponding to the destination terminal in the LAN 111 is sequentially performed. Note that the order of arrangement of the destination information identification means 41 and the protocol conversion means 51 is not limited to the order shown in FIG. 2, and the order may be reversed.

The IWU 221 has a connection management means 71 for associating destination information of information sent from a terminal in the LAN 111 with a connection between the IWUs and managing and controlling the connection.
Information on the connection managed by the connection management unit 71 is stored in a destination / connection database (hereinafter, abbreviated as destination / connection DB) 81 managed by the connection management unit.
When connection-related information is required, the information is read out by the connection management means 71. Further, the IWU 221 includes an IWU management CPU (A1) for performing management control of the entire IWU 221 such as operation and maintenance of each unit provided in the IWU 221, monitoring of synchronization between the IWUs, and control of data input / output. I do. The IWU management CPU (A1) is connected to each unit in the IWU by a communication path (not shown) having a bus structure, and constantly monitors each unit in the IWU during operation of the IWU.

Note that the internal configuration of the IWU 221 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 2, but a configuration in which the IWU does not have the connection management means 71 or the destination / connection DB 81 as in each embodiment described later. Alternatively, a configuration in which the connection management means 71 and the IWU management CPU (A1) operate on the same processor, or a configuration in which the IWU management CPU (A1) and the IWU internal means are connected by a communication path having a ring configuration or a star configuration. It is also possible that there is such a case.

As described above, by performing the network connection as shown in FIG. 1 using the IWU shown in FIG. 2, a network connection device adapted to the protocol of the network to be connected in the conventional network connection. Although it was necessary to use it, it is sufficient to consider only the conversion between the operating network and the unique protocol between the IWUs (that is, the ATM protocol).
It is possible to make a network connection without being conscious of the type of the network to which the connection is made. Also, I
By adopting a connection-type ATM protocol as a proprietary protocol between WUs, it is possible to provide a highly reliable communication path between IWUs and to effectively use the communication band of the communication path between IWUs. .

[Embodiment 1-2] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a network connection system in a case where a network is connected by using the network connection device according to the present invention. This embodiment is based on an ATM network (ATM-LAN).
The network connection device of the present invention is applied to the case of connecting connection-type networks such as described above.

In this embodiment, the ATM-LAN 11
5, 116 are connected to each ATM-LAN 11
5 and 116 are managed and set by connection setting means (CO in the figure) 441 and 442, respectively.
Managed by FIG. 3 shows the ATM-L
Connections CO-1, CO-4, C from terminal 662 in AN 115 to terminal 664 in ATM-LAN 116
O-6 and the connections CO-2, CO-3, CO-5 set between the connection setting means for setting a connection between the ATM-LANs 115, 116.
Are also shown.

FIG. 4 shows IWUs 223 and 22 of this embodiment.
4 shows an example of the internal schematic configuration of FIG. Data / connection selection means G2 receiving information from ATM-LAN
When the information transmitted from the destination information is connection setting request information, the information is sent to the connection setting means F2. When the information is normal Data, the information is transmitted to the VP / VC identification means 42
Send to The connection setting means F2 receives the transmitted connection setting request information and the resource management means E2.
Is determined from the resource management information sent via the connection management means 72 from the server to determine whether the requested connection can be set up in the inter-IWU communication path 92.
When the setting is possible, the information of the newly set connection is sent to the connection management means 72, and the connection management means 72 controls the VP / VC identification means 42 in the ATM-LAN in the IWU protocol conversion means 32. VP / VC connection in ATM-LAN 115 and I
Match with the VP / VC connection in the communication path between WUs. The connection management unit 72 stores information of the managed connection in the connection DB 82 and performs connection management.

An example of a procedure for setting a connection from the terminal 662 to the terminal 664 between the ATM-LANs 115 and 116 using the IWUs 223 and 224 will be described below. (1) The connection setting request from the terminal 662 is sent to the ATM
-Sent to the connection setting means 441 in the LAN 115.

The communication system between the connection setting means 441 and the terminal 662 may be a broadcast information transmission system, may follow a signaling procedure,
A method of setting PVC in advance may be used. (2) The connection setting means 441 is the ATM-LAN1
15, the terminal 662 and the IWU2
It is determined whether or not a connection requested between the terminal and the terminal can be set. If the connection can be set, a connection setting request from the terminal 662 is sent to the IWU 223.

Here, the connection set by the connection management means 441 corresponds to the ATM-LAN shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 115 denotes a connection CO-1. Further, a connection CO-2 exists between the connection setting unit 441 and the connection setting unit 331 in the IWU 223 (corresponding to F2 in FIG. 4). (3) Upon receiving the connection setting request information from the connection setting means 441, the IWU 223
When it is determined that a connection can be set up between 3, 224, the inter-IWU connection CO-4 is set up. (4) The connection setting unit 331 that has set the required connection between the IWUs 223 and 224 sends a connection setting request from the terminal 662 to the connection setting unit 332 in the IWU 224.

Here, a connection CO-3 exists between the connection setting means between the connection setting means 331 in the IWU 223 and the connection setting means 332 in the IWU 224.

The method of setting the connection CO-3 may be set according to a signaling procedure or a method of setting a connection in advance. (5) Upon receiving the connection setting request, the connection setting unit 332 in the IWU 224 sends the connection setting request to the connection setting unit 44 in the ATM-LAN 116.
Send to 2.

Here, the connection setting means 442 and I
The connection setting unit 332 in the WU 224 (F2 in FIG. 4)
), A connection CO-5 exists.
The method of setting the connection CO-5 may be set according to a signaling procedure or a method of setting a connection in advance. (6) The connection setting means 442 is the ATM-LAN1
16, the IWU 224 and the terminal 6
It is determined whether the requested connection can be set up during 64, and if the connection can be set up, the IWU
A connection CO-6 is set between the H.224 and the terminal 664. (7) By following the same procedure in reverse, the connection connection completion information is sent to the terminal 662 to complete the connection shown in FIG.

Here, the internal configuration of the IWUs 223, 224 is not limited to the method shown in FIG.
And the connection setting means 72 are configured as one means (for example, operating with the same CPU).
Various other configuration methods are conceivable.

The connection setting procedure is not limited to that shown here. For example, the connection setting means 332 in the IWU 224 does not pass through the IWU 223 and the AT
A method of establishing a connection between the connection setting means 442 in the M-LAN 116 and establishing a connection between the terminals 662 and 664, and similarly, without using the connection setting means 331 in the IWU 223, the ATM-LAN 1
15 and a method of establishing a connection between the terminals 662 and 664 by setting a connection between the connection setting means 441 in the IWU 224 and the connection setting means 332 in the IWU 224.

[Embodiment 1-3] FIG. 5 shows a network connection method for connecting a LAN (hereinafter referred to as a CL-type LAN) performing connectionless communication using a network connection apparatus according to the present invention. An example will be described.

In the network connection method shown in FIG.
In the communication path between WUs 225 and 226, a plurality of PVCs (Perm
anent Virtual Connection) and set CL-type LAN1
13 and the same destination information of the data packet sent from the LAN 114 is transferred on the same PVC set between the IWUs. Therefore, only the data packets of the same destination information pass through the same PVC between the IWUs, and it is possible to simultaneously transfer data packets to the destinations for the number of PVCs set between the IWUs.

By using such an ATM protocol PVC, even if the ATM protocol which is a connection type protocol is used as a unique protocol between IWUs,
Communication between L-type LANs can be provided.

FIG. 6 shows IWUs 225 and 2 shown in FIG.
26 shows an example of the internal schematic configuration of the H.26. The IWU 225 includes an IWU protocol conversion unit 33 that converts information transmitted from the connected CL-type LAN 113 from a protocol of the LAN 113 to an ATM protocol. Here, the IWU protocol conversion unit 33 includes a unit 53 having the same function as the IWU protocol conversion unit 31 in the IWU 221 shown in FIG. However,
The IWU 225 stores therein destination information of information sent from a terminal in the LAN 113 and IWUs 225 and 22.
A PVC management means 73 for managing and controlling the PVC by associating with the PVC set between the six is provided. Further, similarly to the case of the IWU 221, the PVC management unit 73
Information about PVCs managed by
Destination / PVC- managed by management means 73
It is stored in the DB 83. When information on PVC is required, the information is read out by the PVC management means 73. Here, PVC for setting a PVC between IWUs at the time of IWU installation or network connection
The setting means B3 exists in the IWUs 225 and 226.

Further, the IWU 225 contains the IWU 22
An IWU management CPU (A3) exists for performing management control of the entire IWU 225, such as operation and maintenance of each unit in 5, the monitoring of synchronization between IWUs, and the control of data input / output. Although not shown in the figure, this IWU management CPU (A3)
Is connected to each unit in the IWU 225 by a communication path such as a bus structure or a ring structure, and constantly monitors each unit in the IWU 225 during operation of the IWU. However,
The internal configuration of IWUs 225 and 226 is not limited to the configuration as shown in FIG.
As in the first embodiment, various configurations can be used.

By performing communication between IWUs by setting PVCs as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in advance, the overhead for setting up a connection between IWUs can be reduced. It is possible to provide a communication path with a short transfer delay time. Also,
Since the PVC is set in advance, the table for connection identification necessary in the IWU and the management means of the table can be small, and the hardware amount of the IWU can be reduced.

[Embodiment 1-4] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a network connection system in the case of connecting a LAN performing connectionless communication using the network connection apparatus according to the present invention. In this embodiment, instead of using a fixed connection such as PVC as an ATM connection between network connection devices as shown in FIG.
When a CL-type data packet arrives at the IWU 227 from the AN 113, a connection corresponding to the destination information is established between the IWUs 227 and 228 on demand.
nd), and thereafter, when a data packet having the same destination information arrives, the IWU communication is realized by a method in which the data is sequentially put on the set connection and transferred. If it is determined that the connection is unnecessary, such as when the set connection has not been used for a certain period of time, the connection is disconnected and the connection is made to correspond to the destination information of the newly arriving data packet. To be reserved.

In this way, the connection of the ATM protocol is set every time a CL-type data packet arrives,
When the connection becomes unnecessary, the connection is released, and the connection-oriented protocol ATM is released.
Even when the protocol is used, communication between the networks between the CL-type LANs 113 and 114 can be provided. FIG. 8 shows an example of the internal schematic configuration of the IWUs 227 and 228 shown in FIG. In the IWU 227, the connected C
The information sent from the L-type LAN 113 is
IW that converts from existing protocol to ATM protocol
The IW shown in FIG.
Means 54 having the same function as IWU protocol conversion means 31 in U221 is included.

The destination information identifying means 44 which has received the data packet from the CL type LAN sends the identified destination information to the On demand connection setting means C4.
On demand The connection setting means C4 determines that the destination is already I based on the information from the connection management means 74.
It is determined whether or not the connection is set in the inter-WU communication path 94, and if the connection is already set, the set connection is assigned. If the destination information is not yet set as a connection, an unused connection is newly assigned to the destination information,
The assigned connection is stored in connection management means 7
4 and further notifies the destination information identification means 44 of the newly associated destination information and connection information. The notified destination information identifying means 44 converts the destination information into a connection identifier within the IWU, and
It will be transmitted to the inter-communication path 94.

Further, the connection management means 74 is provided by the IWU
When the connection between the communication terminals is monitored and the connection is determined to be unnecessary because the connection has not been used for a certain period of time or a communication end notification has been received from the transmitting terminal, the connection disconnecting means D4 disconnects the connection. A command is sent, and the connection disconnecting unit D4 issues a connection disconnecting instruction to the IWU protocol conversion unit 34. In addition, the connection management means 74 is the IWU 22
According to the resource use status in the inter-IWU communication path obtained by the resource management means E4 in 7, an instruction is sent to the on demand connection setting means C4 as to how many connections can be set later. Further, the connection management means 74 constantly monitors how many connections are set in the inter-IWU communication path 94, and information on the connections is stored and managed in the destination / connection DB 84.

Further, in the IWU 227, the IWU management CPU (A4) performs management control of each unit in the IWU. Further, the IWU 227 is not limited to the configuration shown here, but may naturally be a method of arranging each means as shown in FIG.

On demand as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG.
By setting a connection to a communication path between IWUs, the number of connections set between IWUs can be freely changed without being limited by the number of PVCs set in advance. In addition, since overhead such as PVC setting does not occur at system startup,
It is possible to quickly start up the system. Further, since the requested communication band is sequentially allocated to the communication path, the communication band in the inter-IWU communication path can be used as much as necessary, and the communication band can be used effectively.

[Embodiment 1-5] FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a network connection system for connecting a connection-type network using the network connection device according to the present invention. Also in the network connection system according to the present embodiment, a configuration is shown in which an ATM network (ATM-LAN) is connected. In this embodiment, A
Connections within TM-LAN 115 and 116 are ATM
At the same time as the management and setting by the connection setting means (CO in the figure) 441 and 442 in the LAN 115 and 116, the connection in the communication path between the IWUs 229 and 230 is also set by the connection setting means 441 and 442 in the ATM-LAN 115 or 116. It will be managed and set.

FIG. 9 shows a connection between a terminal 662 in the ATM-LAN 115 to a terminal 664 in the ATM-LAN 116 and a connection between each connection setting means for setting a connection between the ATM-LANs 115 and 116. The connection being made is also shown.

FIG. 10 shows IWUs 229 and 2 shown in FIG.
30 shows an example of the internal schematic configuration of 30. Upon receiving the information from the ATM-LAN, the IWU protocol converter 35
ATM- based on the control from the connection management means 75
The VP / VC connection in the LAN 115 is matched with the VP / VC connection in the communication path between IWUs. Since the IWUs 229 and 230 of this embodiment have no connection setting means, basically, it is only necessary to change the connection between the ATM-LAN and the IWU.

