JP2001292168A - Ip communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve access velocity by suppressing unnecessary traffic in communication between end users under contracts with different ISPs and communication between users in a local area. SOLUTION: When grouping user terminals within the same local area and performing IP communication mutually between the user terminals within the same local area, the transmission side of a packet gives a tag header, having target address information written or a tag header having an identifier for group communication to the packet and sends it to a network. The presence/ absence of the tag of the header part of the packet transmitted from the user terminal is detected and when it is tagged, the written address information or identifier is read to retrieve a MAC address corresponding to the read information from a table to convert a destination MAC address in a series of packet headers to the retrieved MAC address. Then, the packet is outputted to a port designated by the acquired destination MAC address.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is mainly used for a subscriber communication network apparatus for realizing IP communication.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, IP-based communication services are individually provided by end users to ISPs (Internet Service Providers).
Internet connection is realized by dialing up to the access point and connecting to the line by dedicated connection. For this reason, all packets from each end user or information provider are configured to pass through an access point of the contracted ISP or a server installed above the network of the access point.

[0003] On the other hand, in order to return communication from an end user before an ISP access point, each ISP must be provided in a network.
A configuration in which an IP router, a label switch, an ATM switch, or the like is installed in a form facing the server of the above has been considered. As another method, a form in which one area itself is constructed as a large-scale LAN to realize communication within the area has been considered.

A conventional example will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional IP communication system. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a communication procedure of a conventional IP communication system. In the conventional system, in the case of a dedicated line connection or dial-up connection from the subscriber terminal device 3 to the ISP servers 5-A to 5-C, the connection is directly made to the RAS. For example, as shown by a dotted line in the figure, when communicating from the user terminal 1-a subscribed to the ISP server 5-A to the user terminal 1-b subscribed to the ISP server 5-B, the network terminating device 2, Subscriber terminator 3, ISP server 5-
A, Internet network 30, ISP server 5-B, subscriber terminal device 3, network terminal device 2, user terminal 1
-B.

The communication procedure in this case will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 shows a case where communication is performed from the right user terminal 1-a to the left user terminal 1-b. Here, the user terminal 1-a is connected to the ISP server 5-A.
It is assumed that the user terminal 1-b has a contract with the ISP server 5-B, and for simplicity, communication is assumed to be IP communication based on transmission / reception of an Ethernet (registered trademark) frame.

[0006] The section between the user terminal 1-a and the ISP server 5-A and the section between the user terminal 1-b and the ISP server 5-B are access sections to the Internet, and the section between the ISPs usually corresponds to a backbone.

At the start of communication, the user terminal 1-a
Requests the IP address of its own terminal to the SP server 5-A, is usually provided by a DHCP server, and further obtains the IP address of the destination from DNS (procedure 2-)
1). This is the communication preparation stage. Subsequently, in the procedure 2-2, the user terminal 1-a switches to the user terminal 1-b.
Is transmitted. The header of the IP datagram included in this packet includes the destination IP address,
In the Ethernet header, ISP is usually used as the destination.
The MAC address of the server 5-A is written. The outgoing packet is bridge-transferred through the subscriber terminating device 3 and forwarded according to the destination MAC address, reaches the ISP server 5-A, the destination MAC address is replaced, and passes through the ISP server 5-B. To the user terminal 1-b. If the data cannot be transferred in one frame due to the packet size, the procedure is repeated a plurality of times. The response packet goes through this reverse procedure.

[0008]

However, in such a conventional method, in the case of communication between users belonging to different ISPs or communication closed in an area, all packets are transmitted between a plurality of ISPs. Since the packet is transferred to the place where the packet exchange is performed, there is a disadvantage that the traffic is increased due to the inflow of the packet which is originally unnecessary, and as a result, the access speed is likely to be reduced.

In order to overcome such disadvantages, as described above, the ISP of each ISP installed at the access point
There is a method of installing an IP router on the network side opposite to the P router and controlling the route. In this method,
Each end user will not be able to see the ISP router directly, so tunneling and other techniques will be incorporated.
There are drawbacks such as an increase in the number of hops due to router insertion, and an increase in processing in the IP layer in the network, resulting in speed degradation.

