JP4452247B2 - Communications system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication system.

  A customer who subscribes to a communication service provided by a communication service provider (ISP (Internet Service Provider)) uses the communication service provider's communication network to perform communication such as data exchange and content distribution.

The configuration of a conventional communication system is shown in FIG. In this communication system, a server 800, a customer communication device 900A, 900B, each of 900C is connected communication network (e.g., ISP network) to L _ISP. The external communication device 600 is connected to a communication network (for example, Internet network) L _NET . The communication network L _ISP is connected to the communication network L _NET via the router R200. Each of the customer communication devices 900A, 900B, and 900C performs creation / identification of information signals (signals exchanged for communication between devices) and transmission / reception of information signals. Customer communication devices 900A, 900B, and 900C are connected to accommodation switches 700A, 700B, and 700C, respectively. Each of the accommodation switches 700A, 700B, and 700C stores the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by the corresponding customer communication device. The server 800 acquires the traffic amount stored in each of the accommodation switches 700A, 700B, and 700C, and creates a communication fee bill that charges each of the customers A, B, and C. For example, the server 800 acquires the amount of traffic stored in the accommodation switch 700A, and charges the customer A by multiplying the acquired amount of traffic by a predetermined charge as shown in (Formula A). Calculate the fee.

“Communication charge” = “traffic volume” x “communication charge per unit communication volume” (formula A)
As shown in FIG. 33, the communication service provider allows the subscriber to access a higher-level communication network (communication network L _{NET in} FIG. 33) different from its own communication network (communication network L _{ISP in} FIG. 33). Is provided, the access to the higher-level communication network is obtained by paying a procurement fee to another communication service provider providing the higher-level communication network. Therefore, the communication fee charged by each of the customers A, B, and C is added with the procurement cost paid by the communication network manager to the upper network manager.
JP 2003-289330 A JP 2005-26897 A

In the conventional communication system shown in FIG. 33, when communication is performed between any one of the customer communication devices 900A, 900B, and 900B and the external communication device 600, each network (communication network L _ISP , communication network L _NET ). Is used. On the other hand, when communication is performed between the customer communication devices 900A, 900B, and 900C, only the communication network L _ISP is used without using the communication network L _NET . However, in the conventional communication system, communication within the communication network L _ISP is not distinguished from communication that is lost to the communication network L _NET , and the amount of communication between the two is managed collectively. Therefore, communication service provider, had claimed the communication fee using a combination of the price and the higher procurement costs of the communication network L _ISP also for communication in the communication network in the L _ISP.

  The present invention provides a system capable of separately managing the traffic volume of communication performed within a predetermined communication network and the traffic volume of communication performed using a communication network different from the predetermined communication network. For the purpose.

  According to the present invention, the communication system includes a router device, a plurality of communication devices, a first recording unit, a second recording unit, and a server device. The router device is physically connected between the communication network A and the communication network B and relays information signals. The plurality of communication devices are physically connected to the communication network A to transmit / receive information signals, and belong to a first virtual network constructed in the communication network A. In the communication network A, a second virtual network is constructed between each of the plurality of communication devices and the router device. The first recording unit records the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by each of the plurality of communication devices as the first traffic amount of the communication device. The second recording unit transmits / receives information transmitted / received between the router device and each of the plurality of communication devices via a second virtual network established between the router device and the communication device. The traffic volume of the signal is recorded as the second traffic volume of the communication device. The server device obtains the first traffic volume recorded for each communication device by the first recording unit and the second traffic volume recorded for each communication device by the second recording unit. Each of the plurality of communication devices transmits / receives an information signal via the first virtual network when communicating with another communication device connected to the communication network A. When communicating with the communication network B, each of the plurality of communication devices transmits / receives an information signal via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs. When the router device receives an information signal from the communication device via a second virtual network constructed with each of the plurality of communication devices, the router device transmits the information signal to the communication network B. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device transmits the information signal via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs.

  In the communication system, referring to the first traffic volume, the information signal transmitted / received by the communication device in communication using only the communication network A and communication using the communication network A and communication network B (all communication) is used. The amount of traffic can be grasped. Further, by referring to the second traffic amount, it is possible to grasp the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by the communication device in communication (external connection communication) using not only the communication network A but also the communication network B. Thereby, communication using only the communication network A (communication within the communication network A) and communication using not only the communication network A but also the communication network B can be managed separately for each communication device.

  Preferably, the router device is provided with a plurality of physical ports. Each of the plurality of physical ports is physically connected to the communication network A. The plurality of physical ports correspond to the plurality of communication devices. Each of the plurality of physical ports belongs to the same second virtual network as the corresponding communication device. Each of the plurality of communication devices transmits the information signal to a physical port belonging to the second virtual network when transmitting the information signal via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device transmits the information signal via a physical port belonging to the same second virtual network as the communication device. Send. The second recording unit is configured to determine a traffic amount of an information signal relayed through the physical port in each of the plurality of physical ports as a second of communication apparatuses belonging to the same second virtual network as the physical port. Record as traffic volume.

  In the communication system, when a communication device communicates with the communication network B, an information signal is exchanged via a physical port corresponding to the communication device. Therefore, by recording the traffic amount of the information signal relayed by the router device for each physical port, the traffic amount of the external connection communication can be recorded for each communication device.

  Preferably, a first IP address and a second IP address are set in each of the plurality of communication devices. The first IP address has a network address corresponding to the first virtual network to which the communication device belongs. The second IP address has a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs.

  A third IP address is set for each of the plurality of physical ports of the router device. The third IP address has a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the physical port belongs. The third IP address set for each of the plurality of physical ports has the same network address portion as the second IP address set for the communication device belonging to the same second virtual network as the physical port. .

  In the communication system, two IP addresses are given to each of the plurality of communication devices. Since the first IP address matches the first IP address given to another communication device and the network address portion, a first virtual network is constructed between the plurality of communication devices. As a result, a communication path for communication between the plurality of communication devices can be established. Further, the second IP address given to each of the plurality of communication devices is a third IP address given to each of the plurality of physical ports of the router device corresponding to each of the plurality of communication devices. Since the network address portions coincide with each other, a second virtual network is constructed between the plurality of communication devices and the router device. As a result, a communication path for the plurality of communication devices to communicate via the router device can be constructed.

  Preferably, when each of the plurality of communication devices communicates with another communication device connected to the communication network A, information is directed toward the first IP address set in the other communication device. Send a signal. When each of the plurality of communication devices transmits an information signal to the communication network B, the information signal is directed toward a third IP address set in a physical port belonging to the same second virtual network as the communication device. Send. When an information signal is transmitted from the communication device via the second virtual network established between each of the plurality of communication devices, the router device transmits a third IP specified by the communication device. The information signal is received at the physical port to which the address is set, and the received information signal is transmitted to the communication network B. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device refers to the destination address of the information signal and sets the information signal to the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted. The selected second IP address is selected, and the information signal is sent to the selected second IP address through the physical port in which the third IP address having the same network address as the selected second IP address is set. Send to the IP address of 2.

  In the communication system, each of the plurality of communication devices transmits an information signal via the first virtual network when communicating with another communication device connected to the communication network A. In addition, when the information signal is transmitted to the communication network B, the information signal is transmitted via the second virtual network. Further, when the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device transmits the information signal via the second virtual network to which the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted belongs. It will be sent.

  Preferably, a routing table is stored in the router device. In the routing table, a network address corresponding to each of the plurality of second virtual networks is associated with a second IP address set for a communication device belonging to the second virtual network. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device searches the routing table for a network address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal, A second IP address associated with the detected network address is selected.

  Preferably, when each of the plurality of communication devices communicates with another communication device connected to the communication network A, the first IP address set in the communication device is transmitted as an information signal. Used as the original address. When each of the plurality of communication devices transmits an information signal to the communication network B, the second IP address set in the communication device is used as a source address of the information signal.

  Preferably, the communication system further includes a plurality of first accommodation switches and a second accommodation switch. A predetermined identifier is set for each of the plurality of first accommodation switches. The plurality of first accommodation switches correspond to the plurality of communication devices. Each of the plurality of first accommodation switches is physically connected between the corresponding communication device and the communication network A. The second accommodating switch is set with the predetermined identifier, and is physically connected between the router device and the communication network A. When relaying an information signal from the communication device corresponding to the first accommodation switch to the communication network A, each of the plurality of first accommodation switches adds an expansion tag indicating the predetermined identifier to the information signal. When relaying an information signal from the communication network A to the communication device corresponding to the first accommodation switch, each of the plurality of first accommodation switches refers to the identifier of the extension tag added to the information signal, and The necessity of relaying information signals is determined. When relaying an information signal from the communication network A to the router device, the second accommodating switch refers to the identifier of the extension tag added to the information signal and determines whether the information signal needs to be relayed. . When the second accommodating switch relays an information signal from the router device to the communication network A, the second accommodating switch adds an expansion tag indicating the predetermined identifier to the information signal.

  In the communication system, a plurality of communication devices and router devices can belong to a virtual group. For example, a VLAN (Virtual LAN) can be constructed.

  Preferably, a common identifier and an individual identifier are set in each of the plurality of communication devices. The common identifier is an identifier that matches each of the plurality of communication devices. The individual identifier is an identifier that is different between each of the plurality of communication devices. The router device stores an individual identifier set for each of the plurality of communication devices. When each of the plurality of communication devices further communicates with another communication device connected to the communication network A, a user tag indicating a common identifier set in the communication device is added to the information signal. To do. When each of the plurality of communication devices transmits an information signal to the communication network B, a user tag indicating an individual identifier set in the communication device is added to the information signal. When the router device further transmits an information signal from the communication device via the second virtual network established with each of the plurality of communication devices, the router device designates a third address designated by the communication device. The IP address of the information signal is received and the identifier indicated by the user tag added to the information signal is referred to determine whether the information signal needs to be relayed. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device refers to the destination address of the information signal and sets the information signal to the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted. A user tag indicating the individual identifier is added to the information signal.

  In the above communication system, by adding a user tag to an information signal, it is possible to distinguish the networks that each of the plurality of communication apparatuses has uniquely. For example, it is possible to prevent an information signal to be transmitted to the network included in the communication device (1) from being transmitted to the network included in the communication device (2). Thereby, the security level of the unique network which each communication apparatus has can be improved.

  Preferably, the router device further stores an identifier correspondence table. In the identifier correspondence table, the second IP address set for each of the plurality of communication devices is associated with the individual identifier set for the communication device. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device assigns an individual identifier corresponding to the second IP address selected from the routing table. A user tag is selected from the identifier correspondence table, and a user tag indicating the selected individual identifier is added to the information signal.

  Preferably, a common identifier and an individual identifier are set in each of the plurality of communication devices. The common identifier is an identifier that matches each of the plurality of communication devices. The individual identifier is an identifier that is different between each of the plurality of communication devices. The router device stores an individual identifier set for each of the plurality of communication devices. When each of the plurality of communication devices further communicates with another communication device connected to the communication network A, a user tag indicating a common identifier set in the communication device is added to the information signal. To do. When communicating with the communication network B, each of the plurality of communication devices adds a user tag indicating an individual identifier set in the communication device to the information signal. Further, when the router device receives an information signal from the communication device via a second virtual network established between each of the plurality of communication devices, the user tag added to the information signal is The necessity of relaying the information signal is determined with reference to the identifier shown. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device refers to the destination address of the communication device and sets the information signal to the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted. A user tag indicating the individual identifier is added to the information signal. The second recording unit transmits / receives between the router device and each of the plurality of communication devices via the second virtual network established between the router device and the communication device. The traffic amount of the information signal to which the user tag indicating the individual identifier is added among the information signals is recorded as the second traffic amount of the communication device in which the individual identifier is set.

  In the communication system, when the communication device communicates with the communication network B, an individual identifier is added to the communication device in the information signal. That is, by referring to the individual identifier, it is possible to grasp which communication device is the information signal. Therefore, by recording the traffic amount of the information signal relayed by the router device for each individual identifier, the traffic amount of external connection communication can be recorded for each communication device.