However, in this case, the resource management information in the inter-IWU communication path needs to be sent to the connection setting means in the ATM-LAN 115 or 116 which has set up the connection in the inter-IWU communication path. Therefore, in the IWU of the present embodiment, the IWU 229,2
30. The connection management means 75 in the server 30 transmits the resource management information in the inter-IWU communication path from the resource management means E5,
ATM-LAN 11 through resource information creation means B5
5 or the ATM-LA
The data is sent to the connection setting means 442 in N116.

Also in the present embodiment, the connection management means 75 stores the information of the managed connection in the connection DB 85 and performs the connection management.
An example of a procedure for setting a connection from the terminal 662 to the terminal 664 between the ATM-LANs 115 and 116 as shown in FIG. 9 using the IWUs 229 and 230 shown in FIG. 10 will be described below. (1) The connection setting request from the terminal 662 is sent to the ATM-
The data is sent to the connection setting means 441 in the LAN 115. Here, the connection setting means 441 and the terminal 662
The communication method between them may be an information transmission method by broadcast, may follow a signaling procedure, or may be a method of setting PVC in advance. (2) When the connection setting request is not a request addressed to a terminal in the ATM-LAN 115, the connection setting means 441 transmits the resource management information in the ATM-LAN 115 and the communication path between the IWUs 229 and 230 sent from the IWU 229. Terminal 662 and IW
It is determined whether the connection requested between U229 and IWU 230 can be set up, and if a connection can be set up, a connection setting request from terminal 662 is sent to IWU 229. Here, the connection management means 4
The connection set by 41 is the ATM in FIG.
A connection CO-2 in the LAN 115 and a connection CO-4 between the IWUs. Also, a connection CO- is provided between the connection setting means 441 and the IWU 229.
There is one. The method of setting the connection CO-1 may be a method according to a signaling procedure, or a method of setting a connection in advance. (3) Upon receiving the connection setting request information from the connection setting means 441, the IWU 229 places the connection setting request information on the connection setting request information connection CO-3 between the IWUs and sends the connection setting request information to the IWU 230. In addition, connection CO-3
May be a method according to a signaling procedure or a method in which a connection is set in advance. (4) The IWU 230 sends the connection setting request information sent by CO-3 to the connection setting means 442 on the connection setting request information connection CO-5 in the ATM-LAN 116. (5) The connection setting means 442 is the ATM-LAN 11
6, the IWU 230 and the terminal 66
4 to determine whether the requested connection can be set up. If the connection can be set up, IWU2
A connection CO-6 is set between the terminal 28 and the terminal 664. (6) By following the same procedure in reverse, the connection connection completion information is sent to the terminal 662 to complete the connection in FIG.

The IWU 2 of the present embodiment that provides the above functions
The internal configuration of each of 29 and 230 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 10, and various types of configuration methods are conceivable as in the case of IWUs 227 and 228 shown in FIGS. Also, the connection setting procedure is not limited to that shown here.
Connection setting means 44 for setting connection between WUs
1 or the AT to which the terminal that issued the connection setting request belongs,
A method is also conceivable in which the connection setting means for setting the M-LAN connection also sets the connection between the IWUs.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the connection setting means is distributed and provided in the unit network and the IWU, so that when the load of the connection setting in the ATM-LAN is large, Connection with another network can be performed without concentrating the load of connection setting by connection on one connection setting unit. Also, as in the configuration shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the connection setting load between the IWUs is also borne by the connection setting means in the ATM-LAN, so that the CPU load in the IWU is reduced and the network connection is reduced. It is possible to reduce the load on the device.

By arranging the IWUs having both functions as described above in a well-balanced manner between networks, it is easy to realize a balanced network configuration without bias in connection setting load and network management load. Become like

[Embodiment 1-6] Each embodiment has been described above. Next, the ATM-L will be described by using the network connection device according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13.
Three embodiments will be described in which a network connection between ANs is performed to realize a copy connection spanning between an ATM and a LAN.

Copy means 771, 7 shown in each figure
The copying means in 72, 773, and 774 include a broadcasting means for transmitting the same information to all the terminals to which the copying means performs the copy service, and an information transmission to some of the service target terminals. Can be conceived as a multicast means for copying and transmitting the data. By providing such a broadcasting means and a multicasting means in the copying means, the information from the terminal 661 in the ATM-LAN 115 can be broadcast to all the terminals in the ATM-LAN 116 by the following three configurations. -It is also possible to send information to some specific terminals in the LAN 116. Hereinafter, details of each embodiment will be described.

(Embodiment 1-6-1) In the configuration shown in FIG. 11, the terminal 661 in the ATM-LAN 115
A copy connection is set to the terminals 662, 663, and 664 in the M-LAN 116.

Here, terminals 661 to 662 and 66
The method of setting the connection to 3,664 is AT
The connection setting means 441 in the M-LAN 115
The connection CO-1 in the TM-LAN 115 is set, and the connection setting means in the IWU 231 or IWU 232 sets the connection CO-2 between the IWUs,
Connection setting means 442 in ATM-LAN 116
Is the connection CO-3, C in the ATM-LAN 116.
O-4, CO-5, CO-6, and CO-7 may be set. Alternatively, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 connects the connection CO-1, CO-
2 and the connection setting means 442 in the ATM-LAN 116 sets the connections CO-3, CO-4, CO
-5, CO-6, and CO-7 may be set. Further, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 sets the connection CO-1,
The connection setting means 442 in the M-LAN 116 establishes connections CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, CO-5,
CO-6 and CO-7 may be set.

[0135] The connection CO-
1, CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, CO-5, CO-
6, the copy function is provided by CO-7 in the following procedure in the copy method in FIG. (1) The information sent from the terminal 661 is the connection C
ATM-L from IWU 231 by O-1, CO-2
It is sent to the IWU 232 in the AN 116. (2) The transmitted information is further transmitted from the IWU 232 to the A
It is sent to the copy means 771 in the TM-LAN 116. (3) The information subjected to the copy processing by the copy unit 771 is sent to the exchange unit 552 again by the connection CO-4. (4) The exchange means 552 has connections CO-5, CO-
6, terminal 6 in ATM-LAN 116 by CO-7
The information is transmitted to 62, 663, and 664, respectively. Here, the copy unit 771 may be provided inside the exchange unit 552, or the exchange unit 552 and the copy unit 771 may be connected to an ATM.
-It may be configured as an independent unit in the LAN 116. The copy means 771 is the ATM-LAN1
16, a connection is directly set from the IWU 232 to the copy unit 771, and the copy unit 771 is connected to the terminal 66 via the exchange unit 552.
The connection may be set such that the connection is set to 2, 663, 664. Further, the connection from the copy unit 771 does not necessarily need to send the copied data to the exchange unit 552 that has sent the data to the copy unit 771, and the connection from the copy unit 771 is transmitted via another exchange unit in the ATM-LAN 116. The connection may be such that data is sent to the terminals 662, 663, 664.

By using such a method, the AT
A copy connection from the M-LAN 115 to the ATM-LAN 116 can be provided. In addition, by leaving the copy means to the copy means in the ATM-LAN 116, a copy connection between networks can be provided only by setting a connection of one band of copy information as a connection between IWUs. I have.

(Example 1-6-2) In FIG.
The terminal 661 in the ATM-LAN 115 is the ATM-LAN
A copy connection is set to the terminals 662, 663, 664 in 116.

In this case, the copy method has a configuration in which a copy means is provided inside the network connection device (IWU) so that a copy connection across networks can be set. Also, the terminal 66
1 to the terminals 662, 663, and 664 as in the above-described embodiment.
The connection setting means 441 in the AN 115
The connection CO-1 in the LAN 115 is set, and the IW
The connection setting means in the U233 or the IWU 234 sets the connection CO-2 between the IWUs and the ATM-
The connection setting means 442 in the LAN 116 is an ATM
The connections CO-3, CO-4 in the LAN 116,
CO-5 may be set. Alternatively, ATM-
The connection setting means 441 in the LAN 115 sets the connections CO-1 and CO-2, and
16 has connection C
A method of setting O-3, CO-4, and CO-5 may be used. Further, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 sets the connection CO-1, and
The connection setting means 442 in the TM-LAN 116 sets the connection CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, CO-5.
May be set.

[0139] The connection CO-
1, CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, and CO-5 provide a copy function in the following procedure in the copy method in FIG. (1) The information sent from the terminal 661 is the connection C
ATM-L from IWU233 by O-1, CO-2
Sent to IWU 234 in AN 116. (2) The IWU 234 performs copy processing in the internal copy means 773. (3) The copied information is sent from the IWU 234 to the terminal 6
The connection CO- set to 62, 663, 664
3, CO-4, CO-5, terminals 662, 663,
664.

By using such a method, FIG.
1, it is possible to provide the copy means within the IWU 234, instead of burdening the copy means in the ATM-LAN 116.
It is possible to provide a copy connection across networks without increasing the number of connections required in the network. In addition, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, a copy function across networks can be provided only by defining one connection between IWUs.

(Example 1-6-2) In FIG.
The terminal 661 in the ATM-LAN 115 is the ATM-LAN
A copy connection is set to the terminals 662, 663, 664 in 116. Also in this case, FIG.
2 as in the embodiment shown in FIG.
A configuration in which copying means is provided in U) realizes a copy connection spanning networks. However, in the case of FIG.
-Copy means 77 is provided in the IWU 235 on the LAN 115 side.
4 exists, but the IWU 23 on the ATM-LAN 116 side
A method for realizing a copy means in the case where there is no copy means in 6 is considered. Terminal 661 in such a case
As for the method of setting the connection from the ATM-LAN 11 to the terminals 662, 663, and 664, as in the previous case,
5 is the ATM-LAN1
15 is set, and the IWU 235
Alternatively, the connection setting means in the IWU 236
The connection setting means 4 in the ATM-LAN 116 sets the connections CO-2, CO-3, CO-4 between them.
Reference numeral 42 denotes a connection CO- in the ATM-LAN 116.
5, CO-6 and CO-7 may be set. Alternatively, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 connects the connections CO-1, CO-2, CO-3,
CO-4 is set, and the connection setting means 442 in the ATM-LAN 116 connects the connections CO-5 and CO-
6, CO-7 may be set. Further, the connection setting means 4 in the ATM-LAN 115
41 sets the connection CO-1 and the ATM-LAN
The connection setting means 442 in the connection 116 includes the connections CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, CO-5, CO-6.
CO-7 may be set.

The connection CO-
1, CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, CO-5, CO-
6, CO-7 provides the copying means in the method of FIG. 13 by the following procedure. (1) The information transmitted from the terminal 661 is the connection CO
-1 to the IWU 235. (2) Information copy processing is performed by the copy means 774 inside the IWU 235. (3) The information subjected to the copy processing is the connection CO-2, C
It is sent to the IWU 236 by O-3 and CO-4. (4) In the IWU 236, the connection CO-
2, CO-3, CO-4 and connections CO-5, CO-6, CO-7 in the ATM-LAN 116 are matched, and the respective connections are connected. (5) The copy information sent from the IWU 236 is transmitted to the terminal 66 via the connections CO-5, CO-6, and CO-7.
2,663,664.

By using such a method, the IW
Even when one of the IWUs does not have a copy unit when performing inter-U communication, it is possible to provide a copy unit with a connection across networks without burdening the copy unit that may exist in the ATM-LAN 116. It becomes possible. Further, similarly to the advantage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, a copy connection from the ATM-LAN 115 can be provided to the ATM-LAN 116 even when there is no copy means in the ATM-LAN 116.

As in the case of the method in FIG. 13, when a copy function is provided on the network on the transmission side, copying of information is performed by a copy means provided in the ATM-LAN 115 as shown in FIG. After going, I
By transmitting information from the terminal 661 to the terminals 662, 663, and 664 via the WUs 235 and 236, it is also possible to provide a copy unit extending between networks.

[Embodiment 1-7] Next, FIG. 14 and FIG.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the network configuration in the case where the network connection device according to the present invention is used to provide datagram communication over an ATM-LAN. Here, CLSF (Connection-Less Service) is used as a means for providing datagram communication between ATM and LAN.
Function) shows two examples in which a processing means is used.

(Example 1-7-1) In FIG.
The terminal 662 in the ATM-LAN 115 is connected to the ATM-LA
A connection is set to perform datagram communication with the terminal 663 in N116.

Here, as a method of setting a connection from the terminal 662 to the terminal 663, the ATM-LAN 115
Of the ATM-LAN 11
5, the connection setting means in the IWU 237 or IWU 238 sets the connection CO-2 between the IWUs, and the ATM-LAN 11
6 is the ATM-LAN 1
16 may be set. Alternatively, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 sets the connections CO-1 and CO-2,
Connection setting means 442 in ATM-LAN 116
May set the connection CO-3. Further, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 sets the connection CO-1,
The connection setting means 442 in the M-LAN 116 may set the connections CO-2 and CO-3.

Instead of setting each connection by the connection setting means, a connection is previously allocated to the terminal in the ATM-LAN and the IWU or the CLSF processing means in the IWU by a setting method such as PVC. In addition, when the terminal 662 performs the datagram communication, the information may be put on the preset connection and transferred. Alternatively, the connection between the IWUs is not set by the connection setting means, but is
A method of setting a connection like VC may be used. Furthermore, an on-demand connection setting method that sets a connection each time datagram information arrives may be used.

