Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A packet transfer scheme for transferring packets at a boundary of a plurality networks is disclosed. A network interconnection apparatus (router) communicates with a previous hop node in one of the plurality of networks by a first control message including a first identification information for identifying an upstream path from the previous hop node and a specification information for specifying a group of packets to be transferred on the upstream path, and with a next hop node in another of the plurality of networks by a second control message including a second identification information for identifying a downstream path to the next hop node and a specification information for specifying a group of packets to be transferred on the downstream path. Then, the network interconnection apparatus stores a first identifier at a layer lower than layer 3 of the upstream path and a second identifier at a layer lower than layer 3 of the downstream path corresponding to the upstream path, according to the first and second control messages, and transfers a packet from the upstream path to the corresponding downstream path, referring to the memory.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim