Communication apparatus selecting a source address

• US 20060056420A1
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Okuda, Masato, Matsuoka, Naoki
• Application Number:
  US11/034,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20060056420A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.540
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function

Abstract

There is provided a communication apparatus connectable with a plurality of networks and is assigned with source addresses to connect with each respective one of the plurality of networks, comprising a communication path characteristics information acquiring unit for acquiring characteristics information of each communication path through each network to a destination, having received information relating to the destination of data to be transmitted; a source address selecting unit for selecting one source address among a plurality of source addresses based on the characteristics information; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the data to be transmitted, to a network corresponding to the selected source address. According to this constitution, the communication apparatus assigned a plurality of source addresses can select a source address corresponding to a network having the optimal communication path among a plurality of networks and communicate using the selected source address.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus that is connectable with a plurality of networks and is assigned with source addresses to connect with each respective one of the plurality of networks, comprising:

a communication path characteristics information acquiring unit for acquiring characteristics information of each communication path through each network to a destination, having received information relating to the destination of data to be transmitted;

a source address selecting unit for selecting one (1) source address among a plurality of source addresses based on the characteristics information; and

a transmitting unit for transmitting the data to be transmitted, to a network corresponding to the selected source address.

2. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the characteristics information is information relating to the connectability of each communication path to the destination, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit confirms whether or not the communication path of each network is connected to the destination, and wherein

the source address selecting unit selects a source address corresponding to a network which is connected with the destination.

3. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the characteristics information is information relating to the delay of each communication path to the destination, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit measures the delay of a communication path of each network, and wherein

the source address selecting unit selects a source address corresponding to a network of which the delay of the communication path is the minimum.

4. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the characteristics information is information relating to the band of each communication path to the destination, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit confirms an available band of a communication path of each network, and wherein

the source address selecting unit selects a source address corresponding to a network of which the available band is the widest.

5. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the characteristics information is information relating to the priority of each communication path to the destination, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit stores the priority of a source address to be selected for each destination, and wherein

the source address selecting unit selects a source address having the highest priority for the destination.

6. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage unit for storing correspondence of the selected source address and the destination, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit acquires the characteristics information when the source address corresponding to the destination is not stored in the storage unit, and wherein

the source address selecting unit registers the source address selected based on the characteristics information into the storage unit correlating the selected source address with the destination.

7. A communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the correspondence stored in the storage unit is deleted after a predetermined time period has passed.

8. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication apparatus is connected with a terminal and transmits data to be transmitted sent from the terminal, to a network, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit acquires the characteristics information in response to a request from the terminal, and wherein

the source address selecting unit notifies the terminal of a source address selected based on the characteristics information.

9. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detecting unit for detecting communication disconnection of a communication path to the destination based on the selected source address, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit again acquires the characteristics information when the detecting unit detects the communication disconnection, and wherein

the source address selecting unit changes a source address to be selected based on the characteristics information.

10. A communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the communication path characteristics information acquiring unit regularly acquires the characteristics information, and wherein

the source address selecting unit regularly updates a source address to be selected based on the characteristics information.