Network connection apparatus, program, and method

• US 20060002406A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishihara, Takeshi, Ichie, Akira
• Application Number:
  US11/170,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20060002406A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables

Abstract

There is provided a network connection apparatus comprising: a request acceptance unit which accepts a assignment request of network identification information from a different network connection apparatus connected to the network; an assigning unit which assigns the network identification information to the different network connection apparatus; a noticing unit which notifies the different network connection apparatus of the assigned network identification information; a generating unit which generates routing information on the basis of the assigned network identification information and host identification information of the different network connection apparatus; and a transmitting unit which transmits the generated routing information to a further different network connection apparatus other than the different network connection apparatus, connected to at least one of the networks.

Claims

1. A network connection apparatus which connects a plurality of networks to each other and conducts data transfer between the networks by using previously given routing information, the network connection apparatus comprising:

a request acceptance unit which accepts a assignment request of network identification information from a different network connection apparatus connected to the network;

an assigning unit which assigns the network identification information to the different network connection apparatus on the basis of the assignment request;

a noticing unit which notifies the different network connection apparatus of the assigned network identification information;

a generating unit which generates routing information on the basis of the assigned network identification information and host identification information of the different network connection apparatus; and

a transmitting unit which transmits the generated routing information to a further different network connection apparatus other than the different network connection apparatus, connected to at least one of the networks.

2. The network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a return offer reception unit which receives a return offer of the network identification information from the different network connection apparatus,

wherein

in a case where the return offer is received by the return offer reception unit, the assigning unit generates an invalidity notice which indicates that the generated routing information is invalid, and

the transmitting unit transmits the generated invalidity notice to the further different network connection apparatus.

3. The network connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the assigning unit further determines a validity term of the network identification information,

in a case where the validity term of the assigned network identification information has expired, the assigning unit generates an invalidity notice which indicates that the generated routing information is invalid, and

the transmitting unit transmits the generated invalidity notice to the further different network connection apparatus.

4. The network connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the noticing unit further transmits routing information based on, network identification information assigned to the further different network connection apparatus and host identification information of the further different network connection apparatus to the different network connection apparatus.

5. The network connection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

before transmitting the generated routing information, the transmitting unit transmits a notice to the effect that new routing information is present to the further different network connection apparatus, and

upon receiving a request to the effect that the new routing information should be acquired, from the further different network connection apparatus, the transmitting unit transmits the generated routing information.

6. The network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a decision unit which makes a decision on the basis of previously given decision criteria whether it is permitted to transmit the generated routing information to the further different network connection apparatus,

wherein in a case where transmission is permitted by the decision unit, the transmitting unit transmits the generated routing information.

7. The network connection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a user data reception unit which receives user data from the different network connection apparatus assigned the network identification information,

wherein

the generating unit determines a transfer destination of the received user data,

in a case where the transfer destination is another network connection apparatus assigned a network identification information by the assigning unit and connected to the same network as the different network connection apparatus, the generating unit generates routing information on the basis of the network identification information assigned to the another network connection apparatus serving as the transfer destination and host identification information of the another network connection apparatus serving as the transfer destination, and

the transmitting unit transmits the generated routing information to the different network connection apparatus.

8. A program for inducing an network connection apparatus that connects a plurality of networks to each other and conducts data transfer between the networks by using previously given routing information, to execute:

accepting a assignment request of network identification information from a different network connection apparatus connected to the network;

assigning the network identification information to the different network connection apparatus on the basis of the assignment request;

notifying the different network connection apparatus of the assigned network identification information;

generating routing information on the basis of the assigned network identification information and host identification information of the different network connection apparatus; and

transmitting the generated routing information to a further different network connection apparatus other than the different network connection apparatus, connected to at least one of the networks.

9. The program according to claim 8, for inducing the network connection apparatus to further execute:

receiving a return offer of the network identification information from the different network connection apparatus;

generating an invalidity notice which indicates that the generated routing information is invalid, in a case where the return offer is received; and

transmitting the generated invalidity notice to the further different network connection.

10. The program according to claim 8, for inducing the network connection apparatus to further execute:

determining a validity term of the network identification information;

generating an invalidity notice which indicates that the generated routing information is invalid, in a case where the validity term of the assigned network identification information has expired; and

transmitting the generated invalidity notice to the further different network connection apparatus.

11. The program according to claim 8, for inducing the network connection apparatus to further execute transmitting routing information based on, network identification information assigned to the further different network connection apparatus and host identification information of the further different network connection apparatus to the different network connection apparatus together with the assigned network identification information.

12. The program according to claim 8, for inducing the network connection apparatus to further execute:

before transmitting the generated routing information, transmits a notice to the effect that new routing information is present to the further different network connection apparatus; and

upon receiving a request to the effect that the new routing information should be acquired, from the further different network connection apparatus, transmitting the generated routing information.

13. The program according to claim 8, for inducing the network connection apparatus to further execute:

making a decision on the basis of previously given decision criteria whether it is permitted to transmit the generated routing information to the further different network connection apparatus; and

in a case where transmission is permitted, transmitting the generated routing information.

14. The program according to claim 8, for inducing the network connection apparatus to further execute:

receiving user data from the different network connection apparatus assigned the network identification information;

determining a transfer destination of the received user data;

in a case where the transfer destination is another network connection apparatus assigned a network identification information and connected to the same network as the different network connection apparatus, generating routing information on the basis of the network identification information assigned to the another network connection apparatus serving as the transfer destination and host identification information of the another network connection apparatus serving as the transfer destination; and

transmitting the generated routing information to the different network connection apparatus.

15. A method of distributing routing information by a network connection apparatus that connects a plurality of networks to each other and conducts data transfer between the networks by using previously given routing information, comprising:

accepting a assignment request of network identification information from a different network connection apparatus connected to the network;

assigning the network identification information to the different network connection apparatus on the basis of the assignment request;

notifying the different network connection apparatus of the assigned network identification information;

generating routing information on the basis of the assigned network identification information and host identification information of the different network connection apparatus; and

transmitting the generated routing information to a further different network connection apparatus other than the different network connection apparatus, connected to at least one of the networks.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a return offer of the network identification information from the different network connection apparatus;

generating an invalidity notice which indicates that the generated routing information is invalid, in a case where the return offer is received; and

transmitting the generated invalidity notice to the further different network connection apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining a validity term of the network identification information;

generating an invalidity notice which indicates that the generated routing information is invalid, in a case where the validity term of the assigned network identification information has expired; and

transmitting the generated invalidity notice to the further different network connection apparatus.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting routing information based on, network identification information assigned to the further different network connection apparatus and host identification information of the further different network connection apparatus to the different network connection apparatus together with the assigned network identification information.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

before transmitting the generated routing information, transmits a notice to the effect that new routing information is present to the further different network connection apparatus; and

upon receiving a request to the effect that the new routing information should be acquired, from the further different network connection apparatus, transmitting the generated routing information.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving user data from the different network connection apparatus assigned the network identification information;

determining a transfer destination of the received user data;

in a case where the transfer destination is another network connection apparatus assigned a network identification information and connected to the same network as the different network connection apparatus, generating routing information on the basis of the network identification information assigned to the another network connection apparatus serving as the transfer destination and host identification information of the another network connection apparatus serving as the transfer destination; and

transmitting the generated routing information to the different network connection apparatus.