[0149] The connection CO-
1, CO-2 and CO-3 provide datagram communication by the following procedure in the method of FIG. (1) The information sent from the terminal 662 is the connection CO
-1 means CLSF processing means 881 in IWU 237
Sent to (2) The CLSF processing means 881 determines that the destination terminal is the ATM-LAN 11 based on the destination information of the datagram information.
5, the information is transmitted to the IWU 238 by the connection CO-2 in the inter-IWU communication path. (3) The IWU 238 reads from the destination information of the transmitted datagram information to which terminal in the ATM-LAN 116 the information is directed. (4) The datagram information is transmitted from the IWU 238 to the terminal 663 to the terminal 663 through the connection CO-3 indicating whether the datagram is newly set or is set in advance.

The CLSF function is provided by the IW
The CLSF processing means 881 in the U237 may be used.
The CLSF processing means 882 in the U238 may be used.

(Example 1-7-2) In FIG.
The terminal 662 in the ATM-LAN 115 is the ATM-LAN
A connection is set so as to perform datagram communication with the terminal 663 in the terminal 116.

Here, as a method of setting a connection from the terminal 662 to the terminal 663, the ATM-LAN 115
Of the ATM-LAN 11
5, the connection CO-1, 2 is set, and the IWU 23
9 or the connection setting means in the IWU 240
Set up connection CO-3 between U and ATM-LAN
116 is the ATM-LA
The connections CO-4 and N5 in N116 may be set. Alternatively, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 may connect
May be set, and the connection setting means 442 in the ATM-LAN 116 may set the connections CO-4 and CO-4. Further, the connection setting means 441 in the ATM-LAN 115 connects the connection CO-1,
2, the connection setting means 442 in the ATM-LAN 116 may set the connections CO-3, 4, 5.

Further, each connection is not set by the connection setting means but between the terminal in the ATM-LAN and the CLSF processing means or between the CLSF processing means and the IW.
During U, a connection is allocated in advance by a setting method such as PVC, and when the terminal 662 performs datagram communication, information is transferred by placing information on a preset datagram connection. You may do it. Also, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the connection CO-3 between the IWUs may not be set by the connection setting means but may be a method in which a connection such as PVC is set in advance. Alternatively, an on-demand connection setting method that sets a connection each time datagram information arrives may be used.

The connection CO-
1, CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, and CO-5 provide datagram communication by the following procedure in the method of FIG. (1) The information sent from the terminal 662 is the connection CO
-1 is sent to the CLSF processing means 883 in the ATM-LAN 115. (2) If the CLSF processing means 883 determines from the destination information of the datagram information that the data is not delivery data into the ATM-LAN 115, the IWU is connected to the IWU 239 by the connection CO-2 set between the IWU 239 and the IWU 239.
239 is transmitted. (3) The IWU 239 transmits information to the IWU 240 through a connection CO-3 indicating whether a new connection is established between the IWUs or is preset based on the destination information of the transmitted datagram information. (4) In the IWU 240, when the transmitted information passes through a connection for datagram information (such as CO-3), the information is transmitted to the C-
It is transmitted to the LSF processing means 884. (5) The CLSF processing means 884 reads from the destination information of the sent datagram information which terminal in the ATM-LAN 116 is the information, and transmits the information to the terminal 663 by the connection CO-5. I do.

By adopting such a configuration shown in FIG. 14 or FIG.
It is possible to provide datagram communication that spans ATM-LAN when an ATM-LAN that does not have F processing means is connected or when CLSF processing means is used as a means in the ATM-LAN. become able to do.

[Embodiment 1-8] Next, FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of a network connection system for performing connection-type communication over a plurality of networks using the above-described network connection apparatus according to the present invention. Is shown. In the figure, the terminal 662 in the ATM-LAN 115
-Connections CO-1, CO-2, CO- to the terminal 663 in the ATM-LAN 116 through the LAN 117
Connection setting means 441, 442, 44 for setting a connection together with 3, CO-4 and CO-5.
3, 333, 334, 335, 336, connection CO for connection setting request set in advance
-6, CO-7, CO-8, CO-9, CO-10, C
O-11 is shown.

It is to be noted that although the connection network is shown assuming only a connection-type network, the network to be connected is not limited to the connection-type network, and the various connection-less networks described above are used. By using the network connection method, a connectionless network can be connected.

Referring to FIG. 16, terminals 662 to 663 are used.
The procedure for setting up a connection to the server is shown below. (1) The connection setting request signal from the terminal 662 is AT
It is sent to the connection setting means 441 in the M-LAN 115. Here, the connection setting means 441 and the terminal 6
The communication method between the 62 may be an information transmission method by broadcast, may follow a signaling procedure, or may be a method of setting a PVC in advance. (2) Since the connection connection requesting terminal (terminal 663) is not in the ATM-LAN 115, the connection setting means 441 sets the connection CO-1 between the terminal 662 and the IWU 241 and transmits the connection setting request information to the connection CO-6. To the connection setting means 333 in the IWU 241 using However, if the setting cannot be made, a connection rejection signal is sent to the terminal 662. (3) The connection setting means 333 communicates with the IWU 241 and the IW
If a connection can be set during U245, the connection CO-2 is set, and connection setting request information is sent to the connection setting means 335 in the IWU 245 using the connection CO-7. However, when a connection cannot be set, a connection rejection signal is sent to the connection setting means 441 using the connection CO-6. (4) The connection setting means 335 transmits the connection setting request information to the ATM-LAN using the connection CO-8.
117 to the connection setting means 443. (5) Since the terminal (terminal 663) of the connection connection request destination is not in the ATM-LAN 117, the connection setting means 443 sets the connection CO between the IWUs 245 and 246.
-3 is set, and the connection setting request information is sent to the connection setting means 336 in the IWU 246 using the connection CO-9. However, if the setting cannot be made, a connection rejection signal is sent to the connection setting means 335.

Since the ATM-LAN 117 is a network for connecting between the ATM-LAN as a backbone network, the connection setting means 443 determines which AT the connection connection request destination terminal is.
They know whether they belong to the M-LAN. (6) The connection setting means 336 communicates with the IWU 246 and the I
If a connection can be set up between the WUs 242, a connection CO-4 is set up, and connection setting request information is sent to the connection setting means 334 in the IWU 242 using the connection CO-10. However, if the connection cannot be set, a connection rejection signal is sent to the connection setting unit 44 using the connection CO-9.
Send to 3. (7) The connection setting means 334 sends the connection setting request information to the connection setting means 442 in the ATM-LAN 116 using the connection CO-11. (8) Since the connection setting request destination terminal is in the ATM-LAN 116, the connection setting
A connection CO-5 is set between the WU 242 and the terminal 663, and the connection connection information is transmitted to the connection CO-11.
Using the connection setting means 334 in the IWU 242
Send to However, if the setting cannot be made, a connection rejection signal is sent to the connection setting means 334. (9) Connection The connection information is sequentially returned, and a connection is finally established between the terminal 662 and the terminal 663.

Here, for the sake of simplicity, the configuration is such that the connection setting means is also provided within the IWU.
The connection setting unit 441 sets the configuration such as the connection CO-2.
May be configured to be set. Also, the connection between the IWUs is set by the connection setting means in the IWU on the connection setting request side, and also in this case, the connection setting means of the IWU on the opposite side of the connection setting request side sets the connection between the IWUs. For example, the connection CO-2 is connected to the connection connection unit 333.
May be set by the connection setting means 335 instead of the setting.

Further, in FIG. 16, the connection is set between the connection setting means in the IWU in advance and the connection setting request information is transferred, but the connection setting request information is transferred. A configuration in which connection setting request information is transferred using a newly set connection, for example, IWU
After setting the connection CO-2 between the H.241 and the IWU 245, a connection setting request signal is sent using the connection CO-2 to the connection setting means 333 to 33.
5 may be adopted.

By using such a network connection method, it is possible to configure a wide-area LAN by connecting a plurality of ATM-LANs and various networks by a high-speed backbone ATM network. In addition, the configuration shown in FIG.
15 and the ATM-LAN 116 are not directly connected between LANs, it is possible to set a high-speed ATM connection between the terminal 662 in the ATM-LAN 115 and the terminal 663 in the ATM-LAN 116. A high-speed network configuration using a plurality of ATM-LANs can be realized.

The backbone network A
By configuring the connection setting means 443 in the TM-LAN 117 to perform all the connection management between the IWUs, when the ATM-LAN operated by the user connects to the backbone network, the ATM-LAN
If one IWU is installed and connected to the ATM-LAN 117 without adding new means, another ATM-LA
Communication with N is also possible, and the configuration is such that network operation and network expansion can be realized more easily than before.

[Embodiment 2-1] FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of a network connection system using the network connection device according to the present invention. In FIG. 17, the LAN (A1
11, A112, A113) are connected to the network connection devices A221, A222, A2 provided in the respective LANs.
23 shows an example of a network configuration in a case where the connection is made by the H.23. Here, each IWU (A221, A222,
A223) includes protocol conversion means A441 and A44.
2, A443, and connection setting means A881,
A882 and A883 are provided.

FIG. 18 shows the IWU (A2
21 to A223) are schematic diagrams of an embodiment of the internal configuration.

This IWU has modularized protocol conversion means A31-1 to A31-n as module means for converting the protocol conversion between the connected LAN and the ATM protocol as an interface means on the LAN side. Here, n is the number of LAN-side interfaces that the IWU can have. In addition, it is expected that buffer means for waiting for packets during the processing time required for protocol conversion and information collision will be required in this case, but this buffer means can be provided in the modular protocol conversion means. And the buffer means itself is I
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the modularized protocol conversion means has an interface with the buffer provided on the WU main body. Also, the modularized protocol conversion means A3
1-1 to A31-n perform conversion between an address system in a connected LAN and an address system of a protocol between IWUs (that is, an ATM protocol), and also perform a conversion between a protocol in a connected LAN and a communication path between IWUs. The configuration has an interface for inputting and outputting connection management information.

Further, in the IWU, connection setting means AM1 for setting an ATM connection between the network connection devices, as well as a connection set between the network connection devices, and address information and connection information are managed. Connection management means A
There are 71. The connection management means A71 is configured to store and manage the address of the LAN and the connection between the IWUs managed therein and information on the connection in a connection database A81 existing in the IWU. In addition, a resource management unit AE1 for obtaining information necessary for connection setting from each inter-IWU communication path is provided.

In this resource management means AE1, the IWU
As the resource information of the inter-communication path, resource information such as the number of connection settings, the used bandwidth (peak value, average value, etc.) and the communication band of each communication path is managed. The resource management information collected by the resource management means AE1 is sent to the connection management means A71 and used as information for connection management, and the connection for setting connections in the IWU communication paths A91-1 to A91-n. It is also sent to the setting means AM1 and used as resource information in the communication path necessary for connection setting.

In the IWU, the module protocol conversion means A31-1 to A31-n include the IWU.
Module connection means A between the IWU main body and the module conversion protocol
H1-1 to AH1-n are configured to exist. This provides means such as a connector for attaching / detaching the modularized protocol conversion means to / from the IWU main body. The means of the IWU main body are configured to be terminated once by the module connection means. Even if there is no modularized IWU protocol conversion means before the IWU, the IWU main body can provide such means.

Further, module connection means AH1-1 to AH1-1
Between AH1-n and switching means AZ1, there are I / F means AJ1-3 to AJ1-n for adjusting to an input interface to switching means AZ1. Further, a communication path A91 between the switching means AZ1 and the IWU.
There are AJ2-1 to AJ2-n for matching output interfaces to -1 to A91-n. These I
The / F means is an I / F means AJ3-1 in FIG.
AJ3-n and AJ4-1 to AJ4-n.

Here, the protocol conversion means between the IWU and the network is modularized so as to be detachable from the main body of the IWU. However, the protocol conversion means required for the IWU is not necessarily configured to be detachable. It is not necessary that the protocol conversion unit be embedded in the main body of the IWU. Alternatively, only the protocol conversion means is I
A configuration may be adopted in which the protocol conversion unit and the IWU main unit are installed separately from the WU main unit so that information can be transferred by some means. In addition, IWU
There is an IWU management CPU (AA1) for performing overall timing control, management of means to be provided by the IWU, and the like. In the figure, the IWU management CPU exists alone, but in an actual IWU, an internal bus exists between the IWU management CPU and each unit in the IWU in FIG.

By realizing such an IWU configuration, compared with a conventional multi-protocol router, where a destination communication path of received information is determined by software processing, selection of a destination communication path is performed. Can be performed by high-speed hardware processing, so that high-speed communication between networks can be provided even when a network connection that connects a plurality of networks is performed. Further, since the protocol conversion means in the IWU is modularized to be detachable from the IWU main body, it is possible to easily provide a plurality of patterns of network connection using one IWU, and Even if it is desired to change the configuration or expand the communication capacity between networks or the number of connected networks, it is possible to easily provide such means.

[Embodiment 2-2] Next, FIG. 19 shows a case where a plurality of ATM-Ls are connected using the network connection apparatus according to the present invention.
1 shows an embodiment of a network connection method for connecting an AN.

In FIG. 19, the ATM-LAN (A1
14, A115, A116) with the respective ATM-L
Network connection devices A224, A225, A in AN
226 shows an example of a network configuration in the case of connection. Here, each IWU (A224, A22
5, A226) includes connection setting means A884.
Although A885 and A886 are provided, this need not be the case, and an IWU having no connection setting means may be used.

FIG. 20 shows the IWU (A22) shown in FIG.
4 to A226) are schematic views of an embodiment of the internal configuration of FIG.
In the IWU of FIG. 20, as in the IWU shown in FIG. 18, there is a switching means AZ2 for switching a connection in a communication path connected by the IWU.

The switching means AZ2 basically provides the same function as the switching means AZ1 of FIG. 18 and performs self-routing switching by hardware such as ATM switching means. High-speed information exchange and IW
This makes it possible to set a connection for performing high-speed information transfer in a communication path connected by U, thereby enabling a high-speed information transfer process between networks.

