Method of setting a relaying path in a communication network

Claim 2

A relaying path setting method in a network when a first communication terminal communicates with a second communication terminal via a plurality of branching units, said method comprising: first step of sending a predetermined request frame which includes identification information of the second communication terminal from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal via the plurality of branching units; a second step of sending a virtual path request frame used for specifying a branching unit to be used in communicating between the first and second communication terminals from an adapter to which the second communication terminal is connected to an adapter to which the first communication terminal is connected on the basis of a predetermined response frame responding to the predetermined request frame sent from the second communication terminal which received the predetermined request frame, and specifying the branching units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the sent virtual path request frame; a third step of sending a virtual path response frame responding to the virtual path request frame from the adapter to which the first communication terminal is connected to the adapter to which the second communication terminal is connected, via the specified branching units and establishing a virtual path on the basis of the sent virtual path response frame; and a fourth step of sending back the predetermined response frame which corresponds to the predetermined request frame via the virtual path established at said third step, and setting a relaying path between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the predetermined response frame.

Claim 3

The relaying path setting method according to claim 1, wherein said first communication terminal communicates with the second communication terminal in an asynchronous transfer mode.

Claim 4

The relaying path setting method according to claim 1, wherein, at said first step, the predetermined request frame is broadcasted via the plurality of branching units.

Claim 5

The relaying path setting method according to claim 1, wherein, at said second step, the virtual path request frame is broadcasted.

Claim 6

The relaying path setting method according to claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of branching units stores identification information of a branching unit from which the virtual path request frame arrived first among all arrived virtual path request frames broadcasted from different branching units, and identification information of a branching unit from which the received virtual path response frame is sent in a table, and exchanges data on the basis of the information stored in the table.

Claim 7

The relaying path setting method according to claim 1, wherein, at said first step, a predetermined request frame including an IP address of the second communication terminal is transmitted.

Claim 8

The relaying path setting method according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of branching units stores VPI and VCI values as identification information of the branching unit in the table.

Claim 9

A relaying path setting method in a network when a first communication terminal communicates with a second communicating terminal via a asynchronous transfer mode exchange system, said method comprising: a first step of sending predetermined request information which includes first identification information that is terminal identification information of the second communication terminal from the first communication terminal to a first terminal adapter; a second step of sending the predetermined request information from the first terminal adapter to a second terminal adapter via a plurality of branching units; a third step of sending the predetermined request information from the second terminal adapter to the second communication terminal; a fourth step of sending predetermined response information, responding to the predetermined request information, which includes second identification information of the second communication terminal, that is a media access control information in the network, to the second terminal adapter; a fifth step of temporarily storing the predetermined response information and sending virtual path request information which is on the basis of the predetermined response information and includes the second identification information to the first terminal adapter via the plurality of branching units and specifying branching units relating to a virtual path on the basis of the sent virtual path request information; a sixth step of sending virtual path response information, responding to the virtual path request information, which includes the second identification information to said second terminal adapter via the specified branching units and establishing the virtual path on the basis of the sent virtual path response information; and a seventh step of sending the temporarily stored predetermined response information to the first communication terminal through the established virtual path determining a relaying path between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal on the basis of the sent predetermined response information.

Claim 10

A relaying path setting method in a network when a first communication terminal communicates with a second communicating terminal via a asynchronous transfer mode exchange system, said method comprising: a first step of sending predetermined request information which includes first identification information that is terminal identification information of the second communication terminal from the first communication terminal to a first terminal adapter; a second step of sending the predetermined request information from the first terminal adapter to a second terminal adapter via a plurality of branching units; a third step of sending the predetermined request information from the second terminal adapter to the second communication terminal; a fourth step of sending predetermined response information, responding to the predetermined request information, which includes second identification information of the second communication terminal, that is a media access control information in the network, to the second terminal adapter; a fifth step of temporarily storing the predetermined response information and sending virtual path request information which is on the basis of the predetermined response information and includes the second identification information to the first terminal adapter via the plurality of branching units and specifying branching units relating to a virtual path on the basis of the sent virtual path request information; a sixth step of sending virtual path response information, responding to the virtual path request information, which includes the second identification information to said second terminal adapter via the specified branching units and establishing the virtual path on the basis of the sent virtual path response information; and a seventh step of sending the temporarily stored predetermined response information to the first communication terminal through the established virtual path determining a relaying path between the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal on the basis of the sent predetermined response information.

Claim 11

The relaying path setting method according to claim 8, wherein the first identification information is an IP address.

Claim 12

The relaying path setting method according to claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of branching units stores identification information of a branching unit from which the virtual path request information is arrived first among all arrived virtual path request information broadcasted from different branching units, and identification information of a branching unit from which the received virtual path response information is sent in a table, and exchanges data on the basis of the information stored in the table.

