Packet switching system having-having self-routing switches

• US 6,618,372 B1
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kato, Takao, Kuwahara, Hiroshi, Gohara, Shinobu, Sakurai, Yoshito, Tanabe, Shirou, Suzuki, Taihei, Ohtsuki, Kenichi, Amada, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Thong N.
• Application Number:
  US09/340,139
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 370/218, 370/229, 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/235, 370/236, 370/237, 370/242, 370/244, 370/245, 370/253, 370/254, 370/282, 370/299, 370/300, 370/310, 370/312, 370/313, 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/359, 370/360, 370/392, 370/399, 370/395.3, 370/400, 370/419, 370/466, 370/467, 370/496, 370/902, 370/912
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6402 Hybrid switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/563 Signalling, e.g. protocols, reference model
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5632 Bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5652 Cell construction, e.g. including header, packetisation, depacketisation, assembly, reassembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5671 Support of voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5672 Multiplexing, e.g. coding, scrambling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/568 Load balancing, smoothing or shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6481 Speech, voice
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/101 using crossbar or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/106 using space switching, e.g. crossbar or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/1507 Distribute and route fabrics, e.g. sorting-routing or Batcher-Banyan
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/1553 Interconnection of ATM switching modules, e.g. ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/1584 Full Mesh, e.g. knockout
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/256 Routing or path finding in ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/30 Peripheral units, e.g. input or output ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3009 Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/3081 : ATM peripheral units, e.g. policing, insertion or extraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/309 : Header conversion, routing tables or routing tags
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0407 : using a stored programme control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0421 : Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13104 : Central control, computer control
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 : Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 : ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 : Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 : Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 : Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 : Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13352 : Self-routing networks, real-time routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 : Virtual channel/circuits

Abstract

In a packet switching system-made up of a single or a plurality of switching nodes or local units each including a label conversion unit for accommodating a plurality of packet circuits and performing conversion into output port information of a switch on the basis of a logic channel on a packet circuit, a self-routing switch for performing switching on the basis of the output port information, and a control unit for terminating a control packet and performing the call processing function, and a switching node or tandem unit including a single or a plurality of self-routing switches for interconnecting the local units, there are provided a device for setting, between the tandem unit and a destination-side local unit, the same logic channel as that between an originating, side local unit operative for information transfer and the tandem unit in respect of a call destined for a local unit other than this local unit and a device, operable in the originating-side local unit for information transfer, for inserting output port information of the self-routing switch inside the tandem unit into a packet destined for the local unit other than this local unit, whereby in the tandem unit, setting of logic channel conversion information is not required to be done and even when any control signal packet from the originating side local unit arrives at the tandem unit, the packet is transferred to the destination side local unit without undergoing termination of packet and concomitant call processing control.

Claims

1. A communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits, said communication system receives a packet from a communication circuit of an originating communication apparatus and transfers said packet to a communication circuit of a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces;

a memory which stores new connection identifiers corresponding to destinations of received packets;

a converter which converts connection identifiers included in headers of received packets to said new connection identifiers stored in said memory; and

a switch which transfers a received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on said new connection identifiers,

wherein a control signal is communicated via a first connection previously set between said originating communication apparatus and said destination communication apparatus to determine a second connection through which said received packet is to be transferred, and when said second connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said second connection is stored in the memory of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said second connection is to be setup, and

wherein when said received packet has been received by a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet is converted to said new connection identifier stored in the memory and said received packet is output from a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus via the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said second connection is setup.

2. A communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits, wherein a packet received from a communication circuit of an originating communication apparatus is transferred to a communication circuit of a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces;

a memory which stores new connection identifiers corresponding to the received packet;

a converter which converts connection identifiers included in a header of the received packet to said new connection identifiers stored in the memory; and

a switch which transfers the received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on said new connection identifiers,

wherein a control signal is communicated via a first connection previously set between said originating communication apparatus and said destination communication apparatus to determine a second connection through which said received packet is to be transferred, and when said second connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said second connection is stored in the memory of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said second connection is to be setup, and

wherein when said received packet has been received by a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet is converted to said new connection identifier stored in the memory and said received packet is transferred to said destination communication apparatus via said second connection so that in said destination communication apparatus said new connection identifier is re-converted to said connection identifier and transferred to a packet input/output interface which is a destination of said received packet.

3. A communication system including a plurality of local communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits and an intermediate communication apparatus, wherein a packet received from a communication circuit of an originating local communication apparatus is transferred to a communication circuit of a destination local communication apparatus, each local communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces;

a memory which stores new connection identifiers corresponding to destinations of the received packet;

a converter which converts connection identifiers included in a header of the received packet to the new connection identifiers stored in said memory; and

a switch which transfers the received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on said new connection identifiers,

wherein a control signal is communicated via a first connection previously set between said originating local communication apparatus and said destination local communication apparatus to determine a second connection through which said received packet is to be transferred, and when said second connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said second connection are stored in the memories of a plurality of local communication apparatuses in which said second connection is to be setup,

wherein when a packet is received by an input interface of said local originating communication apparatus, said local originating communication apparatus converts the connection identifier of said received packet to said new connection identifier stored in the memory and outputs said received packet to said an intermediate communication apparatus via an output interface in which said second connection is setup,

wherein said intermediate communication apparatus transfers said received packet to said destination local communication apparatus via said connection in accordance with said new connection identifier, and

wherein said destination local communication apparatus reconverts said new connection identifier of the received packet to said connection identifier and outputs the received packet to an output interface which is a destination of said packet.

