Abstract: A method serves to compose a VPN (Virtual Private Network) over a plurality of networks, each of which is managed by a different Internet Service Provider (ISP). When a packet with a first capsule header used for composing a VPN in a first ISP network is transmitted to a second ISP network, a route for outputting the packet to the second ISP network is determined based on the information both in the capsule header and in the IP header. In addition, a second capsule header used for composing a VPN in the second ISP network is determined based on the above information.

Abstract: An access node run as a packet switching apparatus enables IP connection services for a plurality of access methods; e.g., relatively low-speed IP connection, high-speed 1P connection, and mobile network IP connection. By using this apparatus of the present invention, cost can be reduced and upgrading to advanced access networks and access services is easily carried out. Provision of the above access nodes implements upgrade-type network services common for diverse protocols. Each access node retains a pathfinding table to which input port, input tunnel identifier and input session identifier entries in a set are registered per session. When routing a packet, by looking up the set of these entries matching with the packet, the associated output port, output tunnel identifier, and output session identifier are obtained. After processing for the packet, appropriate for one of the plurality of access methods and network services, the node forwards the packet over the routed path.

Abstract: An access node run as a packet switching apparatus enables IP connection services for a plurality of access methods; e.g., relatively low-speed IP connection, high-speed IP connection, and mobile network IP connection. By using this apparatus of the present invention, cost can be reduced and upgrading to advanced access networks and access services is easily carried out. Provision of the above access nodes implements upgrade-type network services common for diverse protocols. Each access node retains a pathfinding table to which input port, input tunnel identifier and input session identifier entries in a set are registered per session. When routing a packet, by looking up the set of these entries matching with the packet, the associated output port, output tunnel identifier, and output session identifier are obtained. After processing for the packet, appropriate for one of the plurality of access methods and network services, the node forwards the packet over the routed path.

Abstract: In a device that interworks a VLAN network and an MPLS network, a VLAN ID is associated with an MPLS label. In a device that performs interworking from a VLAN network to an MPLS network, an output MPLS label is determined from a pair of a VLAN ID and the information in the layer 3 or layer 4 header of a packet. The output MPLS label is assigned an independent value for each VLAN. In a device that performs interworking from the MPLS network to another VLAN network, the input MPLS label is associated with a VLAN ID.

Abstract: A packet switching apparatus is constructed by a basic module disposed in the apparatus casing and an additional module disposed on the outside of the apparatus casing. The basic module has a common processing function irrespective of an access method and a service type, an interface accommodating lines to be connected to the Internet, and a plurality of interface boards conformed to a specific access method by which a hardware scale may be small. Only the basic module functions as a packet switching apparatus, and a processing function peculiar to each access method and service type is executed by the additional module.

Abstract: In a device that interworks a VLAN network and an MPLS network, a VLAN ID is associated with an MPLS label. In a device that performs interworking from a VLAN network to an MPLS network, an output MPLS label is determined from a pair of a VLAN ID and the information in the layer 3 or layer 4 header of a packet. The output MPLS label is assigned an independent value for each VLAN. In a device that performs interworking from the MPLS network to another VLAN network, the input MPLS label is associated with a VLAN ID.

Abstract: A router apparatus 5 is provided with an ATM switch, an IP controller for performing routing control as a controller for layer 3, plural kinds of interfaces which are individually provided to plural transmission paths in which various communications are performed, and a cell multiplexing/demultiplexing unit, and manages the cell communications between respective parts on the basis of identification information. The input packet is subjected to IP processing in an interface to be converted to a cell in a common format, and the cell is serially multiplexed with a cell from another interface on a cell basis, and transmitted to the ATM switch at the cell multiplexing/demultiplexing unit. Each interface and each cell multiplexing/demultiplexing unit sets and switches the identification information for the header portion of the packet and the cell to be communicated by using a table in which the corresponding relationship of the identification information is registered.

Abstract: In an IP packet communication apparatus, an operation and maintenance function capable of monitoring a transmission path is provided to a layer used to process a packet, which corresponds to an upper layer of an optical network. As one method for applying the operation and maintenance function to the packet layer, in the case of IP over PPP over WDM, an operation/maintenance frame is defined to a PPP frame so as to realize the operation/maintenance function of a PPP connection. In the case that a plurality of connections are multiplexed on the same transmission path, a maintenance frame is conducted in order to operate/manage these connections by being grouped, so that a fault occurring in the optical network is monitored. As another method for applying the operation and maintenance function to the packet layer, an operation/maintenance frame is defined to an IP packet so as to realize an operation and maintenance function of an IP flow.

Abstract: In an IP packet communication apparatus, an operation and maintenance function capable of monitoring a transmission path is provided to a layer used to process a packet, which corresponds to an upper layer of an optical network. As one method for applying the operation and maintenance function to the packet layer, in the case of IP over PPP over WDM, an operation/maintenance frame is defined to a PPP frame so as to realize the operation/maintenance function of a PPP connection. In the case that a plurality of connections are multiplexed on the same transmission path, a maintenance frame is conducted in order to operate/manage these connections by being grouped, so that a fault occurring in the optical network is monitored. As another method for applying the operation and maintenance function to the packet layer, an operation/maintenance frame is defined to an IP packet so as to realize an operation and maintenance function of an IP flow.