The number of input / output interfaces of the switching means AZ2 is determined by the information transfer amount (throughput) set between networks, the number of networks connected simultaneously by the IWU, and the like. However, it is also possible to set a larger number of interfaces of the switching means AZ2 in advance, and to provide a new communication path in the IWU using the redundant interface when expanding the network or changing the network configuration. It is.

Further, the ATM-L is included in the IWU of this embodiment.
Data / connection selecting means AK for selecting an incoming packet into a connection setting request packet and an information packet as interface means on the AN side.
2-1 to AK2-n are present.

If the transmitted packet is a connection setting request packet, the connection setting request packet is sent to the connection setting means AM2 in the IWU. This connection setting means AM2
This corresponds to the connection setting means A884 to A886 in FIG. 19, and has a function of setting a connection between IWUs. If the sent packet is a normal information packet, it is sent to the VP / VC conversion means AL2-1 to AL2-n as it is. The VP / VC conversion means performs address conversion between the connected ATM-LAN and the IWU-specific protocol, and receives input VP / VC and output VP notified from the connection management means.
The VP / VC conversion is performed according to the / VC conversion table. Where n is the ATM that the IWU can have
-The number of interfaces on the LAN side, it is usually possible to have the same number of modules as the number of input / output interfaces of the switching means AZ2 in the IWU, but it is always necessary to have the same number of modules as the number of interfaces of the switching means AZ2 No, ATM-LAN side and IWU
The number of interfaces according to the usage pattern of the
It is possible to have U.

To perform such VP / VC conversion,
In the IWU of this embodiment, there is a connection management means A72 for managing the connection on the ATM-LAN side and the connection between the IWU. Connection management means A
Reference numeral 72 denotes an address of an ATM-LAN or an IWU connection managed there, and information on the connection.
It is configured to be stored and managed in a connection database A82 existing in the WU. In addition, each IW
A resource management means AE2 for obtaining resource information from the U-to-U communication paths A92-1 to A92-n exists in the present IWU.

In the resource management means AE2, the IWU
As the resource information of the inter-communication path, resource information such as the number of connection settings, the used bandwidth (peak value, average value, etc.) and the communication band of each communication path is managed. The resource management information collected by the resource management means AE2 is sent to the connection management means A72 and used as information for connection management, and the connection for setting connections in the IWU communication paths A92-1 to A92-n. It is also sent to the setting means AM2 and used as resource information in the communication path required for connection setting.

Further, VP / VC conversion means AL2-1 to AL2-1
Between the AL2-n and the switching means AZ2, I
/ F means AJ3-1 to AJ3-n. This I /
The F means receives the IWU sent from the VP / VC conversion means.
Switching means AZ according to the destination information of the information packet by the inter-protocol (ie, ATM protocol).
2 performs processing such as conversion into a physical address (routing address) by a self-routing algorithm inside, and conversion into a packet format in the switching means AZ2 (parallel expansion and addition of a routing header). Also, the output of the switching means AZ2 is
In order to send data into the inter-communication paths A92-1 to A92-n,
I / F for converting the packet converted into the format in the switching means by the F means AJ3-1 to AJ3-n again into the format of the protocol unique to the IWU.
The means AJ4-1 to AJ4-n are provided with switching means AZ.
2 and between the IWU communication paths A92-1 to A92-n.

In this way, the connected ATM-
After receiving the VP / VC conversion, the information from the LAN is transmitted to a predetermined inter-IWU communication path by the switching means. In addition, it is expected that a buffer means for holding the packet during the processing time required for the VP / VC conversion and the information collision will be required in the IWU. It is also possible to provide the I / F means.

In the IWU of this embodiment, there is also an IWU management CPU (AA2) for performing timing control of the entire IWU and management of functions to be provided by the IWU. In the figure, the IWU management CPU (AA2) exists independently, but inside the actual IWU, the IWU management C
An internal bus exists between the PU and each unit in the IWU in FIG.

By implementing such an IWU configuration, when connecting a plurality of ATM-LANs, the ATM
-Since it is possible to freely connect between LANs and to set up an ATM connection across networks, it is possible to realize high-speed information transfer between terminals belonging to different ATM-LANs. It becomes possible.
In addition, since the number of interfaces provided by the IWU can be set arbitrarily, flexibility in the network configuration can be provided. In addition, when the network is expanded or the network configuration is changed, the IWU is used.
It is possible to easily provide an IWU corresponding to a network form without largely changing the means. In addition, using this IWU, some of the interfaces input to the switching means are not provided with the data / connection selection means and the VP / VC conversion means, but are provided with the ATM-LA.
The VP / VC in N is directly input to the I / F means and mapped to a physical address in the switching means, and some of the output interfaces of the switching means corresponding to the mapped address are used as they are in the ATM-L.
Allocating some of the means of the IWU to the ATM-
While using as a normal switching node in the LAN, the same IWU can also provide a network connection means between the ATM and the LAN.

The IWU shown in FIG. 17 and FIG.
The IWUs shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 need not be used independently. When connecting a connection-type network (such as an ATM-LAN) to a connectionless network, etc., The IWU shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 is installed in the connectionless network, and the IWU shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is installed in the connectionless network. It is possible to do.

Further, each I in FIG. 17 and FIG.
In a communication path between WUs, connection setting can be performed using VP / VC values of respective address systems. In this case, the connection management means A71 and A72 in FIGS. 18 and 20 determine which IWU communication path is connected to which IWU by the connection D.
B (A81, A82) for management. further,
The connection management means A71 and A72 are provided with I / F means AJ2-1 to AJ2-1 provided for each communication path for switching connection identifiers of different address systems sent from the inter-IWU communication path by one switch. n,
In AJ4-1 to AJ4-1, different intra-switch routing tables are provided for each address system of the IWU communication path. I / F means AJ2-1-n, AJ4-1
1 to n, information having the same VP / VC value is transmitted from different IWU communication paths by switching information transmitted from each IWU communication path in accordance with a routing table for each address system. However, as the routing information in the switch, those V
The P / VC value can be handled as an independent value.

By setting such a VP / VC value of an address system different for each IWU communication path, the following effects can be expected. (1) Even if the number of connection identifiers required for one network connection measure increases, since the connected networks have independent address systems, they can be identified by one network connection device. It is possible to increase the number of connections that can be made. (2) Since there is only a need for connection identifiers for the number of addresses that may transfer information between the network connection devices, the number of bits for identifying connections can be reduced, and In this case, it is possible to simplify the address conversion process and to reduce the storage area for storing addresses installed in the network connection device. (3) Since address management between network connection devices is performed independently between each network connection device,
When setting a fixed connection for transferring a connection setting signal or a fixed connection for transferring information between network connection devices, be aware of the connection that is set with other network connection devices each time a connection is set. Without doing so, it is possible to make a configuration in which connections are not mixed even if connections are set independently of each other.

[Embodiment 2-3] Next, FIG. 21 shows a plurality of connectionless networks using the network connection apparatus according to the present invention (see Embodiments 2-1 and 2-2 described above). An example of a network connection method when a connection spanning is set is shown.

In FIG. 21, a CL type LAN (A1
11), an ATM-LAN (A
117), the connections CO-1, CO-2, and CO-3 set to transfer information to the server A663 in the CL-type LAN (A112);
CL type LA directly from server A662 in (A111)
The connections CO-4 and CO-5 set to transfer information to the server A 664 in N (A112) are shown.

Here, the CL-type LAN (A111), the backbone ATM-LAN (A117) and the CL-type LAN
(A112) and the connections CO-1, CO-3 between the ATM-LAN (A117) and the CL-type LAN (A11).
Connection CO between 1) and CL-type LAN (A112)
-4 is basically the same as that in the first embodiment.
3 (FIG. 5) and the connection establishment method shown in the embodiment 1-4 (FIG. 7). The connection setting procedure of the connection CO-2 in the backbone ATM-LAN (A117) can be basically performed by the same procedure as the connection establishing method shown in the embodiment 1-8 (FIG. 16).

Since such a network connection method can be realized by using the IWU of this embodiment, CL
The terminal in the type LAN (A111) is the CL type LAN (A1).
12) When performing communication with the terminal in (1), the connection setting method is as follows. (A) ATM-LAN: CL-type LAN via A117:
Method of setting connection with terminal in A112 (b) CL-type LAN: A111 to CL-type LAN: A directly
It is possible to use two types of connection selection, that is, a method of setting a connection to a terminal in the terminal 112.

Therefore, the CL type LAN (A111) and the CL
It is possible to reduce the bottleneck of the network connection between the type LAN (A112) and to provide the network selection by the high-speed switching means of the hardware configuration even when the connection with a plurality of networks is performed. Therefore, it is possible to realize a higher-speed network connection than a network connection method in which network selection is performed by software processing as in the related art.

In FIG. 21, for example, ATM-L
The AN (A117) enters a failure state and the IWU (A23)
0) via the ATM-LAN (A117)
Even if the connection connected to (A231) cannot be used and communication between the server A661 and the server A663 cannot be performed, the network connection method according to the present embodiment uses the IWU (A230) and the IWU.
(A231) and a new connection C
Set O-5 and connect to CO-1 or CO
By dynamically changing the information carried in -3 to be carried on the connection CO-5, it is possible to secure communication from the server A661 to the server A663.

As described above, by using the IWU of the present invention, it is possible to provide a means for avoiding a failure in the event of a network failure even in a communication path between networks.

In this case, the following two methods are conceivable as methods for providing the failure avoidance means. (a) The IWU management CPU or other IWU management CPU in the IWU provides failure avoidance means for the IWU communication path, and autonomously selects and changes the path of the IWU communication path in the IWU. Method (b) The failure avoidance means in the network to which the IWU belongs is left to the failure avoidance means for the inter-IWU communication path, and the processing such as path selection and path change of the inter-IWU communication path is also externally managed. A method in which the IWU changes the route setting in the IWU by receiving only the result.

By using the above method, I
The reliability of the entire network can be increased without changing the reliability of the communication path between WUs. Also, in a network such as an ATM-LAN (A117) that provides a means as a backbone network for a plurality of CL-type LANs, the IWUs in each CL-type LAN must be connected to a plurality of IWUs in the backbone ATM-LAN.
, For example, in FIG. 21, IWU (A
230) is connected to each IWU (A227, A228),
The IWU (A231) is the IWU (A228, A229)
Can be configured to be connected to

By doing so, the backbone ATM
-There is no CL-type LAN in which the backbone ATM-LAN cannot be used due to the failure of one IWU in the LAN. That is, even if the IWU (A228) fails, both the CL-type LANs (A111, A112) are connected to the backbone ATM-LAN (A117).

In the network connection system of this configuration, it is possible to increase the reliability of the entire network by employing such a network connection configuration.

[Embodiment 2-4] Next, FIG. 22 shows another embodiment of the network connection system in the case where a connection over a plurality of connection-type networks is set using the network connection apparatus according to the present invention. Is shown.

In FIG. 22, the ATM-LAN (A1
14) From terminal A661 in the backbone ATM-L
ATM-LAN (A115) via AN (A117)
Connection CO-1, which is set to the terminal A668 in the
CO-2, CO-3, CO-4, CO-5 and ATM-
ATM-directly from terminal A663 in LAN (A114)
The connections CO-6, CO-7, and CO-8 set to the terminal A666 in the LAN (A115) are shown.
Further, the IWU (A2) in the ATM-LAN (A114)
35), as described in the description of FIG. 20, since the IWU according to the present invention can also provide a function as a switch node in the ATM-LAN, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to set up a connection CO-9 between the terminal A 664 and the terminal A 665 via the IWU (A235).

The connection setting procedure can be basically performed in the same manner as the connection establishing method shown in the embodiment 1-8 (FIG. 16). Also, as in the previous case, the connections CO-2, CO
-4, CO-7 may be performed by connection setting means A771, A772, and A773 in the ATM-LAN, or a connection setting means not shown in the figure but present in the IWU is used for connection between the IWUs. May be set.

Since such a network connection method can be realized by using the IWU according to the present invention, A
A terminal in the TM-LAN (A114) is an ATM-LAN
When performing communication with a terminal in (A115), the connection setting method is as follows: (a) A connection with a terminal in the ATM-LAN (A115) is set via the backbone ATM-LAN (A117). Method (b) ATM-LAN: ATM-LAN directly from A114
(A115) It is possible to use two types of connection selection, that is, a method of setting a connection to a terminal in
ATM-LAN (A114) and ATM-LAN (A11)
5) It is possible to reduce the bottleneck of the network connection to and from ATM-LA by flexible connection setting by increasing the routing pattern.
The connection setting using the bandwidth can be effectively realized as a whole without using the communication bandwidth in N unevenly.

Further, even when a plurality of networks are connected, the network selection can be provided by high-speed switching means having a hardware configuration. A faster network connection can be realized.

In FIG. 22, for example, ATM-L
The AN (A117) enters a failure state and the IWU (A23)
5) IWU via ATM-LAN (A117)
Even if the connection connected to (A236) cannot be used and communication between terminal A661 and terminal A668 cannot be performed, the network connection method of this configuration causes a connection between IWU (A235) and IWU (A236). A new connection CO-10 is set in the communication path of
-2, dynamically changing the connection between the connection CO-4 and the connection CO-5 so as to change the connection between the connection CO-1 and the connection CO-10 and between the connection CO-10 and the connection CO-5. Thus, communication from the terminal A 661 to the terminal A 668 can be secured.

As described above, by using the IWU according to the present invention, it is possible to provide means for avoiding a failure in the event of a network failure even in a communication path between networks.