  Preferably, a first IP address and a second IP address are set in each of the plurality of communication devices. The first IP address has a network address corresponding to the first virtual network. The second IP address has a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs. A plurality of third IP addresses are set in the router device. The plurality of third IP addresses correspond to the plurality of second virtual networks. Each of the plurality of third IP addresses has a network address corresponding to the corresponding second virtual network. Each of the plurality of third IP addresses set in the router device includes a second IP address and a network address portion set in the communication device belonging to the second virtual network corresponding to the third IP address. Match each other.

  In the communication system, two IP addresses are given to each of the plurality of communication devices. Since the first IP address matches the first IP address given to another communication device and the network address portion, a first virtual network is constructed between the plurality of communication devices. As a result, a communication path for communication between the plurality of communication devices can be established. Further, since the second IP address given to each of the plurality of communication devices has the same network address portion as any of the plurality of third IP addresses given to the physical port, the plurality of communication A second virtual network is constructed between the device and the router device. As a result, a communication path for the plurality of communication devices to communicate via the router device can be constructed.

  Preferably, the communication network A includes a plurality of communication lines corresponding to the plurality of communication devices and physically connecting the corresponding communication devices and the router device. Each of the plurality of communication devices indicates a common identifier set in the communication device when communicating with another communication device connected to a communication line different from the communication line to which the communication device is connected. The information signal to which the user tag is added is transmitted toward the first IP address set in the other communication device. When each of the plurality of communication devices transmits an information signal to the communication network B, the second virtual virtual to which the communication device belongs is assigned an information signal to which a user tag indicating an individual identifier set in the communication device is added. Transmit to the third IP address corresponding to the network. When the router device receives an information signal from a communication device connected to the communication line via the plurality of communication lines, the information signal is transmitted when the user tag added to the information signal indicates an individual identifier. Is transmitted to the communication network B. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device refers to the destination address of the information signal and sets the information signal to the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted. The second IP address is selected, a user tag indicating an individual identifier set in the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted is added to the information signal, and the information signal with the user tag is added to the information signal The signal is transmitted toward the selected second IP address via the communication line to which the communication device to which the signal is to be transmitted is connected. The first recording unit records a traffic amount of an information signal transmitted / received via the communication line in each of the plurality of communication lines as a first traffic amount of a communication device connected to the communication line. To do.

  Preferably, a routing table is stored in the router device. In the routing table, a network address corresponding to each of the plurality of second virtual networks is associated with a second IP address set for a communication device belonging to the second virtual network. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device searches the routing table for a network address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal, A second IP address associated with the detected network address is selected.

  Preferably, the router device further stores an identifier correspondence table and a communication line correspondence table. In the identifier correspondence table, the second IP address set in each of the plurality of communication devices is associated with the individual identifier set in the communication device. In the communication line correspondence table, the individual identifier set for each of the plurality of communication devices is associated with the communication line to which the communication device is connected. When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device assigns an individual identifier corresponding to the second IP address selected from the routing table. A user tag indicating the selected user identifier selected from the identifier correspondence table is added to the information signal, and a communication line corresponding to the selected individual identifier is selected from the communication line correspondence table. Then, the information signal to which the user tag is added is transmitted via the selected communication line.

  Preferably, when the server device calculates a communication fee of any one of the plurality of communication devices, the server device performs a first operation on the second traffic amount of the communication device stored by the second recording unit. A third communication rate is calculated by multiplying the usage fee and calculating the first communication fee and subtracting the second traffic amount of the communication device from the first traffic amount of the communication device recorded by the first recording unit. A second communication fee is calculated by multiplying the traffic amount by a second metered fee that is lower than the first metered fee.

  In the communication system, communication within the communication network A is set cheaper than external connection communication. Therefore, the total amount of the communication charge for the external connection communication and the communication charge for the communication within the communication network A can be made lower than the conventional communication charge.

  Preferably, the communication system further includes an external connection router connected between the communication network B and a communication network C different from the communication network B. The first pay-per-use charge is a charge imposed for communication using the communication network B and the communication network C. The second pay-per-use fee is a fee charged for communication using only the communication network A.

  In addition, according to the present invention, the communication system selects the optimum route from the first virtual network and the second virtual network to perform communication, and as a result, the usage fee can be kept low. it can.

  As described above, communication using only the communication network A (communication within the communication network A) and communication using not only the communication network A but also the communication network B can be managed separately for each communication device. it can.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

(First embodiment)
<Overall configuration>
FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a communication system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This communication system includes a communication network (for example, VLAN network) L _VLAN , a communication network (for example, ISP network) L _ISP , a router R100, a server 300, and customer communication devices provided to customers A, B, and C. 400A, 400B, 400C and accommodation switches 500-1, 500-A, 500-B, 500-C. The communication network (for example, ISP network) L _ISP is connected to the communication network (for example, Internet network) L _NET via the router R200. An external communication device 600 is physically connected to the communication network L _NET .

The communication service provider manages the communication network L _VLAN , the communication network L _ISP , the router R100, the router R200, and the server 300. Each of the customers A, B, and C receives a communication service from a communication service provider that manages the communication network L _{ISP and the} like. The communication network L _NET is managed by a communication service provider different from the communication service provider that manages the communication network L _{ISP and the} like. The owner of the external communication device 600 receives a communication service from a communication service provider that manages the communication network L _NET . In addition, communication service providers to manage the communication network L _ISP, etc., receive the permission of access to the communication network L _NET by paying a procurement fee for communication service providers to manage the communication network L _NET.

In the communication system shown in FIG. 1, each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C, and the external communication device 600 is an information signal via each network (communication network L _VLAN , communication network L _ISP , communication network L _NET ). Exchange.

[Information signal]
In the information signal, a MAC (Media Access Control) header, a destination address (Destination IP Address) indicating the destination of the information signal, a source address (Source IP Address) indicating the source of the information signal, and information DATA are written.

[Expansion tag]
An extension tag obtained by changing the EtherType of the IEEE802.1Q standard is added to the information signal transmitted to the communication network L _VLAN . In the expansion tag, a VLAN identifier (here, VLAN_ID) unique to the communication network L _VLAN is written. The VLAN identifier (VLAN_ID) is set in each of the accommodation switches 500-A, 500-B, 500-C, and the accommodation switch 500-1 connected to the communication network L _VLAN .

[Router R100]
The router R100 is physically connected between the communication network L _ISP and the communication network L _VLAN and relays information signals. In the router R100, a plurality of physical ports (here, three physical ports) are provided on the communication network L _VLAN side. The router R100 also has a routing table. When relaying an information signal, the router R100 refers to the destination address of the information signal and selects the information signal transmission destination from the routing table.

[Router R200]
The router R200 is physically connected between the communication network L _ISP and the communication network L _NET and relays information signals. Further, the router R200 has a routing table (not shown). When relaying an information signal, the router R200 refers to the destination address of the information signal and selects a transmission destination of the information signal from the routing table.

[Customer communication equipment]
The customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C are physically connected to the communication network L _VLAN via the accommodation switches 500-A, 500-B, and 500-C. Each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C belongs to a first virtual network constructed in the communication network A. Further, a second virtual network is constructed between each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C and the router R100. The virtual network will be described later.

Each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C writes a transmission source address and a destination address to the information signal when transmitting the information signal to the communication network L _VLAN .

  The customer C is provided with a layer 2 switch 401C in addition to the customer communication device 400C. This is because two IP addresses are assigned to the customer communication device 400C.

[Accommodating switch 500-1]
The accommodation switch 500-1 adds an expansion tag indicating a VLAN identifier, identifies an expansion tag, and removes the expansion tag when relaying an information signal between the communication network L _VLAN and the router R100.

  The accommodating switch 500-1 records the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received between each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C by the router R100 for each customer communication device.

[Accommodating switches 500-A to 500-C]
When each of the accommodation switches 500-A to 500-C relays an information signal between the customer communication device corresponding to itself and the communication network L _VLAN , the addition of an expansion tag, identification of the expansion tag, and expansion tag Remove.

  Each of the accommodation switches 500-A to 500-C records the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by the customer communication device corresponding to the accommodation switch 500-A to 500-C.

[Server 300]
The server 300 executes the acquisition of the traffic amount recorded by the accommodation switch 500-1 and the acquisition of the traffic amount recorded by each of the accommodation switches 500-A, 500-B, 500-C, and the customer communication device 400A. , 400B, 400C manage the traffic volume of the information signal transmitted / received by communication for each connection path. Specifically, the server 300 distinguishes and manages “communication using only the communication network L _VLAN ” and “communication _using other than the communication network L _VLAN (communication network L _NET )”. Further, the server 300 refers to the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C managed by the server 300, and charges a communication fee charged to each of the customers A, B, C. Is calculated.

The server 300 includes a communication network L _VLAN, performs execution, etc. Monitoring of each physical port (so-called Ping monitor) present in the communication network L _ISP, manages the communication network L _VLAN, the communication network L _ISP.

[External communication device]
The external communication device 600 is connected to the communication network L _NET . The external communication device 600 transmits / receives information signals via the communication network L _NET .

<About virtual networks>
Next, the first virtual network to which each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C belongs, and the second virtual network constructed in each of the router R100 and the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C will be described.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 2, the IP address set in each of the router R100 and the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C will be described.

The customer communication device 400A is provided with one physical port P400A on the communication network L _VLAN side. The physical port P400A has two addresses, an IP address for the communication network L _VLAN (hereinafter referred to as an address for the communication network A) and an IP address for external connection (hereinafter referred to as an external address). An IP address is set.

Similarly to the customer communication device 400A, the customer communication device 400B is provided with one physical port P400B on the communication network L _VLAN side. Two IP addresses, a communication network A address and an external address, are set in the physical port P400B.

The customer communication apparatus 400C is provided with two physical ports P400C-1 and P400C-2 on the communication network L _VLAN side via the layer 2 switch 401C. A communication network A address is set in the physical port P400C-1. An external address is set in the physical port P400C-2.

In the router R100, one physical port P100-1 is provided on the communication network L _ISP side, and three physical ports P100-A, P100-B, and P100-C are provided on the communication network L _VLAN side. The physical port P100-A corresponds to the customer communication device 400A, the physical port P100-B corresponds to the customer communication device 400B, and the physical port P100-C corresponds to the customer communication device 400C. One IP address is set for each of the physical ports P100-1, P100-A, P100-B, and P100-C.

The IP address set in the physical port P100-1 is the IP address (not shown) set in the router (here, router R200) to which the information signal is to be transmitted next in the communication network L _ISP (communication network B). And the network address part match.

  The network A addresses of the communication network A addresses set in the physical ports of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C are the same. By setting the IP address in this way, each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C belongs to the first virtual network. That is, the communication network A address set in each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C has a network address corresponding to the first virtual network.

  Further, the external address set in the physical port P400A of the customer communication device 400A matches the network address with the IP address set in the physical port P100-A corresponding to the customer communication device 400A. By setting the IP address in this way, the customer communication device 400A and the physical port P100-A belong to the same virtual network (second virtual network). That is, the external address set in the customer communication device 400A has a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the customer communication device 400A belongs, and the IP address set in the physical port P100-A is the physical port P100- A has a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which A belongs.

  Further, the external address set in the physical port P400B of the customer communication device 400B matches the IP address set in the physical port P100-B of the router R100 corresponding to the customer communication device 400B. Similarly, the external address set for the physical port P400C of the customer communication device 400C matches the network address with the IP address set for the physical port P100-C of the router R100 corresponding to the customer communication device 400C.

  Thus, the second virtual network is constructed between each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C and the router R100.

<Routing table>
[Customer communication device routing table]
Customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C have a routing table. In the routing table, network addresses and IP addresses are associated. The IP address indicates an IP address set in a device to which an information signal is next transmitted.

  More specifically, “the network address corresponding to the first virtual network” is associated with “the IP address of the destination address”, and “others (that is, other than the network address corresponding to the first virtual network)”. Is associated with “IP address of a physical port belonging to the same second virtual network as the customer communication device”. According to this routing table, the information signal in which the destination address having the “network address corresponding to the first virtual network” is written is transmitted toward the “IP address of the destination address” and has the “other network address”. The information signal in which the destination address is written is transmitted to “the IP address of the physical port belonging to the same second virtual network as the customer communication device”.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the routing table of the customer communication device 400A has “network address corresponding to the first virtual network” and “destination address of the information signal” associated with each other. The IP address of the physical port P100-A "is associated with.

