Packet switching system, packet switching method, routing apparatus, structure of packet, and packet generating method

• US 7,826,461 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Ihara, Takeshi, Jo, Manhee, Hayashi, Yasuhisa, Okagawa, Takatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar; Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones; Prenell P
• Application Number:
  US11/852,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20080013549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 370/238, 370/394, 370/392, 370/352, 370/351, 370/229, 370/428, 370/400, 370/401, 370/410, 370/397, 370/315, 370/389, 370/254, 370/402, 370/323, 370/399, 370/395, 370/221, 370/216, 370/255, 725/81, 709/224, 709/221, 375/240
• US Class Current: 370/397
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/122 by minimising distances, e.g. by selecting a route with minimum of number of hops
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/123 Evaluation of link metrics techniques for monitoring network metrics H04L43/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/52 Multiprotocol routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/60 Router architectures

Abstract

The packet switching system for transmitting and receiving a packet via a packet switching network 100, which comprises a plurality of routing tables (#0, #1, #2 . . . ), each of which has been generated by a unique routing policy, stored in the routing apparatuses deployed at the border, at the origin or at the end of the respective routing domains, an identifier (RTI) inserted in the packet to specify the routing tables, and an identifier changer to change a value of the identifier on the packet switching network 100. The routing apparatus selects one of the routing tables (#0, #1, #2 . . . ) according to the RTI in the received packet and transfers the packet to a destination that is specified by the selected routing table.

Claims

1. A packet switching system for transmitting and receiving a packet via a packet switching network that is configured by interconnecting a plurality of routing apparatuses, comprising:

a routing table storage unit provided in each of the plurality of routing apparatuses, and configured to store a plurality of routing tables, each of the routing tables being generated by a unique routing policy;

an identifier inserted in the packet, configured to specify one of the routing tables; and

an identifier changer configured to change a value of the identifier within the packet switching network, wherein

the routing apparatuses are configured to select a routing table from the plurality of routing tables in accordance with the value of the identifier inserted in the packet received, and to transfer the packet to a destination that is specified by the selected routing table,

the packet switching network is interconnected by a plurality of routing domains formed in a prescribed area, the plurality of routing tables are utilized in each of the routing domains, the routing apparatus is deployed at a border with an adjacent routing domain, at the origin or at the end of the routing domain, and

the identifier changer is further configured to change the value of the identifier in view of a routing policy utilized in the routing domain to which the packet is to be transferred, and to perform the same process to change the value of the identifier for a prescribed block of the packets in accordance with a type of packet.

2. A packet switching system according to claim 1, further comprising, a monitor configured to monitor a status of communication on the packet switching network, and to instruct the identifier changer to change the value of the identifier in accordance with variation in a status of communication.

3. A packet switching system according to claim 2, wherein the monitor is implemented independently from the routing apparatus.

4. A packet switching system according to claim 2, wherein the monitor is implemented in the routing apparatus.

5. A packet switching method for transmitting and receiving a packet via a packet switching network that is configured by interconnecting a plurality of routing apparatuses comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of routing tables, each of which has been generated by a unique routing policy, in the routing apparatuses;

inserting an identifier in the packet to specify a routing table;

reading the identifier from the packet by one of the routing apparatuses to select the routing table specified by the identifier;

transferring the packet to a destination that is specified by the routing table selected; and

changing the value of the identifier within the packet switching network, wherein

the packet switching network is interconnected by a plurality of routing domains formed in a prescribed area, the plurality of routing tables are utilized in each of the routing domains, the routing apparatus is deployed at a border with an adjacent routing domain, at the origin or at the end of the routing domain, and

said step of changing the value of the identifier is further changed in view of a routing policy utilized in the routing domain to which the packet is to be transferred and performs a same process to change the value of the identifier for a prescribed block of the packets in accordance with a type of packet.

6. A packet switching method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of:

instructing an applicable routing apparatus to change the value of the identifier in accordance with variation in a status of communication by monitoring the status of the packet switching network.

7. A packet switching method according to claim 6, wherein said step of instructing is performed at a controlling apparatus which is independent from the routing apparatus.

8. A packet switching method according to claim 6, wherein said step of instructing is performed in the routing apparatus.

9. A routing apparatus for configuring a packet switching network for transmitting and receiving a packet comprising:

a storing unit configured to store a plurality of routing tables, each of which has been generated by a unique routing policy;

a routing table searcher configured to select a routing table from the plurality of routing tables in accordance with a value of an identifier inserted in the packet for specifying a routing table;

a transferor configured to transfer the packet to a destination that is specified by the selected routing table; and

a identifier changer configured to change the value of the identifier, wherein

the packet switching network is interconnected by a plurality of routing domains formed in a prescribed area, the plurality of routing tables are utilized in each of the routing domains, the routing apparatus is deployed at a border with an adjacent routing domain, at the origin or at the end of the routing domain, and

the identifier changer is further configured to change the value of the identifier in view of a routing policy utilized in the routing domain to which the packet is to be transferred, and to perform the same process to change the value of the identifier for a prescribed block of the packets in accordance with a type of packet.

10. A routing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a monitor configured to monitor the status of communication on the packet switching network, and to instruct the identifier changer to change the value of the identifier in accordance with variation in a status of communication.

11. A packet generating method for generating a packet that is transmitted and received on a packet switching network configured by interconnecting a plurality of routing apparatuses comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of routing tables, each of which has been generated by a unique routing policy, in the routing apparatuses;

inserting an identifier that identifies a routing table from the plurality of routing tables, the identifier changeable by the packet switching network, in the received packet to specify one of the plurality of routing tables; and

changing a value of the identifier of the received packet based on a routing policy utilized in a routing domain to which the packet is to be transferred, wherein

the packet switching network is interconnected by a plurality of routing domains formed in a prescribed area, the plurality of routing tables are utilized in each of the routing domains, the routing apparatus is deployed at a border with an adjacent routing domain, at the origin or at the end of the routing domain, and

said step of changing the value of the identifier is further changed in view of a routing policy utilized in the routing domain to which the packet is to be transferred and performs a same process to change the value of the identifier for a prescribed block of the packets in accordance with a type of packet.

12. A packet generating method according to claim 11, wherein the value of the identifier is able to be changed in accordance with variation in a status of communication by monitoring the status of the packet switching network.