As a method of providing the failure avoiding means in this case, the following two methods can be considered as in the case of connecting the connectionless network described in the above embodiment (FIG. 21). (a) The IWU management CPU or other IWU management CPU in the IWU provides failure avoidance means for the IWU communication path, and autonomously selects and changes the path of the IWU communication path in the IWU. Method (b) The failure avoidance means in the network to which the IWU belongs is left to the failure avoidance means for the inter-IWU communication path, and the processing such as path selection and path change of the inter-IWU communication path is also externally managed. A method in which the IWU changes the route setting in the IWU only by receiving the result. By using the above method, the reliability of the entire network is maintained without changing the reliability of the inter-IWU communication path itself. It is possible to increase the degree. ATM-LAN
In a network such as (A117) that provides means as a backbone LAN for a plurality of ATM-LANs, the IWU in each ATM-LAN must
A configuration for connecting to a plurality of IWUs in a TM-LAN,
For example, in FIG. 22, IWU (A235)
32) and the IWU (A233), and the IWU (A23)
6) can be configured to be connected to the IWU (A233) and the IWU (A234).

By doing so, the backbone ATM
-There will be no ATM-LANs that cannot use the backbone ATM-LAN due to the failure of one IWU in the LAN. That is, even if the IWU (A233) fails, the ATM-LAN (A114) and the ATM-LA
N (A115) is both backbone ATM-LA
N (A117).

In the network connection system of this configuration, it is possible to increase the reliability of the entire network by employing such a network connection configuration.

[Embodiment 2-5] FIG.
1 shows an embodiment of a network connection method in a case where datagram communication is provided across a plurality of networks using a WU.

In FIG. 23, the ATM-LAN (A1
14) from the terminal A662 to the ATM-LAN (A11).
7) Terminal A6 in ATM-LAN (A115) via
ATM-LA when transmitting datagram information to
The connection set in N is shown.

The connection setting procedure can be basically performed in the same procedure as the connection establishing method shown in the embodiment 1-7 (FIGS. 14 and 15). ATM-LAN (A
FIG. 14 shows a method for realizing datagram information communication within 114).
And the method of implementing datagram communication within the ATM-LAN (A115) corresponds to the case of FIG. In the ATM-LAN (A117), IW
Both U (A237, A238) have a CLSF processing means inside. However, as in the previous case, U (A237, A238) may have a CLSF processing means in the IWU, or may have an ATM-LAN. A method in which a connection is previously set between the CLSF processing means in (A117) and the IWU (A237, A238) may be used.

Further, although not shown in FIG.
A connection is set in a communication path between the U (A239) and the IWU (A240), and the CLS in the IWU (A239) is set.
F processing means and CLSF in ATM-LAN (A115)
By establishing a connection with the processing means, the terminal A
It is also possible to provide datagram communication from 662 to terminal A 663.

[Embodiment 2-6] FIG. 24 shows an embodiment of a network connection method when a plurality of communication paths are set between networks using the IWU according to the present invention.

In FIG. 24, the ATM-LAN (A1
14) and the ATM-LAN (A115) (that is, between the IWU 241 and the IWU 242) are connected by one inter-IWU communication path, and the ATM-LAN (A115) and the ATM-LAN are connected.
LAN (A116) (that is, IWU 242 and I
WU 243) is connected by three IWU communication paths, and A
TM-LAN (A114) and ATM-LAN (A11
6) (that is, between the IWU 243 and the IWU 241) is connected by two IWU communication paths.

Here, since the communication band of each communication path between IWUs is usually the same, ATM-LAN (A115) and AT
ATM-LAN between M-LAN (A116)
That is, the communication capacity three times as large as the communication path between (A114) and the ATM-LAN (A115) is provided.

By using such a network connection method, it is possible to provide a larger communication band between the ATM and the LAN than when the ATM and the LAN are connected by one communication path. ATM-LAN
It has become possible to provide a network connection method that can select a communication band between them.

At some point, as shown in FIG.
M-LAN (A115) and ATM-LAN (A116)
Although the communication capacity was the most needed between the ATM-LAN (A) and the time elapse, for example, the amount of communication terminals and the communication capacity per terminal increased.
115) to the ATM-LAN (A114) and the ATM-LAN (A115) to the ATM-LAN (A
When the communication capacity of the ATM-LAN (A115) becomes almost the same as that of the ATM-LAN (A115),
(A114), a new communication path between IWUs, and the ATM-LAN (A115) and the ATM-LAN in FIG.
One of the three IWU communication paths set up with the LAN (A116) is connected to the ATM-LAN (A115).
By performing processing such as replacing the communication path with the communication path between the ATM and the ATM-LAN (A114), it is possible to easily provide a communication band required between networks at the time of network operation.

[Embodiment 2-7] FIG. 25 shows an example of a schematic configuration of a main part of an IWU in which various functions such as a CLSF function and a copy function are provided in the IWU using the IWU according to the present invention. .

As described above, the ATM-L shown in FIG.
When the terminal A662 in the AN (A114) transmits a datagram type information packet, the IWU is transmitted by the connection CO-1 set in the ATM-LAN.
The data is sent to the CLSF processing means in (A235). When this is applied to FIG. 25, the connection CO-1 from the terminal A 662 in FIG.
I / F means AJ5-i (i = 1 to 1) in the middle IWU
From n), it is set to the CLSF means AP3 through the switching means AZ3.

Although not shown in the figure, in this case IW
The connection management unit in U identifies in advance the connection connected to the CLSF processing means, and
The routing table for determining the routing in the switching means is set so that all information packets sent to the processing means are sent to the output port of the switching means connected to the CLSF processing means.

The connection CO-2 shown in FIG.
Is connected through the switching means AZ3 from the CLSF processing means AP3 in FIG.
−i (i = 1 to n).

By the same method, it is possible to provide a copy function between IWUs by the copy means AQ3. However, the copying means cannot be supplied only by the method shown here, and the following methods are also conceivable. (a) A method of providing copying means by providing means for transmitting the same information packet a plurality of times inside the switch (b) A certain I / F means AJ5 before the switching means
Method of providing copy means by sending the same information packet a plurality of times according to -i (i = 1 to n) (c) A certain I / F means AJ6 after the switching means
-Method of providing copy means by sending the same information packet a plurality of times according to i (i = 1 to n) (d) When a multi-stage switch is used for the switching means,
A method in which information is sequentially copied by the switches of each stage to provide a copy means as a multi-stage switch as a whole. In this case, CLSF is used as a means provided in the IWU.
Although only the processing means and the copying means are shown, by using the switching means inside the IWU as shown in FIG. 25, the IWU management CPU, connection setting means, connection disconnecting means, connection management means, resource management means, etc. Means can be selected and provided.

It is also possible to provide this function by providing a means for providing each function before the input of the switching means AZ3 or a structure after the output.

[Embodiment 3-1] Next, FIG. 26 shows an embodiment of a network connection method when a plurality of connectionless networks are connected using the network connection device of the present invention.

In FIG. 26, three IWUs (A24
4, A245, A246) 7 CL-type LANs
(A121 to A127) and three IWUs (A244, A245, A246)
Connections CO-1, CO-2, CO-
3 and connections CO-4, CO-5, CO-6 for connecting connection setting means (A887, A888, A889) provided in each IWU.

In such a configuration, the IWU (A24
4) has a CL-type LAN (A121, A122) and IWU
A protocol conversion unit with an inter-protocol (that is, an ATM protocol) is provided.
N (A123, A124, A125) and a protocol conversion means between the IWU and the IWU
Is provided with means for converting between the CL-type LAN (A126, A127) and the protocol between IWUs. IWU
The functions provided by (A244, A245, A246)
Basically, it has the same function as the means shown in the embodiment 2-1 (FIG. 18), but in this embodiment, a plurality of types of protocol conversion means to be provided are installed in the main body of the IWU. . In the figure, three IWUs (A244, A24
5, A246), the connection CO for information transfer.
Although only one each of -1, CO-2, and CO-3 is shown, actually, as many connections as the number of connections corresponding to the information transfer amount can be set.

Also, in this embodiment, as shown in the embodiment 2-6 (FIG. 24), according to the amount of information necessary between IWUs,
By changing the number of IWU communication paths installed between WUs,
It is configured to be able to provide a communication path adapted to the amount of information between IWUs.

Further, as a connection setting method in the IWU of this configuration, the connection setting between the IWUs when connecting between CL-type LANs as described in the embodiments 1-3 and 4 (FIGS. 5 and 7), etc. The method can be used.

By using such a network connection method, because of the flexibility of the communication speed, which is a feature of the ATM system, a network connection in which a plurality of CL-type LANs having different speeds are accommodated using the same IWU. Can be realized.

For example, the communication speed of Ethernet
Five 10 Mbps networks and a 100 Mbps network, which is the FDDI communication speed, are accommodated in the same IWU, and the communication speed of the ATM communication system between the IWUs is 155 Mb.
A configuration is possible in which communication between IWUs is carried on ps.

For the same reason, it is possible to reduce the increase in the number of communication paths between networks when the number of networks increases, which is a problem in the method of arranging IWUs for each network. Furthermore, it has a configuration that can solve the problem of network connection using a multi-protocol router, that is, the problem of a decrease in the throughput of the router when the number of connected networks increases. In FIG. 26, C
Although a configuration is shown in which a plurality of L-type LANs are connected to and accommodated in the IWU, the network to be connected is not necessarily limited to the connectionless type as described above. Even if the LAN is replaced by a connection-type network,
With WU, it is possible to provide a similar network connection.

[Embodiment 3-2] In FIG. 27, using each network connection device as shown in FIG. 18 and FIG.
ATM-LAN which is a connection type network
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a network connection method for connecting a plurality of LANs (such as Ethernet) having a low-speed interface.

In FIG. 27, low-speed interface L
ANs (A121, A122, A123) are converged by an IWU (A248) having a configuration as shown in FIG. 26, and an IWU (A24) having a configuration as shown in FIG.
The configuration is such that it is connected to the ATM-LAN (A117) via 7). In addition, ATM-LAN (A1
17) Terminal A662 in the low-speed interface LAN
Connections that are set when communication is performed with are shown. In this embodiment, the IWU (A248) functions as a multiplexer for connecting a so-called low-speed LAN to the ATM-LAN.

The terminal A662 in the ATM-LAN (A117) connects to the IWU (A
247). IWU (A247) and IW
U (A248) and communication connection CO
-1 and a connection CO-3 for transferring connection setting request information are set. Each of the low-speed LAs is provided before the modular protocol conversion means in the IWU (A248).
N are connected, and IWU (A247) and IWU (A24
8) through the inter-IWU communication path to the ATM-LAN
Communication with the terminal in (A117) can be performed.

Here, the method of concentrating the low-speed LAN is not limited to the method shown in FIG. 27, and a plurality of communication paths may be set between the IWUs instead of just one. Also, without using IWU (A248), IWU
(A248) may be present in the ATM-LAN (A117) and directly connect the low-speed LAN. If the low-speed LAN is a connection-type LAN, a configuration may be adopted in which a connection is set between the IWU (A247) and a terminal in the low-speed LAN.

By using such a low-speed LAN concentrating method using the network connection device of the present invention, the ATM-LAN is not used with the conventional network connection device.
(A117) and low-speed LAN (A121, A122, A1)
23), it is necessary to perform a network connection process between them, and after a protocol conversion between networks by one network connection device, a network connection can be performed using a multiplexed high-speed communication path. This makes it possible to easily accommodate a low-speed LAN in a high-speed network (for example, an ATM-LAN).

Also, one high-speed LAN (for example, ATM-
Since a plurality of low-speed LAN interfaces can be accommodated at the end of the (LAN) side interface, it is possible to realize a network connection using the network connection interface effectively. Also, in FIG.
26 shows a configuration in which a plurality of CL-type LANs are connected and accommodated in one IWU, as in the case of FIG. 26 described above. However, the network to be connected is not necessarily connectionless as described above. The IWU of the present embodiment can provide the same network connection regardless of which CL-type LAN in the figure is replaced with a connection-type network, for example. ing.

Embodiment 4 Next, FIG. 28 shows an embodiment of a network connection system when a plurality of networks are connected using the network connection device according to the present invention. In FIG. 28, in a situation where a plurality of connection-type or connection-less networks are connected,
Terminal A661 and ATM in ATM-LAN (A114)
-A terminal A662 in the LAN (A115) establishes a connection using the connections CO-1, CO-2, and CO-3 to perform communication.

If the IWU of the present invention is used, for example, when a failure occurs in the inter-IWU communication path to which the connection CO-2 is set, the IWU (A252) or the IWU (A
253) can detect a failure in the communication path between IWUs.

In this embodiment, the AT is provided in the communication path between the IWUs.
Since the communication is performed by setting the M connection, it is conceivable to detect the failure by using the OAM function as the ATM failure detection means. Here, the IWU (A252) or IWU (A253) that has detected the failure establishes a connection changing to the connection CO-2 by the IWU (A2).
52) and whether the setting can be made between the IWU (A253). IWU (A252) and IWU (A2
If there is another inter-IWU communication path between the connection CO-53 and the connection CO-53 in FIG.
A new connection such as 4 is set, and a change is made to use the connection instead of the connection CO-2.

Also, IWU (A252) and IWU (A2
53), if a new connection cannot be set up in the communication path with the IWU via another adjacent IWU.
A new communication path between U (A252) and IWU (A253) is searched. FIG. 28 illustrates a connection CO-5 when the IWU (A252) and the IWU (A253) are connected via the IWU (A254).

Also, as a failure of the IWU itself, the IWU (A
If the IWU (A253) fails, the failure of the IWU itself is determined by the failure detection means in the IWU (A253) or the IWU (A25).
The failure detection means in the IWU (A252, A254) to which 3) is connected will be detected. A method is also conceivable in which failure detection is performed by failure detection means in the network to which the IWU (A253) belongs.