[Router R100 routing table]
The router R100 has a routing table. In the routing table, network addresses and IP addresses are associated. The IP address indicates an IP address set in a device to which an information signal is next transmitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the routing table of the router R100 includes “a network address corresponding to the second virtual network” and “an external address set in the customer communication device belonging to the second virtual network”. “Other (that is, a network address that does not correspond to any of the plurality of second virtual networks)” and “IP address set in the next router (in this case, the IP set in the router R200) Address) ”.

<Communication procedure in customer communication device and accommodation switch>
Next, procedures for transmitting and receiving information signals by the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C and the accommodation switches 500-A, 500-B, and 500-C shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The same communication procedure is performed in each of the customer communication device 400A and the accommodation switch 500-A, the customer communication device 400B and the accommodation switch 500-B, and the customer communication device 400C and the accommodation switch 500-C. A communication procedure by the communication device 400A and the accommodation switch 500-A will be described.

<< Customer communication device-> Communication network L _VLAN >>
A procedure for transmitting an information signal from the customer communication device 400A to the communication network L _VLAN will be described with reference to FIG.

[Step ST101]
Customer communication device 400A creates information DATA to be transmitted. Next, the customer communication device 400A writes the destination IP address as a destination address in the information signal. Thereby, a destination address is set.

[Step ST102]
Next, the customer communication device 400A selects an IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal from the routing table (see FIG. 3A) stored therein. Specifically, the customer communication device 400A searches the routing table for the network address of the destination address, and selects the IP address corresponding to the detected network address. That is, one of “the address for communication network A set for another customer communication device” belonging to the first virtual network and “the IP address of the physical port P100A” belonging to the second virtual network is selected.

[Step ST103]
Next, customer communication apparatus 400A determines whether or not the IP address selected in step ST102 is a “communication network A address”. That is, the customer communication device 400A determines whether or not the network address of the destination address of the information signal is “a network address corresponding to the first virtual network”. When the selected IP address is “address for communication network A” (for example, “address for communication network A of customer communication device 400B”), the process proceeds to step ST104. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step ST107. move on.

[Step ST104]
Next, the customer communication device 400A writes the communication network A address set in itself (set in the physical port P400A) as a transmission source address in the information signal.

[Step ST105]
Next, customer communication device 400A transmits the information signal in which the destination address and the transmission source address are written toward the IP address selected from the routing table in step ST102.

[Step ST106]
Next, when the accommodation switch 500-A receives the information signal transmitted from the customer communication device 400A, the accommodation switch 500-A adds an expansion tag indicating the VLAN identifier (VLAN_ID) set to the accommodation switch 500-A to the information signal. Next, the accommodation switch 500-A transmits the information signal with the expansion tag added to the communication network L _VLAN .

[Step ST107]
On the other hand, when determining that the IP address selected in step ST102 is not the “communication network A address”, the customer 400A uses the external address set in itself (set in the physical port P400A) as the source address. Write to information signal. Next, the process proceeds to step ST105.

  In this way, each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C transmits an information signal via either the “first virtual network” or the “second virtual network” according to the transmission destination of the information signal. To do.

  Note that “external address” may be set as a default as the transmission source address of the customer communication device.

《Communication network L _VLAN → Customer communication device》
A procedure for transmitting an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN to the customer communication device 400A will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the information signal is transmitted toward one of “address for communication network A” and “address for external use” of customer communication device 400A.

[Step ST111]
First, when the accommodation switch 500-A receives an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN , the accommodation switch 500-A refers to an extension tag added to the received information signal and determines whether or not the information signal should be acquired. Specifically, the accommodation switch 500-A acquires the information signal when the VLAN identifier written in the expansion tag matches the VLAN identifier set in the accommodation switch 500-A, and proceeds to step ST112. Otherwise, the information signal is discarded.

[Step ST112]
Next, the accommodation switch 500-A removes the expansion tag from the information signal acquired in step ST111. Next, the accommodation switch 500-A transmits an information signal with the expansion tag removed to the customer communication device 400A.

[Step ST113]
First, the physical port P400A of the customer communication device 400A receives the information signal from the accommodation switch 500-A. Here, when the information signal is an information signal transmitted toward the “communication network A address” of the customer communication device 400A, the information signal transmitted via the first virtual network is received. When the information signal is an information signal transmitted toward the “external address” of the customer communication device 400A, the information signal transmitted via the second virtual network is received.

[Step ST114]
Next, the customer communication device 400A acquires the information signal received at the physical port P400A.

  As described above, each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C receives the information signal via one of the “first virtual network” and the “second virtual network”.

<< Recording of traffic volume by accommodating switches 500-A to 500-C >>
Further, when the accommodation switch 500-A relays the information signal between the communication network L _VLAN and the customer communication device 400-A, the accommodation switch 500-A counts the traffic amount of the relayed information signal, and the count value is transmitted to the customer communication. Recorded as the access line traffic volume Traffic (CPU-A) of the device 400A.

Similarly to the accommodation switch 500-A, the accommodation switch 500-B (500C) transmits an information signal between the communication network L _VLAN and the customer communication device 400-B (communication network L _VLAN and the customer communication device 400-C). When relayed, the traffic volume of the relayed information signal is counted, and the count value is calculated as the access line traffic volume Traffic (CPU-B) (Traffic (CPU-C)) of the customer communication device 400B (customer communication device 400C). Record as.

  In this way, each of the accommodation switches 500-A to 500C records the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by the customer communication device corresponding to the accommodation switch 500-A to 500C.

<Communication Procedure in Router R100 and Accommodation Switch 500-1>
Next, a procedure for relaying information signals by the router R100 and the accommodation switch 500-1 shown in FIG. Since the processing for each of the physical ports P100-A, P100-B, and P100-C is the same, the processing for the physical port P100-A will be described.

<< Communication network L _VLAN → Communication network L _ISP >>
A procedure for relaying an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN (communication network A) to the communication network L _ISP (communication network B) will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A toward the IP address of the physical port P100-A.

[Step ST121]
When receiving the information signal from the communication network L _VLAN , the accommodating switch 500-1 refers to the extension tag added to the received information signal and determines whether or not to relay the information signal. Specifically, the accommodating switch 500-1 acquires an information signal when the VLAN identifier written in the expansion tag matches the VLAN identifier set in the accommodating switch 500-1, and proceeds to step ST122. If not, the information signal is discarded.

[Step ST122]
Next, accommodation switch 500-1 removes an expansion tag from the information signal received in step ST121. Next, the accommodation switch 500-1 transmits an information signal with the expansion tag removed to the router R100.

[Step ST123]
Next, the physical port P100-A of the router R100 receives the information signal from the accommodation switch 500-1. Here, the information signal received by the physical port P100-A is transmitted from the customer communication device 400-A toward the IP address of the physical port P100-A. That is, the physical port P100-A has received the information signal transmitted from the customer communication device 400A via the second virtual network.

[Step ST124]
Next, the router R100 selects an IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal received by the physical port P100-A from the routing table (see FIG. 3B) stored in itself. Specifically, the router R100 searches the routing table for the network address of the destination address, and selects an IP address corresponding to the detected network address. Here, since the information signal is transmitted from the customer communication apparatus 400A toward “IP address of the physical port P100-A”, the network address of the destination address of the information signal corresponds to “others”. Therefore, “IP address set in next router R200” is selected.

[Step ST125]
Next, router R100 transmits the information signal received by physical port P100-A in step ST123 toward the IP address selected in step ST124. Here, since the network address of the IP address set to the physical port P100-1 matches the network address of “IP address set to the next router R200”, the information signal is transmitted via the physical port P100-1. It is transmitted to the communication network B (communication network L _ISP ).

  As described above, the router R100 transmits the information signal received from each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400B via the second virtual network to the communication network B.

<< communication network L _ISP → communication network L _VLAN >>
Next, a procedure for relaying an information signal from the communication network L _ISP to the communication network L _VLAN will be described with reference to FIG. Here, it is assumed that “the external address of the customer communication device 400A” is written in the destination address of the information signal.

[Step ST131]
First, the physical port P100-1 of the router R100 receives an information signal from the communication network B (communication network L _ISP ). That is, the router R100 has received the information signal to be transmitted to the customer communication device 400A.

[Step ST132]
Next, the router R100 selects an IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal received by the physical port P100-1 from the routing table (see FIG. 3B) stored in itself. Here, “external address of customer communication device 400A” is selected. That is, the second virtual network to which the customer communication device 400A belongs is selected.

[Step ST133]
Next, router R100 transmits the information signal received by physical port P100-1 in step ST131 toward the IP address selected in step ST132. Here, since the network address of the IP address set in the physical port P100-A matches the network address of “the external address set in the customer communication device 400A”, the information signal is transmitted via the physical port P100-A. To the communication network A (communication network L _VLAN ). That is, the information signal is transmitted through the physical port belonging to the same second virtual network as the customer communication device 400A.

[Step ST134]
Next, when receiving the information signal from the physical port P100-A of the router R100, the accommodating switch 500-1 adds an expansion tag indicating the VLAN identifier (VLAN_ID) set to itself to the received information signal. . Next, the accommodation switch 500-1 transmits an information signal to which the expansion tag is added to the communication network L _VLAN .

  As described above, when the router R100 receives the information signal from the communication network B, the router R100 transmits the information signal via the second virtual network to which the customer communication device to which the information signal should be transmitted belongs.

<< Recording of traffic volume by accommodation switch 500-1 >>
Further, when the accommodating switch 500-1 relays the information signal transmitted to the physical port P100-A of the router R100 or the information signal transmitted from the physical port P100-A, the traffic of the relayed information signal The amount is counted, and the count value is recorded as external connection communication traffic amount Traffic (Port-A). Since the physical port P100-A corresponds to the customer communication device 400A, the external connection communication traffic amount Traffic (Port-A) of the customer communication device 400A is recorded by recording the traffic amount of the physical port P100-A. It will be.

  Similarly, the accommodating switch 500-1 transmits an information signal transmitted to the physical port P100-B (P100-C) of the router R100 or an information signal transmitted from the physical port P100-B (P100-C). When the relay is relayed, the traffic volume of the relayed information signal is counted, and the count value is used as the external connection communication traffic volume of the customer communication device that sent the information signal Traffic (Port-B) (Traffic (Port-C) ).

  In this way, the accommodation switch 500-1 records the traffic volume of the information signal transmitted / received between each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C by the router R100 for each customer communication device.

<Specific example>
Next, the communication procedure by the communication system shown in FIG. 1 will be described with a specific example. Here,
Physical port P100-A: “192.168.10.1”
Physical port P100-B: “192.168.20.1”
Physical port P100-C: “192.168.30.1”
Physical port P400A: External address “192.168.10.2”
Communication network A address "192.168.50.1"
Physical port P400B: External address “192.168.20.2”
Communication network A address "192.168.50.2"
Physical port P400C: External address “192.168.30.2”
Communication network A address "192.168.50.3"
IP address of external communication device: “172.16.12.23”
Suppose that That means
The network address corresponding to the first virtual network is “192.168.50”
The network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the communication device 400A and the physical port P100-A belong is “192.168.10”,
The network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the communication device 400B and the physical port P100-B belong is “192.168.20”,
The network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the communication device 400C and the physical port P100-C belong is “192.168.30”.

<< Customer Communication Device 400A → External Communication Device 600 >>
First, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the external communication device 600 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The customer communication device 400A writes “information DATA” in the information signal, and writes the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device in the information signal as the destination address.

  Next, since the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device 600 is written in the destination address, the customer communication device 400A uses the external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A as the transmission source address. Write to signal.

  Also, the customer communication device 400A selects the IP address (IP address “192.168.10.1” of the physical port P100-A) corresponding to the destination address “172.16.12.23” from the routing table, and the selected IP address An information signal is transmitted to. An information signal transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the accommodation switch 500-A is as shown in FIG.

Next, the accommodation switch 500-A adds an expansion tag indicating the VLAN identifier (VLAN_ID) set to itself to the information signal. Next, the accommodation switch 500-A transmits the information signal with the expansion tag added to the communication network L _VLAN . An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-A to the communication network L _VLAN is as shown in FIG.

Next, the accommodation switch 500-1 receives an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN . Here, since the VLAN identifier “VLAN_ID” indicated by the extension tag added to the information signal matches the VLAN identifier set in the accommodation switch 500-1, the accommodation switch 500-1 relays the received information signal. If it is determined that it should be, the expansion tag is removed from the information signal.

Next, since the IP address “192.168.10.1” selected by the communication device 400A is set to the physical port P100-A, the physical port P100-A receives the information signal from the accommodating switch 500-1. . Next, the router R100 selects the IP address “IP address set in the next router R200” corresponding to the destination address “172.16.12.23” of the information signal from the routing table, and sends it to the selected IP address. Send an information signal. Information signals to be transmitted to the communication network L _ISP from the router R100 is as shown in FIG. 8 (C).

Next, the router R200 receives information signals from the communication network L _ISP. Here, since the destination address written in the information signal is the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device 600, the router R200 determines that the received information signal should be relayed, and the information signal _Is transmitted to the communication network L _NET .

Next, since the destination address written in the information signal from the communication network L _NET is “172.16.12.23”, the external communication device 600 receives the information signal.

<< External communication device 600 → Customer communication device 400A >>
Next, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the external communication device 600 to the customer communication device 400A will be described with reference to FIG.

The external communication device 600 writes “information DATA” in the information signal, writes it in the information signal with the IP address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A as the destination address, and transmits the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device Write to the information signal as the original address. Next, the external communication device 600 transmits an information signal to the communication network L _NET . An information signal transmitted from the external communication device 600 to the communication network L _NET is as shown in FIG.

Next, the router R200 receives information signals from the communication network L _NET. Here, since the destination address “192.168.10.2” written in the information signal is the external address of the customer communication device 400A, the router R200 determines that the received information signal should be relayed, and the information The signal is transmitted to the communication network L _ISP . The information signal transmitted from the router R200 to the communication network L _ISP remains as shown in FIG.

Next, the router R100 receives information signals from the communication network L _ISP to the physical port P100-1. Here, the router R100 selects an IP address (external address “192.168.10.2” of the communication device 400A) corresponding to the destination address “192.168.10.2” of the information signal from the routing table, and the selected IP address An information signal is transmitted to. At this time, the information signal is transmitted through the physical port P100-1 in which the IP address “192.168.10.1” having the same network address as the selected IP address “192.168.10.2” is set.

Next, when receiving the information signal from the router R100, the accommodating switch 500-1 adds an expansion tag indicating the VLAN identifier “VLAN_ID” set to the router R100 to the information signal. Next, the accommodation switch 500-1 transmits an information signal to which the expansion tag is added to the communication network L _VLAN . An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-1 to the communication network L _VLAN is as shown in FIG.

  Next, the accommodation switch 500-A receives the information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-1. Here, since the VLAN identifier “VLAN_ID” indicated by the extension tag added to the information signal matches the VLAN identifier set in the accommodation switch 500-A, the accommodation switch 500-A relays the received information signal. If it is determined that it should be, the expansion tag is removed from the information signal. An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-A to the customer communication device 400A is as shown in FIG.

  Next, since the destination address written in the information signal from the accommodation switch 500-A is “192.168.10.2”, the customer communication device 400A receives the information signal.

<< Customer Communication Device 400A → Customer Communication Device 400B >>
Next, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the customer communication device 400B will be described with reference to FIG.

  The customer communication device 400A writes “information DATA” in the information signal, and writes the address “192.168.50.2” for the communication network A of the customer communication device 400B in the information signal as the destination address.

  Next, since the communication network A address “192.168.50.2” of the customer communication device 400B is written in the destination address, the customer communication device 400A uses the communication network A address “192.168.50.1” of the customer communication device 400A. Write to information signal as source address.

  Further, the customer communication device 400A selects the IP address corresponding to the destination address “192.168.50.2” from the routing table (the communication network A address “192.168.50.2” of the customer communication device 400B), and the selected address is selected. An information signal is transmitted toward the IP address. An information signal transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the accommodation switch 500-A is as shown in FIG.

Next, the accommodation switch 500-A adds an expansion tag indicating the VLAN identifier set to itself to the information signal. Next, the accommodation switch 500-A transmits the information signal with the expansion tag added to the communication network L _VLAN . An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-A to the communication network L _VLAN is as shown in FIG.

  Next, the accommodation switch 500-B receives the information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-A. Here, since the VLAN identifier “VLAN_ID” indicated by the extension tag added to the received information signal matches the VLAN identifier set in the accommodating switch 500-B, the accommodating switch 500-B transmits the received information signal. It is determined that it should be acquired, and the expansion tag is removed from the acquired information signal. An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-B to the customer communication device 400B is as shown in FIG.

  Next, since the destination address written in the information signal from the accommodation switch 500-B is “192.168.50.2”, the customer communication device 400B receives the information signal.

<Price calculation procedure>
Next, a procedure for calculating a communication fee charged to each of the customers A, B, and C by the server 300 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the process for the customer A will be described as a representative.

[Step ST141]
First, the server 300 transmits a request signal Request (CPU-A) for requesting transmission of the access line traffic amount Traffic (CPU-A) to the accommodating switch 500-A. The accommodation switch 500-A receives the request signal Request (CPU-A) from the server 300.

[Step ST142]
Next, the accommodation switch 500-A sends the response signal Response (CPU-A) in which the access line traffic amount Traffic (CPU-A) is written in response to the request signal Request (CPU-A) from the server 300. Send to. The server 300 receives the response signal Response (CPU-A) from the accommodating switch 500-A, and acquires the access line traffic amount Traffic (CPU-A) written in the response signal Response (CPU-A). .

[Step ST143]
Next, the server 300 transmits a request signal Request (Port-A) for requesting transmission of the externally connected communication traffic amount Traffic (Port-A) to the accommodating switch 500-1. The accommodation switch 500-1 receives the request signal Request (Port-A) from the server 300.

[Step ST144]
Next, the accommodating switch 500-1 sends the response signal Response (Port-A) in which the externally connected communication traffic amount Traffic (Port-A) is written in response to the request signal Request (Port-A) from the server 300. To 300. The server 300 receives the response signal Response (Port-A) from the accommodating switch 500-1 and acquires the externally connected communication traffic amount Traffic (Port-A) written in the response signal Response (Port-A). To do.

[Step ST145]
Next, the server 300 determines the traffic volume of information signals (communication traffic within the communication network A) that the customer communication device 400A exchanged within the communication network L _VLAN (between the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C) from Amount) Traffic (LAN-A) is calculated.

"Traffic (LAN-A)" = "Traffic (CPU-A)"-"Traffic (Port-A)" (Formula 1)
[Step ST146]
Next, the server 300 refers to the communication traffic amount Traffic (LAN-A) within the communication network A calculated at step ST145 and the communication usage amount within the communication network A set in the charge table stored in itself. The communication fee (communication fee (communication network A)) for communication within the communication network L _VLAN is calculated from the following (Equation 2).

“Communication fee (communication network A)” = “Traffic (LAN-A)” × “communication usage fee within communication network A” (Equation 2)
[Step ST147]
Next, the server 300 refers to the external connection communication traffic amount Traffic (Port-A) acquired from the accommodating switch 500-1 and the external connection communication usage fee given to the charge table stored in itself (( A communication fee (communication fee (external connection)) for external connection communication is calculated from Equation 3).

“Communication fee (external connection)” = “Traffic (Port-A)” x “External connection communication usage fee” (Formula 3)
[Step ST148]
Next, the server 300 calculates the total amount (communication fee (total)) of the communication fee (communication network A) calculated from (Equation 2) and the communication fee (external connection) calculated from (Equation 3).

[Step ST149]
Next, the server 300 transmits the access line traffic volume Traffic (CPU-A) acquired in step ST142, the external connection communication traffic volume Traffic (Port-A) acquired in step ST144, and the communication within the communication network A calculated in step ST145. Charge using traffic amount Traffic (LAN-A), communication fee calculated in step ST146 (communication network A), communication fee calculated in step ST147 (external connection), and communication fee calculated in step ST148 (total) An invoice is created (see FIG. 12).

As described above, the server 300 separately calculates a communication fee for communication of external connection (communication using the communication network L _NET ) and a communication fee for communication within the communication network L _VLAN .

<Effect>
As described above, the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received when the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C communicate can be managed separately for each connection path (communication in network A, external connection communication). .

  In addition, a communication fee can be set individually for each communication performed by the customer (communication within the communication network A, external connection communication). For example, the communication usage fee within the communication network A can be set lower than the external connection communication usage fee. Thereby, the amount of communication charges (total) can be reduced.

  Note that the traffic amount calculation method described in the present embodiment is not limited to this, and other calculation methods may be used.

In addition, it is also possible to connect a network (for example, an in-house LAN) uniquely owned by the customers A, B, and C to each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C. In this case, if each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C has a routing function, the customer communication device 400A, 400B, 400C may transmit an information signal acquired from the communication network L _VLAN to another terminal connected to the network. Is possible. In steps ST101 and ST114, the following processing is performed.

[Step ST101 (Modification)]
First, other terminals connected to the in-house LAN create information DATA to be transmitted. Next, the terminal writes the destination IP address in the information signal as the destination address (address indicating the destination of the information signal). Next, the customer communication device 400A receives the information signal created by the terminal via the in-house LAN.

[Step ST114 (Modification)]
Next, when the customer communication apparatus 400A determines that the IP address written in the information signal is that of the in-house LAN (see the routing table), the customer communication apparatus 400A acquires the information signal via the physical port P400A. Next, the customer communication device 400A transmits the acquired information signal to another terminal connected to the in-house LAN. Here, when an IP address (global address) is not set for another terminal connected to the internal LAN, the customer communication device 400A connects the destination IP address written in the information signal to the internal LAN. It is only necessary to have a function (address conversion function or the like) for converting to a private address assigned to the terminal.

(Second Embodiment)
The configuration of the communication system according to the second embodiment of the present invention is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. In the communication system according to the present embodiment, a user tag is added to the information signal transmitted to the communication network L _VLAN in addition to the expansion tag.

[User tag]
In the user tag, user identifiers USER_A, USER_B, and USER_C that are different from one another among the customer communication devices and a user identifier USER_D that matches between the customer communication devices are written.

  User identifiers USER_A and USER_D are set in the customer communication device 400A. User identifiers USER_B and USER_D are set in the customer communication device 400B. User identifiers USER_C and USER_D are set in the customer communication device 400C. That is, a common user identifier USER_D is set for each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C. Each of the user identifiers USER_A, USER_B, and USER_C is a different identifier, and is a user identifier unique to the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C.

[Router R100]
The router R100 has a user identifier correspondence table. The router R100 further adds a user tag indicating a user identifier, identifies a user tag, and removes a user tag when relaying an information signal between the communication network L _VLAN and the communication network L _ISP .

[Customer communication equipment]
Each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C further adds a user tag, identifies a user tag, and removes a user tag when transmitting / receiving an information signal.

<User identifier correspondence table>
As shown in FIG. 13, in the user identifier correspondence table, an external address set in each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C and a user identifier set in the customer communication device are associated with each other.

<Communication procedure in customer communication device and accommodation switch>
Next, a procedure for transmitting / receiving information signals by the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C and the accommodation switches 500-A, 500-B, 500-C in the present embodiment will be described. The same communication procedure is performed in each of the customer communication device 400A and the accommodation switch 500-A, the customer communication device 400B and the accommodation switch 500-B, and the customer communication device 400C and the accommodation switch 500-C. A communication procedure in the communication device 400A and the accommodation switch 500-A will be described.

<< Customer communication device-> Communication network L _VLAN >>
A procedure for transmitting an information signal from the customer communication device 400A to the communication network L _VLAN will be described with reference to FIG. In the procedure shown in FIG. 14, step ST201 is performed between step ST104 and step ST105 of the procedure shown in FIG. 4, and step ST202 is performed between step ST107 and step ST105.

