Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for transmitting a packet from a source node S in a first stub 300 to a destination node D in a second stub 306 of an internet communications network 200. The first stub 300 is connected with a public data network (PDN) 210 by a first access point node Ra and the second stub 306 is connected with the PDN 210 by a second access point node Rd. The first access point node Ra, writes its PDN subnetwork address in the packet. The first access point node Ra then transmits the packet via a sequence of one or more intermediary access point nodes Rb, Rc on a base path until the packet reaches the second access point node Rd. The second access point node Rd receives the packet via the base path. The second access point node Rd stores the PDN subnetwork address of the first access point node Ra (contained in the packet) in an entry 131 of shortcut table 130 maintained at the second access point node Rd.

Abstract: A switch memory 100 for implementing a multilevel hierarchical routing table in a switch is disclosed. The switch memory 100 includes a plurality of mask circuits 120, 121 and 122, which each correspond to one level of the multilevel hierarchy. Each mask circuit 120, 121 and 122 receives a destination address of an incoming call or packet and masks out portions of the received destination address which do not correspond to the level of the hierarchy with which the mask circuit 120, 121 or 122 is associated. A memory array 130, 131 or 132 corresponding to each mask circuit 120, 121 or 122, is provided which is capable of storing a table of entries including an output port entry and a corresponding destination address of one level of the multilevel hierarchy of destination addresses.

Abstract: A method for transmitting a packet via a sequence of nodes in a network is disclosed. The transmitted-packet contains a sequence of one or more identifiers in a sequence of fields 410, 420, 430, 440, 450, 460, 470, 480 and a pointer pointing to a particular identifier in the sequence of identifiers in a field 485 of a routing section of a header in the packet. A node of the sequence of nodes at which the packet is located selects a forwarding table from a set of forwarding tables maintained in a memory at that node. The node then retrieves an entry from the selected forwarding table indexed by the identifier in the sequence of identifiers pointed to by the pointer. The node then transmits the packet to the next node of the sequence of nodes indicated by the retrieved forwarding table entry.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for routing messages in a communications network having a plurality of communications stations interconnected by a plurality of communication links, and having at least one destination station. Each communications station informs each neighboring communications station of the distance between itself and the destination station. Each communications station stores information identifying a first neighboring station through which it has a primary path to the destination station. The primary path is the shortest of all possible paths to the destination station. Each communications station that is connected to the destination station by at least one alternate path stores information identifying a second neighboring station through which it has an alternate path to the destination station.

Abstract: A communications network comprising a plurality of destination stations and associated server stations, each destination station having a unique destination address, and a unique destination name containing no semantic information relating to an associated server station, each server station having a unique server address, and being capable of storing the destination address of each destination station with which it is associated, the server address being found by an algorithmic manipulation of the destination name of any destination station that is associated with the server station.

Abstract: A hierarchy of landmarks is established for the nodes in the network. Each node is assigned at least one hierarchy level designation and has a corresponding radius. An address is assigned to each of the nodes, the address including components representing landmarks wherein each landmark represented by the address component is within the radius of the landmark represented by the next lower address component. Each node maintains a routing table for routing entries to landmarks within the radii of which a node resides. A source node chooses a path toward the highest level landmark represented by the address components of a destination node until the path reaches a node within the radius of the landmark represented by the next lower level address component. This procedure is repeated for the remaining address components.