As a method of avoiding the failure of the IWU (A253) in which the failure is detected, the internal functions (components) of the IWU (A253) are duplicated or a plurality of IWUs are installed in the ATM-LAN (A115). To make a network connection,
When a failure is detected, a method of switching to an internal function (component) of the standby system of the IWU (A253), an ATM-LA
A method of making a network connection using another IWU in N (A115) is conceivable.

As in the case of the failure detection method, the IWU (A253) itself issues the IWU (A253) itself, and the IWU (A253) connects the IWU (A253) itself. IWU (A25
2, A254), or IWU (A2
For example, a method of issuing a failure management means in the ATM-LAN (A115) to which the 53) belongs can be considered.

FIG. 29 is a conceptual diagram showing one embodiment of the internal configuration of the network connection device according to this embodiment. In FIG. 29, the configuration diagram is shown focusing on the failure avoiding means of the IWU, so that the internal components of this IWU are not all those shown in FIG. 29, and are naturally other components shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. Means will also be included.

[0247] The IWU of FIG. 29 includes OAM information management means AW5 and OA for detecting a failure in a communication path between IWUs.
M cell add / drop means AV5-1 to n exist. O
The AM information management means AW5 sends out a failure detection packet (OAM cell) to the inter-IWU communication path periodically or at an arbitrary timing in order to detect a failure in the inter-IWU communication path.

Also, an OAM cell flowing periodically or at an arbitrary timing in the communication path between IWUs is received, and
OAM in IWU communication path collected by AM cell
It monitors whether there is any failure in the communication path between IWUs based on the information. The OAM information management means AW5 transmits the OA sent from the OAM information management means in another IWU.
OAM information that I know for M cells, OAM
The OAM information indicating whether the IWU in which the information management means AW4 is installed is normal is added to the IWU of the transmission source.
For example, it performs processing such as sending back to the OAM information management means.

Next, the OAM cell add / drop unit AV5-1
In the case of .about.n, the OAM information management means AW5 sends O within the connection set in the communication path between IWUs.
A process is carried out in which an AM cell is loaded and transferred, or conversely, only an OAM cell is selected from the transferred cells in the connection in the inter-IWU communication path and transmitted to the OAM information management means AW5. At present, the OAM cell identification method is being standardized by CCITT or the like, but the OAM cell identification method does not necessarily have to follow the CCITT specification, and the IWU of the present invention needs to adhere to the standardization specification such as the connection between LANs. OA when used in an environment without
Various methods can be considered for the identification method of the M cell. Method using GFC field in header area of ATM cell, V
Method using part of PI / VCI field, PT or C
A method using an LP field, a method using an HEC area, a method using bits in an AAL header trailer,
Alternatively, a method using an information field can be considered.

Here, using FIG. 28 and FIG.
An example of a failure avoidance method when a failure in the inter-WU communication path is detected will be described below. 1) The IWU in which the connection CO-2 is set by the OAM cell transmitted from the OAM information management means AW5 in the IWU (A252) or the IWU (A253).
Consider a case where a failure (interruption of link, etc.) in the inter-communication path is detected. Here, the failure is detected and the IWU (A252)
The OAM cell to be notified is the OAM
It can be a cell. 2) The IWU (A2) that received the OAM cell that detected the failure
52), the OAM cell add / drop means AV5-1 to AV5-1-n
The OAM cell is sent to the OAM information management means AW5 in the IWU (A252) to notify the failure detection. 3) When the failure information is sent to the OAM information management means AW5, the OAM information management means AW5 communicates with another IWU (A253) connected to the communication path in which the failure is found, which is connected to the IWU (A253). Determine if the road exists. 4) If another communication path exists, the connection management unit A75 is asked whether the same communication band as the connection CO-2 can be set in the communication path. In addition, the IWU (A25
A configuration may be used in which the judgment of whether there is another communication path between 2) and the IWU (A253) is left to the connection management means A75. 5) If a new connection can be set up between the IWU (A252) and the IWU (A253), the connection management means A75 sends a new connection CO-4 to the connection setting means AM5 instead of the new connection CO-2.
Is set between IWU (A252) and IWU (A253). 6) Connection C by connection setting means AM5
O-4 is set so that the communication between the terminals A661 and A662 is performed in place of the connection CO-2 which has become unusable due to the failure. Here, the connection CO-1, CO-2, CO-
3 is transferred to the terminal A662 through the connections CO-1, CO-4, and CO-3. 7) When a new connection cannot be established between the IWU (A252) and the IWU (A253), the connection management unit A75 issues a connection setting request to the connection setting unit AM5 to set another path. . 8) The IWU (A2
52) through the IWU (A254).
The connection CO-5 up to 3) is set, and the communication between the terminals A661 and A662 is performed in place of the connection CO-2 which has become unusable due to the failure. Here, the information that has been transferred from the terminal A661 to the terminal A662 through the connections CO-1, CO-2, and CO-3 until now is changed to the connection CO-1, CO-.
5, through CO-3. Note that C
The connection setting method of O-5 may be a method of sequentially transferring a connection setting request to the IWU, a method of the IWU knowing the network connection configuration in advance, and a method of setting the connection, or a method of setting the connection.
(A252) is the I that connects the connection setting request.
A method of broadcasting to all WUs may be used. 9) If a new connection in place of the connection CO-2 cannot be set up between the IWU (A252) and the IWU (A253), the connection setting for failure avoidance is abandoned, or the bandwidth as the connection is reduced. Therefore, a failure avoiding method, such as securing only the connection by using the same method as the third to eighth processes, can be considered.

By providing the IWU with the failure avoiding means shown in FIGS. 28 and 29, if a failure occurs in the communication path between IWUs, another communication path is searched by the IWU itself to avoid the failure. This makes it possible to provide a failure detection / avoidance function between IWUs without imposing a new burden on the connected network.

Further, in the network connection method using the IWU of the present invention, since a large number of communication paths between IWUs can be set, the communication paths between the IWUs are provided with redundancy when the network connection is made. 17 and FIG. 1
Although the reliability can be improved even in a normal network connection method such as the method 9 described above, a more reliable network connection method is provided by further providing a failure avoiding means such as an OAM means in the IWU. Things become possible.

The OAM management means AW shown in FIG.
5 monitors the failure status of its own means,
It is also possible to perform its own failure detection. Also, the OAM management means AW5 in FIG. 29 can monitor the failure state of the connected IWU and detect the failure of another IWU. Further, when the OAM management means detects a failure of itself or a failure of another IWU, the OAM management means sends a system switching command at the time of failure detection to the IWU having detected the failure. You can do it.

As described above, the OAM management means inside the IWU detects not only the communication path between the IWUs but also the failure of the IWU itself, and has a configuration capable of avoiding the failure. It is possible to provide a network connection method.

[Embodiment 5] Next, FIG. 30 shows an IW of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an internal means configuration of an IWU that enables management of communication service quality (hereinafter abbreviated as QOS) related to information transfer using a U in a communication path between IWUs. Show.

In FIG. 30, since the means for managing the communication quality is shown with attention, only a part of the IWU internal means is shown. Although not shown in the figure, naturally, the means inside the IWU shown in FIGS. 18 and 20 exist.

In FIG. 30, the required QOS of each connection required at the time of connection setting is transmitted to the QOS management means AR in the IWU through the connection management means A76.
6 is notified. The QOS management means AR6 stores the required communication quality information in the QOS information database AS6, and the QOS assurance means AT6-1 to AT6- installed for each inter-IWU communication path from the IWU.
Notify n.

The QOS assurance means AT6-1 to AT6-n monitor the information in the communication path for each connection, and monitor whether the information flowing in each connection satisfies the requested QOS and is sent out. If there is a packet violating the request, the following processing may be performed. (a) Discard the offending packet. (b) Wait for the offending packet to reach a state that meets the required communication quality. (c) Set a flag that violates, and preferentially discard when congested. (d) Notify the user of the violation. (e) Notify the I / F means and the VP / VC conversion means before the switching means in the IWU that the violation has occurred, and make the transmission of the information wait for a while. By such a method, it is possible to secure the requested QOS even in the communication path between IWUs and perform communication.

Of the functions provided by the QOS assurance means shown here, the functions such as (a) and (c) above may be a method using a policing function performed in ATM communication. Similarly, of the functions provided by the QOS assurance means, in the processing for a violating packet,
For the function as shown in (b), a method of providing the function using a shaping function performed in the ATM communication can be considered. As a method of policing or shaping, a sliding window method, a leaky bucket method, or the like can be considered.

Further, since the QOS assurance means provides functions very similar to the policing function and the shaping function, the QOS assurance means is provided by a single function module in which these functions are integrated in the network connection device of the present invention. By doing so, it is possible to easily provide a policing function and a shaping function between networks.

Here, as a method of providing the communication service quality (QOS) provided by the communication service assurance means, only a method of guaranteeing the same QOS required at the time of connection setting even in a connection in a communication path between IWUs. Instead, the following various methods are conceivable as providing methods. (Method 1) IOS uses a different QOS than the connected LAN
Method of Providing via U-to-U Communication Path This method 1 is a method for connecting an ATM-LAN to an IW
In the inter-U communication path, instead of setting the same QOS as the QOS set at the time of connection setting, for example, IW
By providing only one type of QOS on the U-to-U communication path, a higher quality QOS or a lower quality QOS than the requested QOS can be provided.
Communication between IWUs will be performed using the OS.
This is a method of reducing the function for providing the QOS within the network. Also, the QO of the peak rate (maximum required service quality) of the required communication quality is always between IWUs.
By allocating S, the use efficiency of the communication band in the inter-IWU communication path is reduced, but a high-quality communication path is provided between the IWUs to prevent the deterioration of the QOS due to the network connection and to provide the QOS in the IWU. A method that makes it possible to reduce the size of the function is also conceivable. (Method 2) QO is performed in advance on the PVC in the IWU communication path.
Method 2 in which S is set This method 2 is a method for setting a PVC between IWUs to provide inter-IWU communication, and in advance, giving a QO to each PVC in advance.
S is set, and the bandwidth of the requested connection and Q
By sequentially allocating PVC suitable for a set of OSs, there is a possibility that bandwidth or QOS may be wasted or shortage, but IWU
This is a method that can reduce both the connection setting function and the QOS provision function provided within the network. Also, I
When assigning a PVC connection to a communication path between WUs,
By allocating the bandwidth at the peak rate required by the connection, the QO within the IWU is
A method that can reduce the S providing function is also conceivable. (Method 3) Method of Providing QOS without Bandwidth Allocation (Only Connection is Set) This method 3 is particularly applied to a connection that does not require real-time transfer delay time in communication as in the case of datagram communication. Is to set a connection on the inter-IWU communication path but not allocate a bandwidth to the connection, and provide a QOS that can transfer the information of the connection only when there is a free band in the inter-IWU communication path. It is.

By using this method, a connection that requires real-time communication such as voice communication and real-time image information communication is deprived of a band by a non-real-time connection such as datagram communication, and as a result, IWU It is possible to avoid such an effect that information transfer between the devices takes time and the real-time property is impaired. Further, in this method, even when the communication band of the communication path between IWUs is limited, the band in the communication path is not deprived by accepting many datagram communication connections, and the connection of the real-time connection is not performed. It is possible to increase the probability of reception. Also, the QOS provided by this method is a
In the case of the above method 2 in which S is assigned, and in the case of method 1 in which a QOS different from the ATM-LAN is provided between IWUs, a QOS that can be applied as one pattern of the QOS is used. is there. (Method 4) For each connection (for example, in VP units)
Method of setting QOS In this method 4, monitoring and guaranteeing the QOS for all the connections set between IWUs is performed by the IWU.
Since a large load is imposed on the U, this is a method of collectively managing the QOS of a plurality of connections set between IWUs. That is, for example, the VP in the ATM system
Using a connection identifier such as the relationship between
The OS is managed only in units of VPs, and QOS of VCs included in the VP is not managed. In addition, the types of QOS that can be set between IWUs are limited in advance, VPs are assigned to each of the set QOSs, and the connection requested by the terminal is sent to the appropriate VP ( (Corresponding to QOS), and monitoring and guaranteeing the QOS is performed in units of the VP, thereby reducing the overhead of monitoring all connections.

Even in such a QOS providing method, it is possible to set the “no bandwidth allocation” QOS shown in the method 3 as one pattern of the QOS. (Method 5) Method of Providing QOS by Performing Retransmission Control Between IWUs This method 5 is a method of guaranteeing QOS between IWUs, as well as a method of guaranteeing at the exit of IWU as described above, It is not a QOS guarantee method by providing a function such as policing or shaping at the interface point of the IWU to the IWU communication path by using a method such as providing retransmission control means at the data link layer level in the communication path. , A QOS guarantee method by retransmission control between IWUs is conceivable.

[Embodiment 6] Next, FIG. 31 shows a network in which connection-type and connectionless-type communication coexist using the network connection apparatus according to the present invention (hereinafter abbreviated as CO & CL mixed LAN). 1) shows an embodiment of a network connection method for connecting the).

Here, the CO & CL mixed LAN (B11
1) from terminal B661 to each IWU (B221, B22
2) to the terminal B663 in the CO & CL mixed LAN (B112) via the connection CO-1, CO-2, C
O-3 is set, and connection-type communication is performed. Also, a terminal B in the CO & CL mixed LAN (B112) is transmitted from the terminal B662 in the CO & CL mixed LAN (B111) via each IWU (B221, B222).
664, connection CO-4, CO-5, CO-
6, CO-7 and CO-8 are set, and connectionless communication is performed.