Further, a method of setting a label switch or an ATM switch instead of the IP router is also possible. However, in the case of a label switch, it is necessary for the end user to have path setting information for route control and a function for generating the label, but this is implemented in a terminal device that does not have route information on the network side. In addition, when ATM is applied, there is a disadvantage that expensive processing such as ATM-Ethernet conversion is required.

The method of treating an area as one closed LAN has disadvantages in that a huge LAN itself needs to be managed by a private address, and security and privacy in the LAN are easily loosened.

[0012] The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and it is an object of the present invention to suppress unnecessary traffic and increase access speed in communication between end users who have contracted with different ISPs and communication between users in an area. It is an object of the present invention to provide an IP communication system capable of performing the following. An object of the present invention is to provide an IP communication system that can enhance the convenience of Internet users. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an IP communication system which has an affinity with a conventional network configuration and can promote its spread. It is an object of the present invention to provide an IP communication system that does not require special LAN management and has no problem in communication security between end users.

[0013]

In the IP communication system according to the present invention, when user terminals in the same area are grouped and IP communication is performed between user terminals in the same area, a packet transmitting side is used. Then, a packet is added with a tag header in which target address information is written or a tag header having an identifier for group communication, and the packet is transmitted to the network side.

The means for controlling a data transfer path provided between the same area and the network for each same area detects the presence or absence of a tag in the header of a packet sent from the user terminal, and In the case of the attached, the written address information or identifier is read, a MAC address corresponding to the read information is searched from a table, and a destination MAC address in a series of received packet headers is converted into the searched MAC address. . Output to the port specified by the acquired destination MAC address.
If the corresponding MAC address is not found by the search, the tag is deleted or the host address information in the tag is deleted without changing the destination MAC address.

[0015] This eliminates the need for a packet to pass through the network in the case of communication between user terminals in the same area without providing a special function for route control on the user terminal side. In addition, it is possible to suppress traffic going to an upper station (upper node) in the network. In addition, the access speed is increased and the closed area L
It is also possible to prevent security degradation that tends to occur between user terminals of the AN.

That is, a first aspect of the present invention is an IP communication system including a plurality of user terminals, a network to which the user terminals are connected, and a plurality of servers arranged in the network.

Here, a feature of the present invention is that the user terminals are classified into groups in the same regional area unit, and control a data transfer path between the same regional area and the network. Means for controlling the data transfer path, wherein the means for autonomously transferring data between the user terminals located in the same area where the user terminal is provided does not pass through the network. There is a means.

This makes it possible to suppress unnecessary traffic and increase the access speed in communication between end users who have contracted with different ISPs and communication between users in a region.
The convenience for Internet users can be improved.
It has an affinity with the conventional network configuration and can promote its spread. It is possible to realize an IP communication system that does not require special LAN management and has no problem in communication security between end users.

[0019] The means for autonomously performing the packet transfer route according to a table in which a MAC address assigned in the same area corresponding to an IP address assigned in the network of the user terminal is recorded. And a means for automatically creating or updating this table.

Means is provided for attaching a tag in which the IP address of the destination user terminal is written to a header portion of the packet transmitted from the user terminal of the packet transmission source. Means for detecting the presence or absence of a tag, means for reading the IP address written in the tag when there is a tag according to the detection result, and means for searching the table for a MAC address corresponding to the read IP address When,
According to this search result, this IP address is
It is desirable to include a means for rewriting to a C address and a means for deleting the tag or deleting the IP address and transferring the packet to the network when there is no MAC address corresponding to the IP address according to the search result. .

The packet to be transferred is Ethernet
If the packet is a packet defined in IEEE 802.2 / 3, the header of a packet transmitted from the user terminal of the packet transmission source is addressed to another user terminal in the same area. Means for providing a tag including information indicating that the packet is a packet is provided. The means for determining the transfer route includes means for detecting the presence or absence of a tag in a header portion, Destination IP written in header
Means for reading an address, means for searching the table for a MAC address corresponding to the read IP address, means for rewriting the IP address to the MAC address according to the search result, and means for rewriting the MAC address according to the search result. If there is no MAC address corresponding to the IP address, delete this tag or
Means for deleting an address and transferring the packet to the network.