Claim 13

A communication system, to which a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal can be connected, which controls a communication between the first and second communication terminals via a plurality of branching units, said system comprising: first detection means for detecting a predetermined request frame, including identification information of the second communication terminal, which is sent from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal; first sending means for sending the predetermined request frame to the second communication terminal in response to the detection of the predetermined request frame by said first detection means; second detection means for detecting a predetermined response frame responding to the predetermined request frame which is transmitted from the second communication terminal which received the predetermined request frame sent by said first sending means to the first communication terminal; second sending means for sending a virtual path request frame used for specifying branching units to be used in communication between the first and second communication terminals in response to the detection of the predetermined response frame by said second detection means; specification means for specifying the branching units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path request frame sent by said second sending means; third sending means for sending a virtual path response frame responding to the virtual path request frame via the branching units specified by said specification means; establishment means for establishing a virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path response frame sent by said third sending means; fourth sending means for sending the predetermined response frame detected by said second detection means via the virtual path established by said establishment means; and setting means for setting a relaying path between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the predetermined response frame sent by said fourth sending means.

Claim 14

A communication system, to which a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal can be connected, which controls a communication between the first and second communication terminals via a plurality of branching units, said system comprising: first detection means for detecting a predetermined request frame, including identification information of the second communication terminal, which is sent from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal; first sending means for sending the predetermined request frame to the second communication terminal in response to the detection of the predetermined request frame by said first detection means; second detection means for detecting a predetermined response frame responding to the predetermined request frame which is transmitted from the second communication terminal which received the predetermined request frame sent by said first sending means to the first communication terminal; second sending means for sending a virtual path request frame used for specifying branching units to be used in communication between the first and second communication terminals in response to the detection of the predetermined response frame by said second detection means; specification means for specifying the branching units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path request frame sent by said second sending means; third sending means for sending a virtual path response frame responding to the virtual path request frame via the branching units specified by said specification means; establishment means for establishing a virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path response frame sent by said third sending means; fourth sending means for sending the predetermined response frame detected by said second detection means via the virtual path established by said establishment means; and setting means for setting a relaying path between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the predetermined response frame sent by said fourth sending means.

Claim 15

The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the communication system communicates in an asynchronous transfer mode.

Claim 16

The communication system according to claim 11, wherein the first sending means broadcasts the predetermined request frame.

Claim 17

The communication system according to claim 11, wherein said second sending means broadcasts the virtual path request frame.

Claim 18

The communication system according to claim 11, wherein said specification means specifies a branching unit which sent a virtual path request frame that reached first among broadcasted virtual path request frames as one of the branching units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals.

Claim 19

The communication system according to claim 14, wherein said establishment means stores identification information of a branching unit which sent a virtual path request frame that reached first among broadcasted virtual path request frames and identification information of a branching unit which sent the received virtual path response frame in a table, and establishes the virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the identification information stored in the table.

Claim 20

The communication system according to claim 11, wherein said first sending means sends the predetermined request frame including an IP address of the second communication terminal.

Claim 21

The communication system according to claim 16, wherein said establishment means stores VPI/VCI values in the table as the identification information of the branching unit.

Claim 22

A communication apparatus in a communication system, to which a first communication terminal and a second communication can be connected, which controls a communication between the first and second communication terminals via a plurality of communication units, said apparatus comprising: first detection means for detecting a predetermined request frame, including identification information of the second communication terminal, which is sent from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal; first sending means for sending the predetermined request frame to the second communication terminal in response to the detection of the predetermined request frame by said first detection means; second detection means for detecting a virtual path request frame, used for specifying communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals, which is sent from another communication unit that detected a predetermined response frame responding to the predetermined request frame sent from the second communication terminal that received the predetermined request frame sent by said first sending means to the first communication terminal; specification means for specifying the communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path request frame detected by said second detection means; second sending means for sending the virtual path response frame to the adjacent communication units in response to the detection of the virtual path request frame by said second detection means; third detection means for detecting a virtual path response frame responding to the virtual path request frame sent via the communication units specified by said specification means; establishment means for establishing a virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path response frame detected by said third detection means; fourth detection means for detecting the predetermined response frame sent via the virtual path established by said establishment means; setting means for setting a relaying path between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the predetermined response frame detected by said fourth detection means; and third sending means for sending the predetermined response frame detected by said fourth detection means via the virtual path established by said establishment means.

Claim 23

A communication apparatus in a communication system, to which a first communication terminal and a second communication can be connected, which controls a communication between the first and second communication terminals via a plurality of communication units, said apparatus comprising: first detection means for detecting a predetermined request frame, including identification information of the second communication terminal, which is sent from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal; first sending means for sending the predetermined request frame to the second communication terminal in response to the detection of the predetermined request frame by said first detection means; second detection means for detecting a virtual path request frame, used for specifying communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals, which is sent from another communication unit that detected a predetermined response frame responding to the predetermined request frame sent from the second communication terminal that received the predetermined request frame sent by said first sending means to the first communication terminal; specification means for specifying the communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path request frame detected by said second detection means; second sending means for sending the virtual path response frame to the adjacent communication units in response to the detection of the virtual path request frame by said second detection means; third detection means for detecting a virtual path response frame responding to the virtual path request frame sent via the communication units specified by said specification means; establishment means for establishing a virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path response frame detected by said third detection means; fourth detection means for detecting the predetermined response frame sent via the virtual path established by said establishment means; setting means for setting a relaying path between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the predetermined response frame detected by said fourth detection means; and third sending means for sending the predetermined response frame detected by said fourth detection means via the virtual path established by said establishment means.