Here, a case is considered in which connectionless communication is provided in an ATM environment by using CLSF processing means as a connectionless information transfer method. The method is not necessarily limited to this method. For example, a case where communication is performed by securing a connection-type information area and a connection-type information area in a frame such as FDDI-II may be used. A method of preparing a slot for transferring connection-type information and a slot for transferring connection-type information in advance, such as a reservation method, may be used. The connections CO-2 and CO-6 between the IWUs are the same IWU.
It may be set in the inter-U communication path, or may be set in different IWU communication paths.

In this case, the IWU of the present invention provides the connection CO-2 for the connection in the communication path between the IWUs for connection-type communication and the connection CO-6 for the connectionless communication. Therefore, different QOSs are provided.

FIG. 32 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the IWU of this embodiment. FIG. 32 pays particular attention to the means for providing the QOS of FIG. 30, and only the means for providing the QOS is shown in the figure. The QOS guarantee means AT6-1 to AT6-1n in FIG. 30 correspond to B11 and B12 in FIG. Naturally, FIG.
And an internal unit of the IWU as shown in FIG. FIG. 32 shows a QOS providing method in which one type of QOS is provided for each of the IWU connection for transferring connection-type information and the IWU connection for transferring connectionless information.

The QO will now be described with reference to FIGS. 31 and 32.
An example of a method for assuring cell discard quality in S will be described. FIG.
The QOS guarantee method shown in FIG.
T6-1 to n are arranged in front of the I / F means AJ11-1 to AJ11-n, and the switching means AZ
QO to guarantee QOS before input to 6
The S guarantee method is shown. (1) Information sent from the terminal B661 or the CLSFB991 is input to the QOS assurance means B12 before being input to the switching means BZ2 in the IWU. (2) The same information as in the previous case is stored in the information identifying means B22 in the QOS assurance means B12.
Sent from 2 (3) The information identifying means B22 is a queuing buffer B for each QOS to be guaranteed for each connection according to the information.
33, and sends information to B34. (4) Assuming that connection-type information is transferred to the queuing buffer B33 and connectionless information is transferred to the queuing buffer B34, QOS is applied to the connection between the IWUs by an algorithm for extracting the information from the queuing buffers B33 and B34. Will be guaranteed. It should be noted that information is preferentially extracted from a queuing buffer that guarantees a high QOS with high cell discard quality, and the switching means performs ACK control for queuing information transmission earlier in the event of information collision during information switching. Thereby, cell discard quality can be guaranteed between IWUs. (5) The information extracted from the queuing buffers B33 and B34 is multiplexed by the MUX means B42 and
The signal is sent to the switching means BZ2 via the F means BJ2, and the communication path between IWUs is selected.

Here, the following algorithm can be considered as an algorithm for transmission from the queuing buffer for guaranteeing the cell discard quality. (a) Only when all information is transmitted from the queuing buffer that guarantees QOS with high discard quality, information can be transmitted from the queuing buffer that provides QOS with low discard quality. (b) If information is extracted several times from the queuing buffer that provides QOS with high discard quality, QOS with low discard quality
Information can be extracted from the queuing buffer that provides
This number can be determined arbitrarily. (c) A faster clock is supplied to a queuing buffer providing a QOS with a high discard quality than to a queuing buffer providing a QOS with a low discard quality, and both buffers are controlled in the same manner to the MUX means. Different QOS is provided by sending. (d) A threshold value is set in a waiting buffer that provides a QOS with high discard quality, and buffer control is performed so that information is not accumulated beyond the threshold value.

Here, Q that provides discard quality and delay quality
The method of arranging the OS providing means is not limited to the method described above, and a method of arranging the QOS providing means of the discard quality / delay quality after the switching means, or conversely, the method of arranging the QOS providing means together with the switching means And a method in which one QOS providing means provides QOS of both discard quality and delay quality.

[Embodiment 7] FIG. 33 shows an embodiment of a network connection system using the network connection device according to the present invention. In FIG. 33, CO & CL is sent from terminal B661 in the CO & CL mixed LAN (B113).
For the terminal B663 in the mixed LAN (B114),
Connections CO-1, CO-2, and CO-3 are set.

Here, the connection CO-1 requested from the terminal B661 is a CO & CL mixed type LAN (B11
3) is set by the connection setting means B441, and CO-3 is set by the connection setting means B442 in the CO & CL mixed LAN (B114).
Further, since the connection CO-2 between the IWU (B223) and the IWU (B224) is set by the connection setting means in the IWU, the Q provided by the CO-2
The OS has a configuration that can be arbitrarily set by connection setting means in the IWU.

In the QOS provision method by the IWU according to the present embodiment, a structure is provided in which the QOS of higher quality than the requested QOS in the connection setting request issued from the terminal B 661 is always provided to the connection CO-2 between the IWUs. It has become. In other words, a Q of higher quality than the connections CO-1 and CO-3 which provide the requested QOS.
The OS is provided to the connection CO-2.

By providing the QOS to such a connection, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the QOS in the communication path between IWUs. Also, the connection setting means in the network connected by the IWU each independently sets the QO of the connection in the network.
Even if the S management is performed, it is possible to minimize the influence that the QOS to be provided is deteriorated due to the quality deterioration in the communication path between the IWUs.

An IW realizing such a QOS provision system
The QOS providing means in U can be sufficiently provided by the internal means arranging method shown in FIG.

[Eighth Embodiment] FIG. 34 shows an embodiment of a network connection system using the network connection device according to the present invention. In FIG. 34, the terminals B661, B662, and B in the CO & CL mixed LAN (B113)
CO & CL mixed type LAN (B11
4) Terminals B665, B666, B667, B668 in
, Connections CO-1 to CO-12 are set.

Here, the CO & CL mixed type LAN (B11
3) Connections CO-1 to CO requested from terminals in
O-4 is set by connection setting means in the CO & CL mixed type LAN (B113), and CO-5 to CO-5
-8 is set by the connection setting means in the CO & CL mixed type LAN (B114).

Also, IWU (B225) and IWU (B2
26), the connections CO-9 to CO-12
Since the QOS provided by the CO-9 to CO-12 is set by the connection setting unit in the IWU, the QOS provided by the CO-9 to CO-12 can be arbitrarily set by the connection setting unit in the IWU.

[0280] In the normal QOS provision method, IWU (B2
25) and the connection CO between the IWU (B226)
-9 to CO-12, the QOS providing method includes the terminal B
A method of directly providing the QOS required from 661 to B664, or a higher quality QOS as described above.
A method of providing an OS is conceivable. However, in order to provide high quality QOS, it is necessary to set up a connection of a large band in a communication path between IWUs.
There is a possibility that the number of connections that can be set between U is limited.

When the QOS provision method by the IWU according to the present embodiment is used, it is possible to provide a QOS lower than the QOS requested during the connection between the IWUs. By using such a QOS providing method, a network connection can be established by setting a connection that secures a modest bandwidth in an IWU communication path.
It is possible to increase the number of connections that can be set in between, and more terminals can transfer information between IWUs than in the normal case. In other words, even a connection for which a request for allocating a band larger than the band given between the IWUs (communication capacity determined by the inter-IWU communication path) can be set in the communication path between the IWUs.

Therefore, the number of terminals in the network connected by the IWU increases, and the band of information transmitted from each terminal increases, so that the communication capacity between the IWUs becomes smaller than the communication capacity between the IWUs. Although the service quality of communications may be slightly degraded even when the number of IWUs becomes necessary, it is necessary to respond to changes in the communication capacity between IWUs without changing the connection configuration of IWUs and the resources allocated between IWUs. Can be done.

[Embodiment 9] FIG. 35 shows an example of the format of a packet sent to the IWU when a network connection is made using the network connection apparatus according to the present invention, and the time of the sent packet. 5 shows an example of a change. In the IWU according to the present embodiment, the QOS according to the characteristics of the packet sent to this IWU is
It can be set in the U-to-U communication path.

Here, the following characteristics can be considered as the characteristics of the packet, and the following effects can be expected. (1) Allocate QOS based on packet length of transmitted information First, when setting up a connection between IWUs and performing information transfer, consider assigning high quality QOS to information having a long packet length. . When information is transferred between distant terminals, information with a long packet length has a high probability that a transmission error during the information transmission will occur in the packet, and it is necessary to perform retransmission processing for that purpose. However, there is a problem that a typical packet throughput is reduced. By giving high quality QOS to information having a long packet length for such a problem, information can be transferred with a low delay time, so that a high throughput can be provided even when retransmission processing is required. become.

By giving high discard quality to information having a long packet length, the transmission error rate between IWUs (transmission error rate including not only errors in the communication path between IWUs but also information loss due to cell discarding) can be reduced. Thus, the number of retransmission processes can be reduced.

Since such an effect can be obtained, the method of giving high quality QOS to information having a long packet length is as follows.
In particular, it is possible to prevent a substantial decrease in information throughput in long-distance information transmission.

As a reverse case of providing a high quality QOS for information having a long packet length, consider assigning a high quality QOS to information having a short packet length. It is considered that information transmitted from a terminal when real-time communication such as a telephone is provided occupies most of information having a short packet length. Therefore, high quality QOS is provided for information having a short packet length. By providing QOS with the algorithm described above, it is possible to provide information transfer between networks with low delay and low discard rate for information requiring real-time properties. (2) Allocate QOS based on control information Information from terminals that have connection setting means, failure avoidance means, or perform network management as terminals in the communication network is used when operating the network. This is very important information. Further, it is expected that an emergency signal such as a failure detection can be communicated with a transfer delay that allows real-time processing due to its nature.

Since a packet for transmitting such particularly important information usually has a bit indicating in the control information field of the packet what kind of information the packet is transferring, From the information of the bits of the control information, it is conceivable to give a QOS of high quality to those of high importance. By doing this,
Highly important information can be transferred within the network with low delay and low discard rate. (3) QOS by source address and destination address
As in the case of the above (2), information from a terminal having connection setting means, a failure avoiding means, or a terminal performing network management is used as a terminal in the communication network by operating the network. It is very important information when going. Further, it is expected that an emergency signal such as a failure detection can be communicated with a transfer delay that allows real-time processing due to its nature. The above-mentioned method uses a control bit as a bit for judging the importance of a packet. In this case, the QOS is determined by judging whether the source address or the destination address is an important terminal. Will be assigned.

By using such a QOS allocating method, as in the previous case, highly important information can be transmitted with low delay and low delay.
It will be possible to transfer within the network with a low discard rate. In addition, since control information is not used, it is not necessary to newly add control information to a packet having a small header area such as an ATM, and the information in the packet can be effectively used. Further, since it is not necessary to indicate the importance as control information, it is possible to reduce the means of the terminal that transmits the information. (4) Allocate QOS based on burst length of transmitted information As shown in FIG. 35, a case where packets having the same destination information continuously arrive is called burst arrival. Here, the burst length refers to the total extension time of the packets arriving continuously. The QOS can be allocated by directly replacing the packet length in the method described in (1) with the burst length.

According to the characteristics of the packet, the QOS
In addition to the method of allocating QOS, a method of allocating QOS according to the distance between IWUs can be considered for the same reason as described in (1) above. For example, a high-quality QOS is given to a connection in an inter-IWU communication path connected to a distant IWU, and an IWU connected to a nearby IWU is provided.
A method of providing a low-quality QOS to the connection in the inter-communication path is also conceivable. Further, a method of allocating a QOS to each communication path according to the specific transmission efficiency of each communication path between IWUs is also conceivable.

In these methods, the QOS is allocated to the communication path or the type of the transmission medium of the communication path, whereas the QOS is allocated in connection units in the conventional methods. When installing or changing communication channels between IWUs, connection management means in the IWU or Q
This is to be input as information into the OS management means.

Also, as described above, the IWU
In contrast to the method of providing a high-quality QOS within the IWU for information and communication paths that are likely to degrade service quality between the IWU and the information and communication paths that may degrade service quality between IWUs Low quality QO
A method of providing S is also conceivable.

According to such a method, network connection can be made to information or a communication path capable of providing high quality QOS between IWUs without impairing the service quality that can be provided.

[0294] Such a QOS providing method is effective especially when the deterioration of the service quality by the QOS providing method provided in the IWU is not a problem compared to the deterioration of the service quality between IWUs. It is a way.

The above-described QOS assignment method cannot always be applied only to connectionless information packets, and is also applicable to the transfer of connection type information between IWUs. A possible way. As a method of providing QOS for connection-type information, in addition to the method described above, IWU
The distance of the connection itself set between them (the distance between terminals setting the connection) and the number of nodes (hop count) through which the connection set between the IWUs passes
For example, a method of assigning a QOS to the group may be considered.

<2> [Tenth Embodiment] FIGS. 36 and 37 are diagrams showing a schematic configuration of an information communication system according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

The information communication system shown in FIG.
Each of the four terminal-accommodating packet processing nodes 1001 to 1004 for accommodating a plurality of terminals 1000 and the connection-dedicated packet processing node 1005 for interconnecting the terminal-accommodating packet processing nodes 1001 to 1004 has 155 Mbps. Are connected using the four physical links described above, and the physical network has a network configuration in which a multipath exists at the data link level but does not exist at the network level. That is, as shown in FIG. 36B, different physical links at the data link level are set to 620 Mbp.
When replaced by one physical link of s, the configuration has no multipath.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 36A, the input / output interface speeds of all the physical links are 155M of the same speed.
In the case where a packet processing node capable of reassigning information transfer capability and accommodating multiple speeds is used as the packet processing node, the terminal accommodating packet processing nodes 1001 to 1004 and the connection-dedicated packet processing node 1005 Although there are four connection physical links between them, as shown in FIG. 30 (c), for actual information transfer, a configuration in which 620 Mbps information transfer capability is assigned to one of them may be adopted. It is possible.

As described above, when a packet processing node capable of reallocating information and accommodating multiple speeds is used as a packet processing node, a flexible interface speed can be assigned to a physical link between the nodes. The information transfer capability of the packet processing node can be allocated according to the information transfer capability required for the physical link, the information transfer capability of the physical link itself, and the purpose. When constructing a network, the system components (node, A network capable of effectively utilizing the information transfer capability of the link can be constructed.

A method of copying and transferring the same information in packet units is also conceivable. By performing such transfer, it is possible to realize information transfer with high fault tolerance against a failure of the connection link.

[0301] Also, a plurality of terminals 10 shown in FIG.
FIG. 37 shows a network in which four terminal-accommodated packet processing nodes (1101 to 1104) for accommodating 00 are connected using four 155 Mbps physical links.
The four terminal-accommodated packet processing nodes (11) shown in FIG.
01 to 1104), a data link level multipath exists with a network connected using one physical link of 620 Mbps, two physical links of 155 Mbps and one physical link of 310 Mbps, and two networks of 310 Mbps. The network configuration does not have multipath at the network level. As shown in FIG. 37 (c), different physical links at the data link level are set to 1 at 620 Mbps.
When replaced by physical links, there is no multipath, and as shown in FIG. 37D, the three networks shown in FIGS. 37A to 37C can be logically regarded as the same network. Means

When a packet processing node capable of reassigning information transfer capability is used as the packet processing node, the three configurations (a) to (c) shown in FIG. (A network in which terminal accommodating packet processing nodes are connected by four physical links).

As described above, when a plurality of physical links exist between the packet processing nodes, there are a plurality of ways of assigning the information transfer capability for connection between the nodes possessed by the packet processing nodes to the physical links. The utilization efficiency of the information transfer capability of the system component changes depending on how the bandwidth of the information transfer capability is allocated to the physical link. Therefore, among the methods of allocating the bandwidth to the physical link of the information transfer capability for connection between nodes, by appropriately allocating according to the information transfer capability required for the physical link, the information transfer capability of the physical link itself and the purpose. ,
A network that can effectively utilize the information transfer capability of system components (nodes, links) can be constructed.

Here, as shown in FIG. 36 and FIG. 37, as a physical network configuration, in the case of a network configuration that allows multipath at the data link level but does not allow multipath at the network level, packet processing is performed. Since the information transfer path between nodes has a multipath only at the data link level, there is no queuing by the buffers of different packet processing nodes, and the queuing is in the buffer of the same packet processing node. However, the queuing delay time in the buffer inside the packet processing node is
It changes together.

Therefore, in the information communication system as shown in FIGS. 36 and 37, all of the information transfer capabilities of the packet processing nodes other than the information transfer capabilities of the packet processing nodes necessary for accommodating terminals are included. Is prepared (reserved) as the information transfer capability for the connection link between the packet processing nodes, and the information transfer capability for the connection link between the nodes is assigned to one (or more) physical links connected between the packet processing nodes. Is allocated to the maximum while allowing the mixture of the packet processing nodes, and the bandwidth allocation at the time of performing the information transfer between the packet processing nodes is based on the sum of the remaining bandwidths of one or more physical links existing between the packet processing nodes. Information transfer with a transfer bandwidth larger than the maximum remaining bandwidth of the physical link existing between the packet processing nodes. Even once, once measuring the difference in delay time between multipath paths, it is possible to determine whether multipath transfer can be used for faster transfer or single path transfer can be used for faster transfer. Can be.

For example, considering that information transfer of a call in the required transfer band Ws is performed using M paths with the band of each path being Ws / M, the delay time of the multipath path at the data link level is considered. Is normalized by "N packet processing time in the internal clock of the packet processing node of the input / output N port", the minimum transfer delay time is tmin, and the maximum transfer delay time is tmax, (tmax-tmin)
When / tmin ≧ M, single-pass transfer can perform high-speed transfer, and when (tmax−tmin) / tmin <M, multi-pass transfer can perform high-speed transfer.

[0307] As described above, using the remaining bandwidth of the inter-node connection link, the remaining bandwidth of each inter-node connection link, and the transfer delay time of each path, how the inter-node transfer bandwidth required for a certain call is determined. If information transfer is performed by allocating the information to a multipath or a single path, it is possible to determine whether high-speed transfer is possible.

As described above, in a communication system that connects a plurality of packet processing nodes, whether to perform multipath transfer or single path transfer is determined by using a predetermined conditional expression, so that the Solves the problem that the information transfer capability of the network cannot be used effectively in a path environment (data link level multipath environment), and improves the throughput of the entire system configured by connecting system components (nodes and links) Therefore, it is possible to provide a network capable of effectively utilizing the information transfer capability of system components (nodes, links).

[Eleventh Embodiment] FIG. 38 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information communication system according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

The information communication system shown in FIG.
155M between four terminal accommodating packet processing nodes (1201 to 1204) for accommodating a plurality of terminals 1000
This is a network connected using four physical links of bps, and as shown in FIG. 38B, even if a different physical link at the data link level is replaced with one physical link of 620 Mbps, a certain terminal There are two information transfer paths from the accommodated packet processing node to another terminal-accommodated packet processing node, and the physical network has a network configuration in which multipath exists at a data link level and a network level.

However, the logical network configuration for a certain call in the information communication system is a network configuration in which four terminal accommodation nodes are connected by one logical link of 620 Mbps. When the transfer is considered, the problem of the information transfer method under the multipath environment at the network level can be replaced with the problem of the information transfer method at the data link level. It becomes possible to do.

[0312] Therefore, in a communication system connecting a plurality of packet processing nodes, whether to perform multipath transfer or single path transfer is determined by using a predetermined conditional expression. Solved the problem that the information transfer capability of the underlying network could not be used effectively, and system components (nodes, links)
In order to improve the throughput of the entire system configured by connecting the network, a network capable of effectively utilizing the information transfer capability of the system components (nodes, links) can be provided (see FIG. 38 (c)).

Also, in a multipath environment in which a plurality of packet processing nodes are connected, a transfer path for transferring information between End and End exists in the network at the network level without defining the physical topology of the network. If information transfer is not performed in a state in which multipath is physically or logically eliminated at the network level in the information transfer, not only the information transfer path is different, but also queued in different buffers, In order for nodes that receive information from multiple paths to sort information in order, the maximum transfer delay is guaranteed at least even if the load on the network becomes extremely large. The time tqmax and the minimum transfer delay time tqmax when the network load is light, Calculated from the path length, and based on this information, it is possible to determine how high-speed transfer is possible by allocating the inter-node transfer bandwidth required for a call to multipath or single path and performing information transfer. Becomes

For example, suppose that the information transfer of a call in the required transfer band Ws is performed by using M paths with the band of each path being set to Ws / M, and from the multiplex node to the demultiplex node. Minimum transfer delay time tmin
When the maximum transfer delay time tmax is normalized by "N packet processing time in the internal clock of the multiplex node of input / output N ports", the minimum transfer delay time from the multiplex node to the demultiplex node is tqm.
in, the maximum transfer delay time tqmax, (tqmax−
In the case of (tqmin) / tqmin ≧ M, the single-pass transfer enables higher-speed transfer, and (tqmax−tqmin) / tqmin
In the case of <M, the multi-path transfer enables higher-speed transfer.

For this reason, in a communication system connecting a plurality of packet processing nodes, whether to perform multi-path transfer or single-path transfer is determined using a predetermined conditional expression, so that a network level is determined. Solves the problem that the information transfer capability of the network cannot be effectively used in a network environment where multipaths exist, and improves the throughput of the entire system configured by connecting system components (nodes and links). Therefore, it is possible to provide a network capable of effectively utilizing the information transfer capability of the system components (nodes, links).

As described above, Embodiment 10 and Embodiment 1
According to No. 1, max (remaining band of the inter-node connection link) is set between the remaining band of the inter-node connection link between the packet processing nodes and the transfer band required for performing the information transfer between the packet processing nodes. <Bands required for information transfer between nodes <Σ Even when the relationship of the remaining bandwidth of the node-to-node connection link is satisfied, the information transfer capability of the node-to-node connection link does not become a throughput bottleneck, and high-speed packet transfer between nodes. And a system in which the information transfer capability between nodes is less likely to become a bottleneck can be provided.

Also, since a plurality of physical links between the packet processing nodes are allocated and routed as if they were one physical link, the routing path can be simplified, and the routing can be simplified. Cost can be reduced.

[0318] Further, the bandwidth allocation when information is transferred between packet processing nodes is allocated to one physical link based on the sum of the remaining bandwidths of one or more physical links existing between the packet processing nodes. As described above, it is characterized by allowing information transfer having a transfer band larger than the maximum remaining band of the physical link existing between the packet processing nodes, so that it has high durability against information transfer with high speed and high burstiness. A system can be provided.

In addition, multipaths exist when information is transferred between packet processing nodes in a concentrated manner (the existence of logical multipaths at the data link level is allowed, but the logical multipaths at the network level are allowed). Multi-path is not allowed), the number of hops on the multi-path is the same, the delay time varies depending on the route, and the arrival order is inverted due to the delay variation when using the multi-path simultaneously. Can easily be solved.

In an information communication system under a multi-path environment, when multi-path transfer is performed, it is faster to perform multi-path transfer depending on the internal state of the network (number of nodes passing, queuing state, etc.). Solved the problem that the case where transfer was possible and the case where single-pass transfer was able to perform high-speed transfer changed, and it was not possible to determine which transfer method could use the information transfer capability more effectively. In addition, it is possible to provide a network that can effectively utilize the information transfer capability of the system components (nodes and links) in order to improve the throughput of the entire system configured by connecting the system components (nodes and links). .

Further, according to the tenth embodiment, since the configuration does not allow physical multipath at the network level, it is lower than the configuration allowing physical multipath at the network level. This is well compatible with the operation and management of the network without permitting the logical multipath, and the information transfer capability of the system components (nodes, links) of the network can be more efficiently utilized.

[0322]

According to the present invention, it is suitable for high-speed operation, routing and path switching control are easy, a bottleneck of a connection link hardly occurs, and an information transfer capability of a system component (switch node, connection link) is effective. An information communication system that can be utilized can be provided.

[0323]

[0324]

[0325]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using a network connection device according to an embodiment 1-1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using a network connection device according to Embodiment 1-2 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-3 of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-4 of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-5 of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-6-1 of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-6-2 of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-6-3 of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-7-1 of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 1-7-2 of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using a network connection device according to Embodiment 1-8 of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 2-1 of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 2-2 of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using a network connection device according to Embodiment 2-3 of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 2-4 of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 2-5 of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 2-6 of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to Embodiment 2-7 of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the embodiment 3-1 of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using a network connection device according to Embodiment 3-2 of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 30 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using a network connection device according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a network connection device according to the embodiment;

FIG. 33 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 34 is a diagram showing an example of a network connection method using the network connection device according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating an example of a format of a packet sent to the network connection device and a time change of the packet when a network connection is performed using the network connection device according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an information communication system according to a tenth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37 is a diagram showing another example of a schematic configuration of the information communication system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 38 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an information communication system according to an eleventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 39 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional shared-media LAN system.

FIG. 40 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional star LAN system.

FIG. 41 is a diagram for explaining a throughput bottleneck of a connection link due to an increase in system scale in a conventional information communication system.

FIG. 42 is a diagram for explaining the elimination of a throughput bottleneck caused by an increase in the number of connection links in a conventional information communication system

FIG. 43 is a diagram for explaining a throughput bottleneck due to an increase in the interface speed of a connection link in a conventional information communication system.

FIG. 44 is a diagram showing the concept of a variable link speed in a conventional information communication system.

FIG. 45 is a diagram showing a multipath transfer method in a conventional information communication system.

FIG. 46 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional information communication system in which multipath exists at a network level.

FIG. 47 is a block diagram showing a concept of multipath transfer at a network level in a conventional information communication system.

[Explanation of symbols]

111, 112, A111, A112, A113 ... LA
N, 221, 222, A221, A222, A223 ...
Network connection device (IWU), 31 ... IWU protocol conversion means, 41 ... Destination information identification means, 51, A
441, A442, A443 ... protocol conversion means, 7
1, A71: Connection management means, 81, A81: Destination / connection database, 91, A91-1
~ A91-n: Inter-IWU communication path, A1: IWU management CP
U, A881, A882, A883, AM1 ... connection setting means, A31-1 to A31-n ... modularized protocol conversion means, AE1 ... resource management means, AH
1-1 to AH1-n module connection means, AZ1 switching means, AJ1-3 to AJ1-n I / F means, 1000 terminals, 1001 to 1004, 1101
1104, 1201 to 1204: Terminal processing packet processing node, 1005: Connection dedicated packet processing node

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-6-152603 (JP, A) Suzuki and F.S. A. Tobagi, Fast bandwidth reservation scheme with multi-link & multi-path routing in ATM network, INFOCOM '92, IEEE Ev. 3, p. 2233−2240 (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04L 12/56

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of physical links at a data link level.
Information transfer capability can be reassigned to
3 and more packet processing nodes capable standing housing, and a transmission means for interconnecting said packet processing node, other from the packet processing node while not adjacent to one another
To forward a packet to one of the packet processing nodes
At the network level with multipath
Or a single pass, a pre-defined conditional expression
And make decisions at the network level.
Data link even when transferring data in a single pass
Transfer at multi-level
Information communication system, characterized in that that it has. 2. The packet processing node according to claim 1, wherein said packet processing node
Multi-path at the data link level from the
When receiving information in the source, the received information in order
And then forward it to the subsequent packet processing node.
2. The information communication method according to claim 1, further comprising:
Shin system. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined conditional expression is
Between the minimum transfer delay time and the maximum transfer delay time
2. The information communication system according to claim 1, wherein
Stem.