Abstract: An input interface segments a variable length packet into plurality of fixed length cells and generates an internal switching information based on the header information of the variable length packet. The input interface transmits the information to a switch and, after that, transmits the cells as the following cells of the information to the switch. The switch performs switching processing to the succeeding cells based on the information. Therefore, the information is not added to the cells. When an input interface starts to transmit cells generated from a packet to its destination output interface through the switch, the switch is reserved until all the cells arrive at the output interfaces.

Abstract: A router apparatus 5 is provided with an ATM switch, an IP controller for performing routing control as a controller for layer 3, plural kinds of interfaces which are individually provided to plural transmission paths in which various communications are performed, and a cell multiplexing/demultiplexing unit, and manages the cell communications between respective parts on the basis of identification information. The input packet is subjected to IP processing in an interface to be converted to a cell in a common format, and the cell is serially multiplexed with a cell from another interface on a cell basis, and transmitted to the ATM switch at the cell multiplexing/demultiplexing unit. Each interface and each cell multiplexing/demultiplexing unit sets and switches the identification information for the header portion of the packet and the cell to be communicated by using a table in which the corresponding relationship of the identification information is registered.

Abstract: A label switching type packet forwarding apparatus having a routing information table in which a forwarding type of a reception packet, output port identification information, and output routing information of a specific layer in the OSI reference model determined by the forwarding type are defined in correspondence with routing information which is found upon reception of a packet, for converting a header of a reception packet in accordance with the packet forwarding type and the output routing information obtained by a table search.

Abstract: An input interface segments a variable length packet into plurality of fixed length cells and generates an internal switching information based on the header information of the variable length packet. The input interface transmits the information to a switch and, after that, transmits the cells as the following cells of the information to the switch. The switch performs switching processing to the succeeding cells based on the information. Therefore, the information is not added to the cells. When an input interface starts to transmit cells generated from a packet to its destination output interface through the switch, the switch is reserved until all the cells arrive at the output interfaces.

Abstract: A label switching type packet forwarding apparatus having a routing information table in which a forwarding type of a reception packet, output port identification information, and output routing information of a specific layer in the OSI reference model determined by the forwarding type are defined in correspondence with routing information which is found upon reception of a packet, for converting a header of a reception packet in accordance with the packet forwarding type and the output routing information obtained by a table search.

Abstract: On performing load balancing in a network device, there will be provided an apparatus of transmitting packets which implements uniform allocation processing in conformity with the traffic conditions. A packet transfer apparatus is provided with a statistics information collecting processor as a functional processor independent of the packet transfer processing. The line card transfers header information of packets to be transmitted and received to the statistics information collecting processor. The statistics information collecting processor collects statistics information in accordance with header information of transmitted and received packets transferred from the line card. On the basis of the statistics information collected by the statistics information collecting processor, the setting of the search table to be provided for the line card will be renewed.

Abstract: A reliable packet communication device capable of flexibly adding new functions. A packet communication device is composed of multiple interface elements (IFEs), switching elements (SWE) connecting these IFEs, and a routing manager element (RME) and may also if necessary comprise special functional packet processors (xFPs) capable of different special functions. The interface element and special functional packet processor are connected by a logical bus. For the purpose of connecting the interface elements and special functional packet processors through the switching element when the logical bus has a failure, the logical bus data format is made identical to the data format for passing data through the switch element and a selection circuit is installed in the interface element for selectively sending and receiving data to/from either the logical bus or the switching element.

Abstract: Bandwidth control over users accommodated under ONU in PON is achieved. BAS sets user bandwidth information obtained during user authorization in OLT. The OLT achieves bandwidth control on a user basis, using bandwidth information set from the BAS. The present invention enables bandwidth control over users under the ONUs.

Abstract: A method serves to compose a VPN (Virtual Private Network) over a plurality of networks, each of which is managed by a different Internet Service Provider (ISP). When a packet with a first capsule header used for composing a VPN in a first ISP network is transmitted to a second ISP network, a route for outputting the packet to the second ISP network is determined based on the information both in the capsule header and in the IP header. In addition, a second capsule header used for composing a VPN in the second ISP network is determined based on the above information.

Abstract: A method serves to compose a VPN (Virtual Private Network) over a plurality networks each of which is managed by different Internet Service Providers (ISP). When a packet with a first capsule header used for composing a VPN in a first ISP network is transmitted to a second ISP network, a route for outputting packet to the second ISP network is determined based on the information both in the capsule header and in the IP header. In addition, a second capsule header used for composing a VPN in the second ISP network is determined based on the above information.

Abstract: An access node apparatus capable of analyzing the Internet using condition of each user terminal according to the user profile information is proposed. In a process of a series of control procedures executed between a user terminal and an authentication server, the access node apparatus generates a management record that denotes the correspondence between the user ID and the IP address, then generates a data record that denotes a relationship between a packet receiving time and the destination/source IP address. The access node apparatus then stores the access record that includes the user ID generated from both of the data record and the management record in a table and uses the user profile table to execute a statistical processing according to the user profile.