A means for sending an ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) request packet is provided for each user terminal belonging to the same area, and the means for automatically creating or updating the table receives the ARP packet. Means, means for detecting the MAC address and IP address of the source of the received ARP packet, and means for storing the detection result as address information in the table or updating the table with the address information. It is desirable to adopt a configuration in which

Alternatively, the means for controlling the data transfer path sends RARP (Reverse ARP), DRARP (Dynamic RARP), or BOOTP (B
(ootstrap Protocol) means for transmitting a request packet is provided, and the means for automatically creating or updating the table includes: means for receiving a response packet to the request packet;
A means for storing and recording the IP address corresponding to the address as the address information in the table or updating the table with the address information may be provided.

Preferably, the means for transmitting the request packet includes a means for transmitting the request packet at regular intervals.

In the tag, destination and source IP addresses are written, and the means for automatically creating or updating the table includes a MAC address corresponding to the source IP address written in the tag. It is also possible to adopt a configuration including means for detecting an address and means for storing and recording the detection result as address information in the table or updating the table with the address information.

Alternatively, from the means for controlling the data transfer path, an ICMP (Internet Control
means for broadcasting or multicasting an echo request packet of the ICMP (rol Message Protocol), means for automatically creating or updating the table include means for receiving a response packet to the ICMP echo request packet, A means for detecting the information of the written source MAC address and IP address; and means for storing and recording the detection result as address information in the table or updating the table with the address information. Can also.

The means for providing the tag may be provided independently, but may be provided in the user terminal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a computer device having predetermined hardware and predetermined basic software installed in the hardware is further installed on the computer device, thereby connecting the computer device of the present invention to the IP. A machine-readable recording medium on which software is recorded as an apparatus corresponding to a means for controlling a data transfer path of a communication system.

[0029]

1 and 10 show an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIGS. 1 and 10 are diagrams showing the overall configuration of an IP communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure,
An alternate long and short dash line indicates a transfer route according to the present invention between the user terminals 1-a and 1-b, and a broken line indicates a conventional transfer route for comparison.

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of user terminals 1-a to 1-c,
c and a plurality of ISP servers 5-A arranged in the Internet network 30.
1 to 5 -C and a server 6.

Here, the feature of the present invention is that the user terminals 1-a to 1-c are classified into groups in the same regional area unit, and the user terminals 1-a to 1-c are located between the same regional area and the Internet network 30. Is provided with a route control device 4. The route control device 4 transmits data between the user terminals 1-a to 1-c located in the same local area where the route control device 4 is provided, via the Internet network 30. Tag processing unit 8, table unit 9,
This is where the path control unit 10 is provided.

The route control unit 10 includes the user terminals 1-a to 1-a
MAC-I of the table unit 9 in which the MAC address assigned in the same regional area corresponding to the IP address assigned in the Internet network 30 of FIG.
The packet transfer route is determined according to the P address conversion table. Further, the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 is automatically created or updated.

User terminal 1-a to 1--1 as a packet transmission source
c, a tag processing unit 7 is provided on the end user side for adding a tag in which the IP address of the destination user terminal 1 is written to the header of the packet transmitted from the terminal c. The path control unit 10 detects the presence / absence of the tag, and reads the IP address written in the tag when there is a tag in accordance with the detection result, and determines the MAC address corresponding to the read IP address.
An address is searched from the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9, and the IP address is searched according to the search result.
Rewrite the address with this MAC address. When there is no MAC address corresponding to the IP address according to the search result, the path control unit 10 deletes the tag or deletes the IP address, and transfers the packet to the Internet network 30. In the embodiment of the present invention, the tag processing unit 7 is provided in the user terminals 1-a to 1-c as shown in FIG. 1, and the tag processing unit 7 is provided in the network termination device 2 as shown in FIG. There is.