4. A communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits, wherein a packet received from a communicating circuit of an originating communication apparatus is transferred to a communication circuit of a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces;

a memory which stores new connection identifiers corresponding to destinations of a received packet;

a converter which converts connection identifiers included in headers of the received packet to said new connection identifiers stored in said memory; and

a switch which transfers the received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on said new connection identifiers,

wherein based on an idle/busy and/or bandwidth status of each of a plurality of connections set between said originating communication apparatus and destination communication apparatus, a connection for transferring said received packet is selected from among said plurality of connections,

wherein a new connection identifier corresponding to said selected connection is stored in the memory of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said selected connection is setup, and

wherein when said received packet has been received by a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet is converted to said new connection identifier stored and said received packet is transferred to a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus which is the destination of said received packet, via the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said selected connection is setup.

16. A communication system according to claim 4, wherein said selection of a connection is made by communicating a control signal via a connection for communicating the control signal previously setup between said originating communication apparatus and said destination communication apparatus.

5. A communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits, wherein a packet received from a communication circuit of an originating communication apparatus is transferred to a communication circuit of a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces;

a memory which stores new connection identifiers corresponding to destinations of a received packet;

a converter which converts connection identifiers included in a header of the received packet to said new connection identifiers stored in said memory; and

a switch which transfers the received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on said new connection identifiers,

wherein based on an idle/busy and/or bandwidth status of each of a plurality of connections set between said originating communication apparatus and destination communication apparatus, a connection for transferring said received packet is selected from among said plurality of set table connections,

wherein a new connection identifier corresponding to said selected connection is stored in the memory of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said selected connection is setup, and

wherein when said received packet has been received by a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, a connection identifier of said received packet is converted to said new connection identifier stored and the received packet is transferred to a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus which is the destination of said received packet, via the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said selected connection has been setup.

6. The communication system according to claim 5, wherein said selection of said selected connection is made by communicating a control signal via a connection for communicating the control signal previously setup between said originating communication apparatus and said destination communication apparatus.

7. A communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits, said communication system receives a packet from an originating communication apparatus and transfers said packet to a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces; and

a switch which transfers a received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet,

wherein a connection through which said received packet is to be transferred from said originating communication apparatus to said destination communication apparatus is determined, and when said connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said connection is stored in the memory of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is to be setup, and

wherein, upon receipt of said received packet from a source by said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet is converted to said new connection identifier stored in the memory of said originating communication apparatus, and said received packet is output from a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, transferred to said destination communication apparatus via the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is setup, and output from a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus to a destination.

8. A communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits, wherein a packet received from an originating communication apparatus is transferred to a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces; and

a switch which transfers a received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet,

wherein a connection through which said received packet is to be transferred from said originating communication apparatus to said destination communication apparatus is determined, and when said connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said connection is stored in the memory of each of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is to be setup,

wherein, upon receipt of said received packet from a source by said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet is converted to the new connection identifier stored in the memory of said originating communication apparatus and said received packet is output from a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, transferred to said destination communication apparatus via the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is setup, and output from a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus to a destination, and

wherein said destination communication apparatus re-converts said new connection identifier to the connection identifier and transfers said received packet having the re-converted connection identifier to a packet input/output interface which is the destination of said received packet.

9. A communication system including a plurality of local communication apparatuses coupled to a plurality of communication circuits and an intermediate communication apparatus, wherein a packet received from an originating local communication apparatus is transferred to a destination local communication apparatus via said intermediate communication apparatus, each local communication apparatus comprising:

a plurality of packet input/output interfaces; and

a switch which transfers a received packet to one of the plurality of packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet;

wherein a connection through which said received packet is to be transferred from said originating local communication apparatus to said destination local communication apparatus is determined, and when said connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said connection is stored in the memory of each of the plurality of local communication apparatuses in which said connection is to be setup;

wherein, upon receipt of said received packet from a source by said originating local communication apparatus, said originating local communication apparatus converts the connection identifier of said received packet to said new connection identifier stored in the memory of said local originating communication apparatus and outputs said received packet to said intermediate local communication apparatus via a packet output interface in which said connection is setup,

wherein said intermediate communication apparatus transfers said received packet to said destination local communication apparatus via said connection in accordance with said new connection identifier, and

wherein said destination local communication apparatus re-converts said new connection identifier of said received packet to the connection identifier and outputs said received packet to a packet input/output interface which is a destination of said received packet.

10. A method, in a communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses, of transferring a packet from a communication circuit, coupled to an originating communication apparatus, to a communication circuit coupled to a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus includes a plurality of packet input/output interfaces and a switch which transfers a received packet to one of said packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet, said method comprising:

determining, by use of a control signal communicated via a first connection previously set between said originating communication apparatus and said destination communication apparatus, a second connection through which said received packet is to be transferred;

storing, when said second connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said second connection in memories of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said second connection is to be setup;

converting, when a packet is received by a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet to said new connection identifier stored in the memory of said originating communication apparatus; and

outputting on a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus said received packet from the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said second connection is setup.

11. A method, in a communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses, of transferring a packet from a communication circuit, coupled to an originating communication apparatus, to a communication circuit, coupled to a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus includes a plurality of packet input/output interfaces and a switch which transfers a received packet to one of said packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet, said method comprising:

determining, by use of a control signal communicated via a first connection previously set between said originating communication apparatus and said destination communication apparatus, a second connection through which said received packet is to be transferred;

storing, when said second connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said second connection in memories of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said second connection is to be setup;

converting, when said received packet has been received by a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet to the new connection identifier stored in the memory of said originating communication apparatus; and

transferring said received packet to said destination communication apparatus via said second connection so that in said destination communication apparatus said new connection identifier is re-converted to the connection identifier and transferred to a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus, said packet input/output interface being a destination of said received packet.

12. A method, in a communication system including a plurality of local communication apparatuses coupled to an intermediate communication apparatus, of transferring a packet from a communication circuit, coupled to an originating local communication apparatus, to a communication circuit, coupled to destination local communication apparatus, each communication apparatus includes a plurality of packet input/output interfaces and a switch which transfers a received packet to one of said packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet, said method comprising:

determining, by use of a control signal communicated via a first connection previously set between said originating local communication apparatus and said destination local communication apparatus, a second connection through which said received packet is to be transferred;

storing, when said second connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said second connection in memories of the plurality of local communication apparatuses in which said second connection is to be setup;

converting, when said received packet has been received by a packet input/output interface of said local originating communication apparatus, by said originating local communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet to said new connection identifier stored in the memory of said originating local communication apparatus;

outputting said received packet from said originating local communication apparatus to said intermediate communication apparatus via a packet input/output interface in which said second connection is setup;

transferring, by said intermediate communication apparatus, said received packet to said destination local communication apparatus via said second connection in accordance with said new connection identifier; and

reconverting, by said destination local communication apparatus, the new connection identifier of said received packet to said connection identifier and outputting said received packet to a packet input/output interface of said destination local communication apparatus, said packet input/output interface being a destination of said received packet.

13. A method, in a communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses, of transferring a packet from an originating communication apparatus to a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus includes a plurality of packet input/output interfaces and a switch which transfers a received packet to one of said packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet, said method comprising:

determining a connection through which said received packet is to be transferred from said originating communication apparatus to said destination communication apparatus;

storing, when said connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said connection in memories of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is to be setup;

converting, upon receipt of said received packet from a source by said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet to said new connection identifier stored in said memory of said originating communication apparatus;

outputting said received packet from said packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus;

transferring said received packet to said destination communication apparatus via the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is setup; and

outputting said received packet from a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus to a destination.

14. A method, in a communication system including a plurality of communication apparatuses, of transferring a packet received from an originating communication apparatus to a destination communication apparatus, each communication apparatus includes a plurality of packet input/output interfaces, a switch which transfers the received packet to one of said packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet, said method comprising:

determining a connection through which said received packet is to be transferred from said originating communication apparatus to said destination communication apparatus;

storing, when said connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said connection in memories of the plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is to be setup;

converting, upon receipt of said received packet from a source by said originating communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet to said new connection identifier stored in said memory of said originating communication apparatus;

outputting said received packet from a packet input/output interface of said originating communication apparatus;

transferring said received packet to said destination communication apparatus via said plurality of communication apparatuses in which said connection is setup; and

outputting said received packet from a packet input/output interface of said destination communication apparatus to a destination in a manner such that said destination communication apparatus re-converts said new connection identifier of said received packet to the connection identifier and transfers said received packet having said re-converted connection identifier to said destination.

15. A method, in a communication system including a plurality of local communication apparatuses coupled to an intermediate communication apparatus, of transferring a packet received from an originating local communication apparatus to a destination local communication apparatus via said intermediate communication apparatus, each local communication apparatus includes a plurality of packet input/output interfaces, and a switch which transfers the received packet to one of said packet input/output interfaces based on a connection identifier of said packet, said method comprising:

determining a connection through which said received packet is to be transferred from said originating local communication apparatus to said destination local communication apparatus;

storing, when said connection is determined, a new connection identifier corresponding to said connection in memories of the plurality of local communication apparatuses in which said connection is to be setup;

converting, upon receipt of said received packet from a source by said originating local communication apparatus, the connection identifier of said received packet to said new connection identifier stored in the memory of said originating local communication apparatus;

outputting said received packet to said intermediate local communication apparatus via a packet input/output interface of said originating local communication apparatus in which said connection is setup;

transferring, by said intermediate communication apparatus, said received packet to said destination local communication apparatus via said connection in accordance with said new connection identifier;

re-converting, by said destination local communication apparatus, said new connection identifier of said received packet to the connection identifier; and

outputting said received packet with the re-converted connection identifier to a packet input/output interface of said destination local communication apparatus, said packet input/output interface of said destination local communication apparatus being a destination of said received packet.