[Steps ST101 to ST103]
Similar to the first embodiment, the customer communication device 400A creates information DATA to be transmitted, writes the destination IP address as a destination address in the information signal, and sets the IP address corresponding to the destination address in the routing table. Choose from.

[Step ST104]
Next, as in the first embodiment, when the customer communication device 400A determines that “communication network A address” is selected in step ST102, the communication set to self (set to the physical port P400A). The network A address is written in the information signal as the source address. Next, the process proceeds to step ST201.

[Step ST201]
Next, the customer communication device 400A adds a user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_D” set to itself to the information signal. Next, the process proceeds to step ST105.

[Step ST107]
On the other hand, as in the first embodiment, when determining that “communication network A address” is not selected in step ST102, customer communication apparatus 400A is set to self (set to physical port P400A). The address for use is written in the information signal as the source address. Next, the process proceeds to step ST202.

[Step ST202]
Next, the customer communication apparatus 400A adds a user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_A” set to itself to the information signal. Next, the process proceeds to step ST105.

[Steps ST105 and ST106]
Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the processes in steps ST105 and ST106 shown in FIG. 4 are performed. As a result, an information signal to which the user tag is added in addition to the expansion tag is transmitted to the communication network L _VLAN .

  As described above, each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C adds a user tag indicating a user identifier corresponding to a destination address of the information signal to the information signal when transmitting the information signal.

<< Communication network L _VLAN- > Customer communication equipment >>
With reference to FIG. 15, a procedure in which the customer communication device 400A receives an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN will be described. In the procedure shown in FIG. 15, steps ST211 and ST212 are performed between step ST113 and step ST114 in the procedure shown in FIG.

[Steps ST111 to ST113]
First, similarly to the first embodiment, the processes in steps ST111 to ST113 shown in FIG. 5 are performed. Therefore, the physical port P400A of the customer communication device 400A receives the information signal from which the expansion tag has been removed. Next, the process proceeds to step ST211.

[Step ST211]
Next, the customer communication device 400A refers to the user tag added to the information signal received by the physical port P400A and determines whether or not the information signal should be acquired. Specifically, the customer communication device 400A proceeds to step ST212 if the user identifier written in the user tag matches the user identifier (USER_A or USER_D) set in the customer communication device 400A, and otherwise. The received information signal is discarded.

[Step ST212]
Next, customer communication device 400A removes the user tag from the information signal received at physical port P400A. Next, the process proceeds to step ST114.

[Step ST114]
Next, as in the first embodiment, the process in step ST114 shown in FIG. 5 is performed. Thereby, the customer communication device 400A acquires the information signal from which the user tag is removed.

  As described above, each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C refers to the identifier of the user tag added to the information signal and determines whether or not it is necessary to acquire the information signal.

<Communication procedure in router R100, accommodating switch>
Next, a procedure for relaying information signals by the router R100 and the accommodation switch 500-1 in this embodiment will be described. Since the processing for each of the physical ports P100-A, P100-B, and P100-C is the same, the processing for the physical port P100-A will be described.

<< Communication network L _VLAN → Communication network L _ISP >>
A procedure for relaying an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN to the communication network L _ISP will be described with reference to FIG. In the procedure shown in FIG. 16, steps ST221 and ST222 are performed between step ST123 and step ST124 in the procedure shown in FIG.

[Steps ST121 to ST123]
First, similarly to the first embodiment, the processes in steps ST121 to ST123 shown in FIG. 6 are performed. Therefore, the physical port P100-A of the router R100 receives the information signal from which the expansion tag has been removed. Next, the process proceeds to step ST221.

[Step ST221]
Next, the router R100 refers to the user identifier of the user tag of the information signal received at the physical port P100-A in step ST123, and determines whether or not to relay the information signal. Specifically, the router R100 searches the user identifier correspondence table for the user identifier of the user tag of the information signal received by the physical port P100-A. If the user identifier can be detected, the information signal received at the physical port P100-A is acquired and the process proceeds to step ST222. If it cannot be detected, the information signal is discarded.

[Step ST222]
Next, the router R100 removes the user tag from the information signal received at the physical port P100-A in step ST123. Next, the process proceeds to step ST124.

[Steps ST124 and ST125]
Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the processes in steps ST124 and ST125 shown in FIG. 6 are performed. Therefore, the router R100 selects an IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal from which the user tag has been removed from the routing table, and transmits the information signal from which the user tag has been removed toward the selected IP address.

Thus, when the router R100 relays the information signal from the communication network L _VLAN to the communication network L _ISP , the router R100 refers to the user identifier of the user tag and determines whether the information signal needs to be relayed.

<< communication network L _ISP → communication network L _VLAN >>
A procedure for relaying an information signal from the communication network L _ISP to the communication network L _VLAN will be described with reference to FIG. In the procedure shown in FIG. 17, steps ST231 and ST232 are performed between step ST132 and step ST133 of the procedure shown in FIG.

[Steps ST131 and ST132]
First, similarly to the first embodiment, the processes in steps ST131 and ST132 shown in FIG. 7 are performed. Therefore, the router R100 selects an IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal received by the physical port P100-1 from the routing table (here, the external address of the customer communication device 400A is selected). . Next, the process proceeds to step ST231.

[Step ST231]
Next, the router R100 selects a user identifier corresponding to the IP address selected from the routing table from the user identifier correspondence table. Here, the user identifier “USER_A” corresponding to “external IP address of customer communication device 400A” is selected.

[Step ST232]
Next, router R100 adds the user tag indicating the user identifier selected in step ST231 (here, the user identifier “USER_A”) to the information signal received in physical port P100-1 in step ST131. Next, the process proceeds to step ST133.

[Steps ST133 and ST134]
Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the processes in steps ST133 and ST134 shown in FIG. 7 are performed. Therefore, the information signal to which the user tag is added is transmitted toward the IP address selected in step ST132, and the information signal to which the extension tag and the user tag are added is transmitted to the communication network L _VLAN .

Thus, when the router R100 relays an information signal from the communication network L _ISP to the communication network L _VLAN , the router R100 adds a user tag indicating a user identifier corresponding to the destination address of the information signal to the information signal.

<Specific example>
Next, the communication procedure by the communication system of this embodiment will be described with a specific example.

[Customer communication device 400A → External communication device 600]
First, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the external communication device 600 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Similar to the first embodiment, the customer communication device 400A writes the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device to the information signal as the destination address, and transmits the external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A. Write as original address. Further, the customer communication device 400A selects an IP address (IP address “192.168.10.1” of the physical port P100-A) corresponding to the destination address “172.16.12.23” from the routing table. The information signal created by the customer communication device 400A is as shown in FIG.

  Further, since the destination address “172.16.12.23” of the information signal is not the address for the communication network A, the customer communication device 400A adds a user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_A” set to the customer signal to the information signal. An information signal transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the accommodation switch 500-A is as shown in FIG.

Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the accommodation switch 500-A adds an expansion tag indicating a VLAN identifier (VLAN_ID) set to the accommodation switch 500-A to the information signal. Next, the accommodation switch 500-A transmits an information signal to which the expansion tag and the user tag are added to the communication network L _VLAN . An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-A to the communication network L _VLAN is as shown in FIG.

Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the accommodation switch 500-1 receives an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN . Here, since the VLAN identifier “VLAN_ID” indicated by the extension tag added to the information signal matches the VLAN identifier set in the accommodation switch 500-1, the accommodation switch 500-1 removes the expansion tag from the information signal. .

  Next, as in the first embodiment, the physical port P100-A of the router R100 receives the information signal from the accommodating switch 500-1.

Next, since the router R100 can detect the user tag identifier “USER_A” of the information signal received at the physical port P100-A from the user identifier correspondence table, the router R100 removes the user tag from the information signal. Next, the router R100 selects the IP address “IP address set for the next router R200” corresponding to the destination address “172.16.12.23” of the information signal from the routing table, and sends it to the selected IP address. Send an information signal. Information signals to be transmitted to the communication network L _ISP from the router R100 is as shown in FIG. 18 (D).

Next, as in the first embodiment, the router R200 receives an information signal from the communication network L _ISP and transmits the information signal to the communication network L _NET . Next, the external communication device 600 receives an information signal from the communication network L _NET .

[External communication device 600 → customer communication device 400A]
Next, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the external communication device 600 to the customer communication device 400A will be described with reference to FIG.

As in the first embodiment, the external communication device 600 writes the IP address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A in the information signal as the destination address, and sends the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device as the transmission source. Write to information signal as address. Next, the external communication device 600 transmits an information signal to the communication network L _NET . Routers R200 receives information signals from the communication network L _NET, and transmits the information signal to the communication network L _ISP. Information signal transmitted from the router R200 to the communication network L _ISP is as shown in FIG. 19 (A).

Next, as in the first embodiment, the router R100 receives the information signal from the communication network L _ISP at the physical port P100-1, and corresponds to the destination address “192.168.10.2” of the received information signal. An IP address (external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A) is selected from the routing table.

  Next, the router R100 selects the user identifier “USER_A” corresponding to the selected IP address “192.168.10.2” from the user identifier correspondence table. Next, the router R100 adds a user tag indicating the selected user identifier “USER_A” to the information signal. Next, the router R100 transmits the information signal with the user tag added to the IP address selected from the routing table.

Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the accommodating switch 500-1 adds an expansion tag indicating the VLAN identifier (VLAN_ID) set to itself to the information signal from the router R100. An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-1 to the communication network L _VLAN is as shown in FIG.

Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the accommodation switch 500-A receives an information signal from the communication network L _VLAN . Here, since the VLAN identifier “VLAN_ID” indicated by the extension tag added to the information signal matches the VLAN identifier set in the accommodation switch 500-A, the accommodation switch 500-A detects the extension tag from the received information signal. Remove.

  Next, the customer communication device 400A receives the information signal from the accommodation switch 500A at the physical port P400A. Next, since the user identifier “USER_A” indicated by the user tag added to the information signal received by the physical port P400A matches the user identifier set in the customer communication device 400A, the customer communication device 400A The user tag is removed from the information signal received by P400A. (See FIG. 19C).

  Also, since the destination address written in the information signal is “192.168.10.2”, the customer communication device 400A acquires the received information signal.

[Customer communication device 400A → Customer communication device 400B]
Next, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the customer communication device 400B will be described with reference to FIG.

  Similarly to the first embodiment, the customer communication device 400A writes the communication network A address “192.168.50.2” of the customer communication device 400B to the information signal as the destination address, and the customer communication device 400A address “communication network A address“ Write “192.168.50.1” as the source address. An information signal created by the customer communication device 400A is as shown in FIG.

  Next, since the destination address “192.168.50.2” written in the information signal is the address for the communication network A of the customer communication device 400B, the customer communication device 400A uses the user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_D” as the information signal. Append. An information signal transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the accommodation switch 500-A is as shown in FIG.

Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the accommodating switch 500-A adds an expansion tag indicating the VLAN identifier “VLAN_ID” set to the information switch from the customer communication device 400A. Next, the accommodation switch 500-A transmits an information signal to which the expansion tag and the user tag are added to the communication network L _VLAN . An information signal transmitted from the accommodation switch 500-A to the communication network L _VLAN is as shown in FIG.

Next, similarly to the first embodiment, the accommodation switch 500-B receives the information signal from the communication network L _VLAN and removes the expansion tag from the received information signal.

  Next, the customer communication device 400B receives the information signal from the accommodation switch 500-B at the physical port P400B. Next, since the user identifier of the user tag added to the information signal matches the user identifier set in the customer communication device 400B, the customer communication device 400B acquires the user tag from the information signal received by the physical port P400B. Remove (see FIG. 20D).

  Further, since the destination address written in the information signal is “192.168.50.2”, the customer communication device 400B acquires the information signal received by the physical port P400B.

<Price calculation procedure>
Similarly to the first embodiment, the server 300 has access line traffic traffic traffic (CPU-A), traffic (CPU-B), traffic (recorded by the accommodation switches 500-A, 500-B, and 500-C. CPU-C), and the external connection communication traffic volume Traffic (Port-A), Traffic (Port-B), and Traffic (Port-C) recorded by the accommodating switch 500-1 is acquired and the external connection ( A communication charge for communication (communication using the communication network L _NET ) and a communication charge for communication within the communication network L _VLAN are calculated separately.

<Effect>
As described above, since the customers A, B, and C can be distinguished by adding the user tag to the information signal, the security levels of the customers A, B, and C can be improved.

In the above description of the embodiment, there are three customer communication devices connected to the communication network L _VLAN , but it goes without saying that there may be four or more. That is, it is only necessary to construct two networks (communication network A communication path, external connection communication path) for one customer communication device.

(Third embodiment)
<Overall configuration>
FIG. 21 shows the overall configuration of a communication system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this system, communication lines L _A , L _B and L _C are provided instead of the communication network L _VLAN shown in FIG. This system includes a router R110 and a layer 2 switch 510 instead of the router R100 and the accommodation switches 500-1, 500-A to 500-C shown in FIG. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

[User tag]
In the information signal, user identifiers USER_A, USER_B, and USER_C that are different from each other among the customer communication devices, and a user identifier USER_D that matches between the customer communication devices are written.

  User identifiers USER_A and USER_D are set in the customer communication device 400A. User identifiers USER_B and USER_D are set in the customer communication device 400B. User identifiers USER_C and USER_D are set in the customer communication device 400C. That is, a common user identifier USER_D is set for each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C. Each of the user identifiers USER_A, USER_B, and USER_C is a different identifier, and is a user identifier unique to the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C.

[Communication line]
Communication line L _A is connecting the physical port P400A customer communication device 400A and the layer 2 switch 510. Communication line L _B is connecting the physical port P400B customer communication device 400B and the layer 2 switch 510. The communication line L _C connects the layer 2 switch 401C and the layer 2 switch 510.

[Customer communication equipment]
The physical port P400A of the customer communication device 400A is set with two IP addresses, an IP address for communication lines (hereinafter referred to as a communication line address) and an external address. Two IP addresses, a communication line address and an external address, are set in the physical port P400B of the customer communication device 400B. A communication line address is set in the physical port P400C-1 of the customer communication device 400C, and an external address is set in the physical port P400C-2 of the customer communication device 400C.

[Router R110]
The router R110 is physically connected between the communication network L _ISP and the communication lines L _A , L _B , and L _C and relays information signals. The router R110 executes identification of a user tag, addition of a user tag, removal of a user tag, and the like. Further, the router R110 has a user identifier correspondence table.

  Furthermore, the router R110 counts the traffic volume of the relayed information signal and records the counted traffic volume for each user identifier USER_A, USER_B, USER_C (see FIG. 22). The external connection traffic amount Traffic (USER-A) corresponds to the user identifier USER_A. Further, since the user identifier USER_A is an identifier set uniquely for the customer communication device 400A, the external connection traffic amount Traffic (USER-A) corresponds to the customer communication device 400A. Similarly, the external connection traffic amount Traffic (USER-B) corresponds to the user identifier USER_B, and the external connection traffic amount Traffic (USER-C) corresponds to the user identifier USER_C. Thus, by recording the external connection traffic volume for each user identifier, the external connection traffic volume of each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C can be recorded.

[Layer 2 switch]
The layer 2 switch 510 performs user tag detection, MAC packet analysis, communication line selection, traffic volume count, and the like. In addition, the layer 2 switch 510 stores user identifiers “USER_A”, “USER_B”, and “USER_C” set in each of 400A, 400B, and 400C. Further, the layer 2 switch 510 has a communication line correspondence table.

  The layer 2 switch 510 records the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C for each customer communication device.

〔server〕
The server 300 acquires the traffic amount stored in each of the router R110 and the layer 2 switch 510.

<About virtual networks>
Next, the first virtual network to which each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C belongs and the second virtual network constructed between the router R110 and each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C will be described. To do.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 24, the IP address set in each of the router R110 and the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C will be described.

  Two IP addresses, a communication line address and an external address, are set in the physical port P400A of the customer communication device 400A. Similar to the customer communication device 400A, two IP addresses, a communication line address and an external address, are set in the physical port P400B of the customer communication device 400B. A communication line address is set in the physical port P400C-1 of the customer communication device 400C. An external address is set in the physical port P400C-2 of the customer communication device 400C.

In the router R110, one physical port P110 is provided on the communication line side, and one physical port P121 is provided on the communication network L _ISP side. Three IP addresses (IP address (A), IP address (B), and IP address (C)) are set for the physical port P111, and one IP address is set for the physical port P121.

The IP address set in the physical port P121 is the IP address (not shown) set in the router (here, router R200) to which the information signal is to be transmitted next in the communication network L _ISP (communication network B). The network address part matches.

  The network address portions of the communication line addresses set in the physical ports of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C coincide with each other. By setting the IP address in this way, each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C belongs to the first virtual network. That is, the communication line address set in each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C has a network address corresponding to the first virtual network.

  Further, the external address set in the physical port P400A of the customer communication device 400A matches the network address with the IP address (A) set in the physical port P111. By setting the IP address in this way, the customer communication device 400A and the physical port P111 belong to the same virtual network (second virtual network). That is, the external address set in the customer communication device 400A has a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the customer communication device 400A belongs, and the IP address (A) set in the physical port P111 is the customer communication device. It has a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which 400A belongs.

  Further, the external address set in the physical port P400B of the customer communication device 400B matches the network address with the IP address (B) set in the physical port P111. Similarly, the external address set for the physical port P400C of the customer communication device 400C matches the IP address (C) set for the physical port P111 with the network address.

  Thus, the second virtual network is constructed between each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C and the router R100.

<Routing table>
[Customer communication device routing table]
Customer communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C have a routing table. In the routing table, network addresses and IP addresses are associated. The IP address indicates an IP address set in a device to which an information signal is next transmitted.

  More specifically, “the network address corresponding to the first virtual network” is associated with “the destination address of the information signal”, and “others (that is, other than the network address corresponding to the first virtual network)”. Is associated with “IP address corresponding to the customer communication device among IP addresses set in the physical port P111”.

  As shown in FIG. 24, the “network address corresponding to the first virtual network” and the “destination address of the information signal” are associated with the routing table of the customer communication device 400A shown in FIG. “Others” and “IP address (A) set in physical port P111” are associated with each other.

[Route table of router R110]
The router R110 has the routing table shown in FIG. 3B.

<User identifier correspondence table>
The router R110 has a user identifier correspondence table shown in FIG.

<Communication line correspondence table>
The layer 2 switch 510 has a communication line correspondence table. As shown in FIG. 25, in the communication line correspondence table stored in the layer 2 switch 510, the user identifiers “USER_A”, “USER_B”, “USER_C” set in each of the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C and the customer Communication lines L _A , L _B , and L _C connected to the communication devices 400A, 400B, and 400C are associated with each other.

<Communication procedure in customer communication device>
Next, a procedure for transmitting / receiving information signals by the customer communication apparatuses 400A to 400C shown in FIG. 21 will be described. Since the same communication procedure is performed in each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C, the communication procedure by the customer communication device 400A will be described as a representative.

<Customer communication device-> communication line>
_A procedure for transmitting an information signal from the customer communication device 400A to the communication line LA will be described with reference to FIG.

[Step ST301]
Customer communication device 400A creates information DATA to be transmitted. Next, the customer communication device 400A writes the destination IP address as a destination address in the information signal.

[Step ST302]
Next, the customer communication device 400A selects an IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal from the routing table (see FIG. 3A) stored therein. Specifically, the customer communication device 400A searches the routing table for the network address of the destination address, and selects the IP address corresponding to the detected network address. That is, one of “the communication line address set for another customer communication device” belonging to the first virtual network and “the IP address (A) of the physical port P111” belonging to the second virtual network is selected. To do.

[Step ST303]
Next, customer communication apparatus 400A determines whether or not the IP address selected in step ST302 is a “communication line address”. That is, the customer communication device 400A determines whether or not the network address of the destination address of the information signal is “a network address corresponding to the first virtual network”. If the selected IP address is “communication line address” (for example, “communication line address of customer communication device 400B”), the process proceeds to step ST304; otherwise, the process proceeds to step ST307.

[Step ST304]
Next, the customer communication device 400A writes the communication line address set in itself (set in the physical port P400A) as a transmission source address in the information signal.

[Step ST305]
Next, the customer communication device 400A adds a user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_D” set to itself to the information signal.

[Step ST306]
Next, customer communication device 400A transmits the information signal to which the destination address and the transmission source address are written and the user tag is added toward the IP address selected in step ST302.

[Step ST307]
On the other hand, when determining that the IP address selected in step ST302 is not the “communication line address”, the customer communication device 400A uses the external address set in itself (set in the physical port P400A) as the source address. Is written in the information signal. Next, the process proceeds to step ST308.

[Step ST308]
Next, the customer communication device 400A adds a user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_A” set to itself to the information signal. Next, the process proceeds to step ST306.

  In this way, each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C transmits an information signal via either the “first virtual network” or the “second virtual network” according to the transmission destination of the information signal. To do. Moreover, each of customer communication apparatuses 400A-400C adds a user tag according to the transmission destination of an information signal.

《Communication line → Customer communication device》
_A procedure for transmitting an information signal from the communication line LA to the customer communication device 400A will be described with reference to FIG. Here, the information signal is transmitted to either “communication line address” or “external address” of customer communication device 400A.

[Step ST311]
First, the physical port P400A customer communication device 400A receives the information signals from the communication line L _A. Here, when the information signal is an information signal transmitted toward the “communication line address” of the customer communication device 400A, the information signal transmitted via the first virtual network is received. When the information signal is an information signal transmitted toward the “external address” of the customer communication device 400A, the information signal transmitted via the second virtual network is received.

[Step ST312]
Next, the customer communication device 400A refers to the user tag added to the information signal received by the physical port P400A and determines whether or not the information signal should be acquired. Specifically, the customer communication device 400A proceeds to step ST313 if the user identifier written in the user tag matches the user identifier (USER_A or USER_D) set in the customer communication device 400A, and otherwise. The received information signal is discarded.

[Step ST313]
Next, customer communication device 400A removes the user tag from the information signal received at physical port P400A.

[Step ST314]
Next, the customer communication device 400A acquires the information signal from which the user tag has been removed.

  As described above, each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C receives the information signal via one of the “first virtual network” and the “second virtual network”. In addition, each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400C refers to the identifier of the user tag added to the information signal and determines whether or not it is necessary to acquire the information signal.

<Traffic volume recording by layer 2 switch>
Layer 2 switch 510, the communication line L _A counting the traffic amount of traffic and transmitted information signals to the communication line L _A of the information signal received from the access line traffic Traffic of the count value customer communication device 400A ( Record as CPU-A).

Further, the layer 2 switch 510 counts the amount of traffic of the communication line L _B (L _C) of the information signal received from the traffic volume and the communication line L _B (L _C) transmits information signals to the customer the count value It is recorded as the access line traffic amount Traffic (CPU-B) (Traffic (CPU-C)) of the communication device 400B (CPU 400C).

<Communication procedure in router, layer 2 switch>
Next, a procedure for relaying information signals by the router R110 and the layer 2 switch 510 shown in FIG. 21 will be described. Since the processing for each of the communication lines L _A , L _B , and L _C is the same, the processing for the communication line L _A will be described.

《Communication line → Communication network L _ISP 》
With reference to FIG. 28, the information signals from the communication line L _A to the communication network L _ISP will be described procedure is relayed. Here, the information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A toward the IP address (A) of the physical port P110.

[Step ST321]
First, the layer 2 switch 510 receives the information signal from the communication line L _A.

[Step ST322]
Next, the layer 2 switch 510 refers to the user identifier indicated by the user tag of the received information signal. When the user tag does not indicate “USER_D” (when the user identifier “USER_A” indicates), the process proceeds to step ST323. When the user tag indicates “USER_D”, the process proceeds to step ST329.

[Step ST323]
Next, the layer 2 switch 510 transmits the information signal to which the user tag is added to the router R110.

[Step ST324]
Next, the physical port P111 of the router R110 receives the information signal from the layer 2 switch 510. That is, the physical port P111 has received the information signal transmitted from the customer communication device 400A via the second virtual network.