If the packet to be transferred is a packet defined by Ethernet and IEEE 802.2 / 3, the tag processing unit 7 transmits the packet transmitted from the user terminal 1-a to 1-c of the packet transmission source. , A tag including information indicating that the packet is a packet addressed to the other user terminals 1-a to 1-c in the same area is added to the header of the header. When the presence or absence of the tag is detected, the route control unit 10 reads the destination IP address written in the header of the IP layer when the tag is present according to the detection result, and replaces the MAC address corresponding to the read IP address with the MAC address corresponding to the read IP address. A search is made from the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table section 9 and this IP address is
Rewrite with the address. Further, the route control unit 10 determines the MA corresponding to the IP address according to the search result.
If there is no C address, the tag is deleted or the IP address is deleted, and the packet is transferred to the Internet network 30.

Each of the user terminals 1-a to 1-c sends out an ARP request packet for each of the user terminals 1-a to 1-c belonging to the same regional area.
Receives the ARP packet, and receives the received AR
The MAC address and IP address of the transmission source of the P packet are detected, and the detection result is stored and recorded in the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 as address information, or the MAC-IP address conversion table is updated based on the address information.

Alternatively, the route control device 4 sends RARP or DRARP to the ISP servers 5-A to 5-C.
Alternatively, a BOOTP request packet is sent out, the table unit 9 receives a response packet corresponding to the request packet, and uses the IP address corresponding to the MAC address specified by the received response packet as address information to obtain the MAC-IP The MAC-IP address conversion table is updated by storing the information in the address conversion table or using this address information. In this case, the path control device 4 sends out the request packet at regular intervals.

Alternatively, the destination and source IP addresses are written in the tag, and the table section 9 detects the MAC address corresponding to the source IP address written in the tag, and Is stored in the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 as address information, or the MAC
-Update the IP address translation table.

Alternatively, the route controller 4 broadcasts or multicasts an ICMP echo request packet to the user terminals 1-a to 1-c, and the table unit 9 receives a response packet to the ICMP echo request packet, The information of the source MAC address and IP address written in the response packet is detected, and the detection result is used as address information in the table unit 9.
The MAC-IP address conversion table is stored or updated in the MAC-IP address conversion table, or the MAC-IP address conversion table is updated with this address information.

The path control device 4 is further installed in a computer device having predetermined hardware and predetermined basic software installed in the hardware, thereby connecting the computer device to the IP communication system of the present invention. This is realized by a machine-readable recording medium on which software that is a device corresponding to the route control device 4 is recorded.

The IP communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a case where a plurality of end users are provided with a plurality of IS
An access form to the P servers 5-A to 5-C or the server 6 on the Internet network 30 is shown. Reference numerals 1-a to 1-c denote user terminals composed of PCs or LANs, and reference numeral 2 denotes a network terminating device (N
T), reference numeral 3 denotes a subscriber terminating device on the network side (telephone exchange in the case of dial-up connection), reference numeral 4 denotes a route control device mainly operating in the data link layer, and reference numerals 5-A to 5-C denote access. An ISP server (including RAS in the case of dial-up connection) of a different business operator on the point, reference numeral 6 is a server as a general information site placed on the Internet network.

The tag processing section 7, which performs tag processing (tag generation and tag detection) on the end user side, includes user terminals 1-a to 1-a.
-C or included in the network terminating device 2. Further, the tag processing unit 8, the table unit 9, and the route control unit 10 on the network side are included in the route control device 5.

The route control device 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention does not necessarily need to be installed at the same location as the subscriber terminal device 3 which is closest to the end user, and unless a processing function of layer 3 or higher is interposed in the middle. Can be provided in a centralized station building.

In the embodiment of the present invention, by installing the route control device 4 together with the subscriber terminating device 3, the function of returning the upstream packet from the end user to the destination in the area is realized by both unicast and multicast. I do.

(First Embodiment) A communication procedure according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a communication procedure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The procedure 2-1 for preparing for communication in FIG. Describe the steps that lead to

When transmitting a packet, the user terminal 1-a transmits the packet to the user terminal 1-a or the network terminating device 2.
Format specified in the Ethernet frame header in the format (such as IEEE 802.1Q)
According to the method, a tag in which the IP address of the destination is embedded is added and the packet is transmitted (procedure 3-1).

