Packet communication apparatus provided with manager means for managing packet labels

• US 6,584,103 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Kobe Steel Limited, Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kurose, Mitsukazu, Hanaoka, Kunihiro, Akashita, Shoji, Tomioka, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN KIM T
• Application Number:
  US09/476,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/389, 370/395.52, 370/392, 370/400, 370/429, 370/352, 370/245.1, 370/399, 370/428, 370/412-419, 370/394, 370/229, 710/100, 710/105, 710/107, 710/305, 709/250, 709/224, 709/226, 709/200, 709/238
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A packet communication apparatus is provided for transmitting a packet with a label for distinguishing each packet to each destination apparatus, and receiving a response packet with the same label transmitted from each destination apparatus. A plurality of application units respectively provide a plurality of functions which are independent of each other, and each application unit requests for issuing a label in accordance with start of a process of the function, and returns the issued label upon completion of the same process of the function. One common memory is provided in common for a plurality of application units, and stores a plurality of labels added to a header of each packet to distinguish a plurality of packets whose destination apparatus is identical. Further, a label manager allows and inhibits use of respective labels stored in the common memory, and issues the labels stored in the common memory in accordance with a request for issuing the labels so that labels attached to all packets transmitted to the same destination apparatus are different from each other by inhibiting use of the labels which has been already allowed for a sequence of communication until completion of the sequence of communication.

Claims

1. A packet communication apparatus for transmitting a packet with a label for distinguishing each packet to each destination apparatus, and receiving a response packet with the same label transmitted from said each destination apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of application units for respectively providing a plurality of functions which are independent of each other, each application unit requesting for issuing a label in accordance with start of a process of said function, and returning the issued label upon completion of the same process of said function;

one common storage means for storing a plurality of labels added to a header of each packet to distinguish a plurality of packets whose destination apparatus is identical, said common storage means being provided in common for said plurality of application units; and

label manager means for allowing and inhibiting use of respective labels stored in said common storage means, said label manager means issuing labels stored in said common storage means in accordance with a request for issuing the labels so that labels attached to all packets transmitted to the same destination apparatus are different from each other by inhibiting use of the labels which has been already allowed for a sequence of communication until completion of said sequence of communication.

2. The packet communication apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the packet is transmitted to said each destination apparatus via a serial bus conformed to an IEEE 1394 standard.