[Step ST325]
Next, the router R110 refers to the user identifier of the user tag of the information signal received at the physical port P111 and determines whether or not to relay the information signal. Specifically, the router R110 searches the user identifier correspondence table for the user identifier of the user tag of the information signal received at the physical port P111. If the user identifier can be detected, the information signal received at the physical port P111 is acquired and the process proceeds to step ST326. If the user signal cannot be detected, the information signal is discarded.

[Step ST326]
Next, router R110 removes a user tag from the information signal received by physical port P111 in step ST324.

[Step ST327]
Next, the router R110 selects the IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal from which the user tag has been removed from the routing table (see FIG. 3B) stored therein. Specifically, the router R100 searches the routing table for a network address that matches the network address of the destination address, and selects an IP address corresponding to the detected network address. Here, since the information signal is transmitted from the customer communication apparatus 400A toward “IP address (A) of the physical port P111”, the network address of the destination address of the information signal corresponds to “others”. Therefore, “IP address set in next router R200” is selected.

[Step ST328]
Next, router R100 transmits the information signal from which the user tag was removed in step ST326 toward the IP address selected in step ST327. Here, since the network address of the IP address set to the physical port P121 matches the network address of “IP address set to the next router R200”, the information signal is transmitted via the physical port P121 to the communication network B ( _Is transmitted to the communication network L _ISP ).

[Step ST329]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step ST322 that the user tag indicates the user identifier “USER_D”, the layer 2 switch 510 refers to the MAC header of the information signal and sends an information signal to any one of the communication lines L _{A to} L _C. Send.

As described above, the router R110 transmits the information signal received from each of the customer communication devices 400A to 400B via the second virtual network to the communication network B. Further, when relaying an information signal from the communication line L _A to the communication network L _ISP , the layer 2 switch 510 determines whether the information signal needs to be relayed according to the user identifier indicated by the user tag.

[Communication network L _ISP → Communication line]
With reference to FIG. 29, the information signals from the communication network L _ISP to the communication line L _A is described a procedure to be relayed. Here, it is assumed that “the external address of the customer communication device 400A” is written in the destination address of the information signal.

[Step ST331]
First, the physical port P121 of the router R110 receives an information signal from the communication network B (communication network L _ISP ). That is, the router R110 has received an information signal to be transmitted to the customer communication device 400A.

[Step ST332]
Next, the router R110 selects an IP address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal received at the physical port P121 from the routing table (see FIG. 3B) stored therein. Here, “external address of customer communication device 400A” is selected. That is, the second virtual network to which the customer communication device 400A belongs is selected.

[Step ST333]
Next, the router R110 selects a user identifier corresponding to the IP address selected from the routing table from the user identifier correspondence table. Here, the user identifier “USER_A” corresponding to “external IP address of customer communication device 400A” is selected.

[Step ST334]
Next, router R110 adds a user tag indicating the user identifier selected in step ST333 (here, user identifier “USER_A”) to the information signal received by physical port P121 in step ST331.

[Step ST335]
Next, router R110 transmits the information signal to which the user tag is added toward the IP address selected in step ST332. Since the network address of the IP address (A) set for the physical port P111 matches the network address of “the external address set for the customer communication device 400A”, the information signal is transmitted via the physical port P111. Is done.

[Step ST336]
Next, the layer 2 switch 510 receives the information signal from the router R110.

[Step ST337]
Next, the layer 2 switch 510 selects a communication line corresponding to the user identifier (here, “USER_A”) indicated by the user tag added to the information signal from the communication line correspondence table. Here, the communication line L _A is selected.

[Step ST338]
Next, the layer 2 switch 510 transmits the information signal received in step ST336 to the communication line (communication line L _A ) selected in step ST337.

Thus, routers R110 receives the information signal from the communication network L _ISP, and transmits information signals via the second virtual network to which the customer communication device to transmit the information signal belongs. Further, the router R110 adds a user tag indicating a user identifier corresponding to the destination address of the information signal to the information signal. The layer 2 switch 510 refers to the user identifier indicated by the user tag added to the information signal, and transmits the information signal to the communication lines L _{A to} L _C.

<Recording traffic volume by router R110>
When the router R110 relays the information signal between the communication network L _ISP and the layer 2 switch 510, the router R110 refers to the user identifier indicated by the user tag added to the information signal, and externally connects the customer communication device 400A. The communication traffic volume Traffic (USER-A), the external connection communication traffic volume Traffic (USER-B) of the customer communication apparatus 400B, and the external connection communication traffic volume Traffic (USER-C) of the customer communication apparatus 400C are recorded. For example, when the router R110 relays the information signal to which the user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_A” is relayed between the communication network L _ISP and the layer 2 switch 510, the router R110 counts the traffic amount of the information signal, The count value is recorded as the external connection communication traffic amount Traffic (USER-A) of the customer communication device 400A.

<Specific example>
Next, the communication procedure by the communication system shown in FIG. 21 will be described with a specific example. Here,
Physical port P111
IP address (A): “192.168.10.1”
IP address (B): “192.168.20.1”
IP address (C): “192.168.30.1”
Physical port P400A: External address “192.168.10.2”
Communication line address `` 192.168.50.1 ''
Physical port P400B: External address “192.168.20.2”
Communication line address `` 192.168.50.2 ''
Physical port P400C: External address “192.168.30.2”
Communication line address `` 192.168.50.3 ''
IP address of external communication device: “172.16.12.23”
Suppose that That means
The network address corresponding to the first virtual network is “192.168.50”
The network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the customer communication device 400A belongs is “192.168.10”,
The network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the customer communication device 400B belongs is “192.168.20”,
The network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the customer communication device 400C belongs is “192.168.30”.

[Customer communication device 400A → External communication device 600]
First, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the external communication device 600 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Similar to the first embodiment, the customer communication device 400A writes the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device 600 to the information signal as the destination address, and uses the external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A. Write as source address. An information signal created by the customer communication device 400A is as shown in FIG.

Further, the customer communication device 400A selects an IP address (IP address (A) of the physical port P111) corresponding to the destination address from the routing table. Since the selected IP address is not the communication line address, the customer communication device 400A adds a user tag indicating the user identifier “USER_A” set to itself to the information signal. Information signals from the customer communication device 400A is transmitted to the communication line L _A is as shown in FIG. 30 (B).

Then, the layer 2 switch 510 receives the information signal from the communication line L _A. Next, since the user tag of the received information signal does not indicate the user identifier “USER_D”, the layer 2 switch 510 transmits the received information signal to the router R110. The router R110 removes the user tag from the information signal because the received information signal user tag indicates the user identifier “USER_A”. Next, the router R110 transmits an information signal with the user tag removed to the communication network _LISP . Information signal transmitted from the router R110 to the communication network L _ISP is as FIG. 30 (C).

Next, as in the first embodiment, the router R200 receives an information signal from the communication network L _ISP and transmits the information signal to the communication network L _NET . Next, the external communication device 600 receives an information signal from the communication network L _NET .

[External communication device 600 → customer communication device 400A]
Next, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the external communication device 600 to the customer communication device 400A will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as in the first embodiment, the external communication device 600 writes the external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A to the information signal as the destination address, and the IP address “172.16.12.23” of the external communication device. Is written in the information signal as the source address. The external communication device 600 transmits an information signal to the communication network L _NET . Routers R200 receives information signals from the communication network L _NET, and transmits the information signal to the communication network L _ISP. Information signal transmitted from the router R200 to the communication network L _ISP is as shown in FIG. 31 (A).

Next, the router R110 receives information signals from the communication network L _ISP to the physical port P121. Here, the router R110 selects the IP address (the external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A) corresponding to the destination address “192.168.10.2” of the information signal from the routing table.

  Next, the router R110 selects the user identifier “USER_A” corresponding to the selected IP address (external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A) from the user identifier correspondence table. Next, the router R110 adds a user tag indicating the selected user identifier “USER_A” to the information signal. Next, the router R110 transmits the information signal to which the user tag is added to the selected IP address (external address “192.168.10.2” of the customer communication device 400A).

Next, the layer 2 switch 510 selects a communication line (communication line L _A ) corresponding to the user identifier “USER_A” indicated by the user tag of the information signal from the router R110 from the communication line correspondence table. Next, the layer 2 switch 510 transmits an information signal to the selected communication line (communication line L _A ). Information signals to be transmitted to the communication line L _A from the layer 2 switch 510 is as shown in FIG. 31 (B).

Next, the physical port P400A customer communication device 400A receives the information signals from the communication line L _A. Next, since the user identifier “USER_A” indicated by the user tag added to the information signal matches the user identifier set in the customer communication device 400A, the customer communication device 400A receives the information signal received by the physical port P400A. Remove the user tag from. (See FIG. 31C).

  Further, since the destination address “192.168.10.2” written in the information signal is the external address of the customer 400A, the customer communication device 400A acquires the received information signal.

[Customer communication device 400A → Customer communication device 400B]
Next, a case where an information signal is transmitted from the customer communication device 400A to the customer communication device 400B will be described with reference to FIG.

  The customer communication device 400A writes the communication line address “192.168.50.2” of the customer communication device 400B to the information signal as the destination address, and writes the communication line address “192.168.50.1” of the customer communication device 400A as the transmission source address. The information signal created by the customer communication device 400A is as shown in FIG.

Then, the customer communication device 400A, since the destination address of the information signal is an address for the communication line "192.168.50.2", adds the user tag indicating a user identifier USER_D the information signal, the information signal to the communication line L _A Send. Information signals from the customer communication device 400A is transmitted to the communication line L _A is as shown in FIG. 32 (B).

Then, the layer 2 switch 510 receives the information signal from the communication line L _A. Layer 2 switch 510, the user tag information signal indicating a user identifier "USER_D", by referring to the MAC header and sends the information signal to the communication line L _B.

Next, the physical port P400B customer communication device 400B receives information signals from the communication line L _B. Next, since the user identifier “USER_D” indicated by the user tag added to the information signal matches the user identifier set in the customer communication device 400B, the customer communication device 400B receives the information signal received by the physical port P400B. The user tag is removed from (see FIG. 32C).

  Further, since the destination address “192.168.50.2” of the information signal is the communication line address of the customer communication device 400B, the customer communication device 400B acquires the information signal received by the physical port P400B.

<Price calculation procedure>
The server 300 obtains the access line traffic volume Traffic (CPU-A), Traffic (CPU-B), and Traffic (CPU-C) recorded by the layer 2 switch 510, and the external connection communication traffic recorded by the router R110. Gets the quantity Traffic (USER-A), Traffic (USER-B), and Traffic (USER-C). Further, the server 300 performs the same calculation process as in the first embodiment, the communication fee for communication of the external connection (communication using the communication network L _NET ), and the communication in the communication lines L _A , L _B , and L _{C. A} communication charge for (communication using only communication lines L _A , L _B , and L _C ) is calculated separately.

<Effect>
As described above, the traffic volume of the information signal transmitted / received when the customer communication devices 400A, 400B, 400C are communicating can be managed separately for each connection path (communication in the communication line, external connection communication).

  As described above, the present invention is useful as a communication system in which communication is performed via a plurality of networks.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the communication system by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the virtual network in the communication system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the routing table stored in the customer communication apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the routing table stored in the router shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the transmission procedure of the customer communication apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the reception procedure of the customer communication apparatus shown in FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the router illustrated in FIG. 1 relays an information signal from a communication network A to a communication network B. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which the router illustrated in FIG. 1 relays an information signal from a communication network B to a communication network A. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted to an external communication apparatus from a customer communication apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted to a customer communication apparatus from an external communication apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted from a customer communication apparatus to another customer communication apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the preparation procedure of the communication fee bill by a server. It is a figure which shows an example of the communication fee bill produced by the server. It is a figure which shows an example of the user identifier corresponding | compatible table stored in a router in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the transmission procedure of the customer communication apparatus in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the reception procedure of the customer communication apparatus in 2nd Embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which a router in the second embodiment relays an information signal from a communication network A to a communication network B. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure in which a router in the second embodiment relays an information signal from a communication network B to a communication network A. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted to an external communication apparatus from a customer communication apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted to a customer communication apparatus from an external communication apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted from a customer communication apparatus to another customer communication apparatus. It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the communication system by 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the external connection communication traffic amount recorded on the router shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram for demonstrating the virtual network in the communication system shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the routing table stored in the customer communication apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the communication line corresponding table stored in the layer 2 switch shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the transmission procedure of the customer communication apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the reception procedure of the customer communication apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure in which the router shown in FIG. 21 relays an information signal from the communication line to the communication network B. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure in which the router shown in FIG. 21 relays an information signal from the communication network B to a communication line. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted to an external communication apparatus from a customer communication apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted to a customer communication apparatus from an external communication apparatus. It is a figure for demonstrating the process of the change of the information signal transmitted from a customer communication apparatus to another customer communication apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional communication system.