Claim 24

The communication apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the communication apparatus communicates in an asynchronous transfer mode.

Claim 25

The communication apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first sending means broadcasts the predetermined request frame.

Claim 26

The communication apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said second sending means broadcasts the virtual path request frame.

Claim 27

The communication apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said specification means specifies a communication unit which sent a virtual path request frame that reached first among broadcasted virtual path request frames as one of the communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals.

Claim 28

The communication apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said establishment means stores identification information of a communication unit which sent a virtual path request frame that reached first among broadcasted virtual path request frames and identification information of a communication unit which sent the received virtual path response frame in a table, and establishes the virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the identification information stored in the table.

Claim 29

The communication apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first sending means sends the predetermined request frame including an IP address of the second communication terminal.

Claim 30

The communication system according to claim 24, wherein said establishment means stores VPI/VCI values in the table as the identification information of the communication unit.

Claim 31

A control method for controlling a communication apparatus in a communication system, to which a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal can be connected, which controls a communication between the first and second communication terminals via a plurality of communication units, said method comprising: a first detection step of detecting a predetermined request frame, including identification information of the second communication terminal, which is sent from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal; a first sending step of sending the predetermined request frame to the second communication terminal in response to the detection of the predetermined request frame in said first detection step; a second detection step of detecting a virtual path request frame, used for specifying communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals, which is sent from another communication unit that detected a predetermined response frame responding to the predetermined request frame sent from the second communication terminal that received the predetermined request frame sent in said first sending step to the first communication terminal; a specification step of specifying the communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path request frame detected in said second detection step; a second sending step of sending the virtual path response frame to the adjacent communication units in response to the detection of the virtual path request frame in said second detection step; a third detection step of detecting a virtual path response frame responding to the virtual path request frame sent via the communication units specified in said specification step; an establishment step of establishing a virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path response frame detected in said third detection step; a fourth detection step of detecting the predetermined response frame sent via the virtual path established in said establishment step; a setting step of setting a relaying path between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the predetermined response frame detected in said fourth detection step; and a third sending step of sending the predetermined response frame detected in said fourth detection step via the virtual path established in said establishment step.

Claim 32

A control method for controlling a communication apparatus in a communication system, to which a first communication terminal and a second communication terminal can be connected, which controls a communication between the first and second communication terminals via a plurality of communication units, said method comprising: a first detection step of detecting a predetermined request frame, including identification information of the second communication terminal, which is sent from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal; a first sending step of sending the predetermined request frame to the second communication terminal in response to the detection of the predetermined request frame in said first detection step; a second detection step of detecting a virtual path request frame, used for specifying communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals, which is sent from another communication unit that detected a predetermined response frame responding to the predetermined request frame sent from the second communication terminal that received the predetermined request frame sent in said first sending step to the first communication terminal; a specification step of specifying the communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path request frame detected in said second detection step; a second sending step of sending the virtual path response frame to the adjacent communication units in response to the detection of the virtual path request frame in said second detection step; a third detection step of detecting a virtual path response frame responding to the virtual path request frame sent via the communication units specified in said specification step; an establishment step of establishing a virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the virtual path response frame detected in said third detection step; a fourth detection step of detecting the predetermined response frame sent via the virtual path established in said establishment step; a setting step of setting a relaying path between the first and second communication terminals on the basis of the predetermined response frame detected in said fourth detection step; and a third sending step of sending the predetermined response frame detected in said fourth detection step via the virtual path established in said establishment step.

Claim 33

The control method according to claim 27, wherein the communication units communicate in an asynchronous transfer mode.

Claim 34

The control method according to claim 27, wherein, in said first sending step, the predetermined request frame is broadcast.

Claim 35

The control method according to claim 27, wherein, in said second sending step, the virtual path request frame is broadcast.

Claim 36

The control method according to claim 30, wherein, in said specification step, a communication unit which sent a virtual path request frame that reached first among broadcasted virtual path request frames is specified as one of the communication units to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals.

Claim 37

The control method according to claim 30, wherein, in said establishment step, identification information of a communication unit which sent a virtual path request frame that reached first among broadcasted virtual path request frames and identification information of a communication unit which sent the received virtual path response frame are stored in a table, and the virtual path to be used in the communication between the first and second communication terminals is established on the basis of the identification information stored in the table.

Claim 38

The control method according to claim 27, wherein, in said first sending step, the predetermined request frame including an IP address of the second communication terminal is sent.

Claim 39

The control method according to claim 32, wherein, in said establishment step, VPI/VCI values are stored in the table as the identification information of the communication unit.