Explanation of symbols

L _VLAN , L _ISP , L _NET communication network L _ISP
R100, R200, R110 router 300 servers 400A, 400B, 400C customer communication device 500-1,500A, 500B, 500C accommodation switch 600 external communication device 700A, 700B, 700C accommodation switch L _A, L _B, L _C communication lines 510 Layer 2 switches

Claims (14)

A router device that is physically connected between the communication network A and the communication network B and relays an information signal;
It is physically connected to the communication network A to transmit / receive information signals, and belongs to the first virtual network constructed in the communication network A, and in the communication network A, A plurality of communication devices between which a second virtual network is constructed;
A first recording unit that records a traffic amount of an information signal transmitted / received by each of the plurality of communication devices as a first traffic amount of the communication device;
Between the router device and each of the plurality of communication devices, the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by the router device via the second virtual network established between the router device and the communication device. A second recording unit for recording the second traffic amount of the device;
A server device that acquires the first traffic amount recorded for each communication device by the first recording unit and the second traffic amount recorded for each communication device by the second recording unit;
Each of the plurality of communication devices is
When communicating with other communication devices connected to the communication network A, an information signal is transmitted / received via the first virtual network,
When communicating with the communication network B, an information signal is transmitted / received via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs,
The router device
When an information signal is received from the communication device via a second virtual network constructed between each of the plurality of communication devices, the information signal is transmitted to the communication network B,
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, the information signal is transmitted via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs ,
The router device is provided with a plurality of physical ports that are each physically connected to the communication network A and that correspond to the plurality of communication devices and belong to the same second virtual network as the corresponding communication device. And
Each of the plurality of communication devices transmits the information signal to a physical port belonging to the second virtual network when transmitting the information signal via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs.
When the router device receives an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices from the communication network B, the router device transmits the information signal via a physical port belonging to the same second virtual network as the communication device. Send
The second recording unit is configured to determine a traffic amount of an information signal relayed through the physical port in each of the plurality of physical ports as a second communication device belonging to the same second virtual network as the physical port. Recorded as traffic volume,
Each of the plurality of communication devices has a first IP address having a network address corresponding to the first virtual network to which the communication device belongs, and a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs. And a second IP address having
In each of the plurality of physical ports of the router device, a third IP address having a network address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the physical port belongs is set.
The third IP address set for each of the plurality of physical ports has the same network address portion as the second IP address set for the communication device belonging to the same second virtual network as the physical port. A communication system characterized by the above. In claim 1 ,
Each of the plurality of communication devices is
When communicating with another communication device connected to the communication network A, an information signal is transmitted toward the first IP address set in the other communication device,
When transmitting an information signal to the communication network B, the information signal is transmitted toward a third IP address set to a physical port belonging to the same second virtual network as the communication device,
The router device
When an information signal is transmitted from the communication device via the second virtual network established between each of the plurality of communication devices, the third IP address designated by the communication device is set. Receiving the information signal at a physical port, and transmitting the received information signal to the communication network B,
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, a second address set in the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted with reference to a destination address of the information signal. An IP address is selected, and the information signal is sent to the selected second IP address via a physical port in which a third IP address having the same network address as the selected second IP address is set. The communication system characterized by transmitting toward. In claim 2 ,
The router device has a routing table in which a network address corresponding to each of the plurality of second virtual networks is associated with a second IP address set for a communication device belonging to the second virtual network. Stored,
The router device
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, a network address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal is searched from the routing table, and the detected network address A communication system characterized by selecting a second IP address associated with the. In claim 2 ,
Each of the plurality of communication devices is
When communicating with another communication device connected to the communication network A, the first IP address set in the communication device is used as the source address of the information signal,
When transmitting an information signal to the communication network B, the second IP address set in the communication device is used as a source address of the information signal. In claim 2 ,
A plurality of first accommodating switches each having a predetermined identifier and corresponding to the plurality of communication devices and physically connected between the corresponding communication device and the communication network A;
A second accommodating switch in which the predetermined identifier is set and which is physically connected between the router device and the communication network A;
Each of the plurality of first accommodating switches is
When relaying an information signal from the communication device corresponding to the first accommodating switch to the communication network A, an extension tag indicating the predetermined identifier is added to the information signal,
When relaying an information signal from the communication network A to a communication device corresponding to the first accommodating switch, it is determined whether the information signal needs to be relayed by referring to the identifier of the extension tag added to the information signal. ,
The second receiving switch is
When relaying an information signal from the communication network A to the router device, refer to the identifier of the extension tag added to the information signal, determine whether the information signal needs to be relayed,
When an information signal is relayed from the router device to the communication network A, an extension tag indicating the predetermined identifier is added to the information signal. In claim 3 ,
Each of the plurality of communication devices is set with a common identifier that is an identifier that matches each other among the plurality of communication devices and an individual identifier that is an identifier that is different between each of the plurality of communication devices. Has been
The router device stores an individual identifier set for each of the plurality of communication devices,
Each of the plurality of communication devices further includes:
When communicating with another communication device connected to the communication network A, a user tag indicating a common identifier set in the communication device is added to the information signal,
When transmitting an information signal to the communication network B, a user tag indicating an individual identifier set in the communication device is added to the information signal,
The router device further includes:
When an information signal is transmitted from the communication device via the second virtual network established between each of the plurality of communication devices, the third IP address designated by the communication device is set. To determine whether it is necessary to relay the information signal with reference to the identifier indicated by the user tag added to the information signal,
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, an individual identifier set in the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted with reference to a destination address of the information signal. A communication system characterized by adding a user tag to the information signal. In claim 6 ,
The router device further stores an identifier correspondence table in which a second IP address set in each of the plurality of communication devices and an individual identifier set in the communication device are associated with each other.
The router device
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, an individual identifier corresponding to the second IP address selected from the routing table is stored in the identifier correspondence table. And a user tag indicating the selected individual identifier is added to the information signal. A router device that is physically connected between the communication network A and the communication network B and relays an information signal;
It is physically connected to the communication network A to transmit / receive information signals, and belongs to the first virtual network constructed in the communication network A, and in the communication network A, A plurality of communication devices between which a second virtual network is constructed;
A first recording unit that records a traffic amount of an information signal transmitted / received by each of the plurality of communication devices as a first traffic amount of the communication device;
Between the router device and each of the plurality of communication devices, the traffic amount of the information signal transmitted / received by the router device via the second virtual network established between the router device and the communication device. A second recording unit for recording the second traffic amount of the device;
A server device that acquires the first traffic amount recorded for each communication device by the first recording unit and the second traffic amount recorded for each communication device by the second recording unit;
Each of the plurality of communication devices is
When communicating with other communication devices connected to the communication network A, an information signal is transmitted / received via the first virtual network,
When communicating with the communication network B, an information signal is transmitted / received via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs,
The router device
When an information signal is received from the communication device via a second virtual network constructed between each of the plurality of communication devices, the information signal is transmitted to the communication network B,
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, the information signal is transmitted via the second virtual network to which the communication device belongs,
Each of the plurality of communication devices is set with a common identifier that is an identifier that matches each other among the plurality of communication devices and an individual identifier that is an identifier that is different between each of the plurality of communication devices. Has been
The router device stores an individual identifier set for each of the plurality of communication devices,
Each of the plurality of communication devices further includes:
When communicating with another communication device connected to the communication network A, a user tag indicating a common identifier set in the communication device is added to the information signal,
When communicating with the communication network B, a user tag indicating an individual identifier set in the communication device is added to the information signal,
The router device further includes:
When an information signal is received from the communication device via a second virtual network established between each of the plurality of communication devices, the identifier indicated by the user tag added to the information signal is referred to Determine the necessity of relaying information signals,
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, an individual identifier set in the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted with reference to a destination address of the communication device. Add a user tag to the information signal,
The second recording unit includes:
Between the router device and each of the plurality of communication devices, the router device indicates an individual identifier among information signals transmitted / received via a second virtual network established between the router device and the communication device. A communication system, wherein a traffic amount of an information signal to which a user tag is added is recorded as a second traffic amount of a communication device in which the individual identifier is set. In claim 8 ,
Each of the plurality of communication devices has a first IP address having a network address corresponding to the first virtual network and a second network address corresponding to a second virtual network to which the communication device belongs. IP address is set,
A plurality of third IP addresses corresponding to the plurality of second virtual networks and having a network address corresponding to the corresponding second virtual network are set in the router device,
Each of the plurality of third IP addresses set in the router device includes a second IP address and a network address portion set in the communication device belonging to the second virtual network corresponding to the third IP address. A communication system characterized by matching each other. In claim 9 ,
The communication network A includes a plurality of communication lines corresponding to the plurality of communication devices and physically connecting the corresponding communication device and the router device,
Each of the plurality of communication devices is
When communicating with another communication apparatus connected to a communication line different from the communication line to which the communication apparatus is connected, an information signal to which a user tag indicating a common identifier set in the communication apparatus is added Send to the first IP address set in the other communication device,
When transmitting an information signal to the communication network B, a third IP address corresponding to the second virtual network to which the communication apparatus belongs is assigned to the information signal to which the user tag indicating the individual identifier set in the communication apparatus is added. Send to
The router device
When an information signal is received from a communication device connected to the communication line via the plurality of communication lines, if the user tag added to the information signal indicates an individual identifier, the information signal is sent to the communication network B. Send
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, a second address set in the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted with reference to a destination address of the information signal. Select an IP address, add a user tag indicating an individual identifier set to the communication device to which the information signal is to be transmitted, to the information signal, and transmit the information signal to which the user tag is added Sending to the selected second IP address via the communication line to which the communication device is connected,
The first recording unit records a traffic amount of an information signal transmitted / received via the communication line in each of the plurality of communication lines as a first traffic amount of a communication device connected to the communication line. A communication system. In claim 10 ,
The router device has a routing table in which a network address corresponding to each of the plurality of second virtual networks is associated with a second IP address set for a communication device belonging to the second virtual network. Stored,
The router device
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, a network address corresponding to the destination address of the information signal is searched from the routing table, and the detected network address A communication system characterized by selecting a second IP address associated with the. In claim 11 ,
The router device further includes an identifier correspondence table in which a second IP address set in each of the plurality of communication devices and an individual identifier set in the communication device are associated, and the plurality of communication devices A communication line correspondence table in which the individual identifier set in each of the communication lines and the communication line to which the communication device is connected is stored;
The router device
When an information signal to be transmitted to any one of the plurality of communication devices is received from the communication network B, an individual identifier corresponding to the second IP address selected from the routing table is stored in the identifier correspondence table. A user tag indicating the selected user identifier is added to the information signal, and a communication line corresponding to the selected individual identifier is selected from the communication line correspondence table. A communication system, wherein the added information signal is transmitted through the selected communication line. In any one of claims 1 to 12 ,
When the server device calculates a communication fee of any one of the plurality of communication devices, the server device calculates a first usage fee for the second traffic amount of the communication device stored by the second recording unit. Multiplying to calculate the first communication fee, and subtracting the second traffic amount of the communication device from the first traffic amount of the communication device recorded by the first recording unit to the third traffic amount calculated A second communication fee is calculated by multiplying a second metered fee that is lower than the first metered fee. In claim 13 ,
An external connection router connected between the communication network B and a communication network C different from the communication network B;
The first metered charge is a charge imposed on communication using the communication network B and the communication network C,
2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second metered charge is a charge imposed for communication using only the communication network A.

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