Subsequently, the packet enters the route control device 4, and the presence or absence of the tag is detected by the tag processing unit 8. When the tag is detected, the route control unit 10 sends the IP address written in the tag header to the IP address. Read, IP address and MA
The destination MAC address (the MAC address of the user terminal 1-b in this case) is searched from the C address table section 9 and the destination MAC address is converted into the searched MAC address.

Subsequently, the tag is deleted or the IP address information written in the tag is deleted, and the packet is forwarded to the device (user terminal 1-b) specified by the destination MAC address (step 3-2). . After receiving the packet, the user terminal 1-b sends a response packet to the user terminal 1-a according to a procedure similar to the procedure 3-1 (procedures 3-3 and 3-4). If the corresponding MAC address is not found in the search processing in the table unit 9, the destination MAC address is left as it is (normally, the default value is the MAC address of the ISP server 5-A). -A to the user terminal 1-b according to the procedure 2-2 in FIG.
To reach.

Second Embodiment A communication procedure according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a communication procedure according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and the procedure 2-1 in FIG. 12 is omitted as in FIG.

When transmitting a packet, the user terminal 1-a or the network terminal 2
Format specified in the Ethernet frame header in the format (such as IEEE 802.1Q)
According to the above, a tag with an identifier, for example, a VLAN-ID embedded therein is attached and a packet is transmitted (procedure 4-1). This job identifier follows the VLAN format, for example,
The content reflects whether or not the communication destination is within the area and whether or not the communication destination is plural.

Subsequently, the packet enters the route control device 4, and the presence or absence of the tag is detected by the tag processing unit 8, and when the tag is detected, the route control unit 10 replaces the identifier written in the tag header with the identifier. By reading and further reading the IP packet header of the third layer, the destination IP address is extracted, the corresponding MAC address is searched from the table unit 9, the destination MAC address is replaced, and the packet is transmitted to the user terminal 1-b. To transfer.

If the identifier in the tag is registered as a VLAN group, it is converted to the MAC addresses of a plurality of constituent users and multicast-transferred (the above procedure 4-2). After accepting the packet, the user terminal 1-b sends a response packet to the user terminal 1-a according to the same procedure as in the procedure 4-1 (procedures 4-3 and 4-4).

Next, four methods for constructing the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 used in the above processing procedure will be described.

(Third Embodiment) MAC of Third Embodiment of the Present Invention
A method of constructing the IP address conversion table will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a table construction method by detecting an ARP request packet (DARP in the extended specification), and shows the user terminal 1-a as an example of address collection of the user terminals 1-a to 1-c. .

The user terminal 1-a periodically generates an ARP request packet for address resolution from the line connection device or the user terminal 1-a and sends it to the network side. ARP
Since the source IP is written in the Ethernet header area in the packet, the IP address and the MAC address are extracted after the ARP is confirmed by the protocol type discrimination after reception by the route control device 4. The obtained address information is stored and recorded in the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 for each user, or the existing address information is updated (step 5).

(Fourth Embodiment) MAC of a fourth embodiment of the present invention
A method of constructing the IP address conversion table will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a table construction method using RARP / BOOTP. In this case, the route control device 4 performs the RARP or BOOTP
The request packet is sent periodically to the upper network side.
RARP / BOOT in ISP access point side network
If there are P servers, the servers return an IP address corresponding to the specified MAC address. Therefore, the path control device 4 receives the response packet, and returns the MAC address described in the packet. The address and the corresponding IP address are extracted as address information, and the address information stored or recorded in the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 for each user is updated (step 6 above).

(Fifth Embodiment) MAC of Fifth Embodiment of the Present Invention
A method of constructing the IP address conversion table will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a table construction method based on detection of information in a tag. A packet transmission / reception between the user terminals 1-a and 1-b will be described as an example.

When transmitting a packet from the network terminating device 2 or the user terminal 1-a, the user terminal 1-a generates a destination header and a transmission source IP in a tag header and adds the generated header. The path control device 4 detects the tag after receiving the packet, reads the source IP address, and stores and records the address information together with the source MAC address in the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 as address information. Update this. After deleting the tag or deleting the source IP address information in the tag header, the packet is transferred as it is to the ISP server 5-A, which is the destination MAC address, and reaches the user terminal 1-b. User terminal 1-b
Address information is extracted by the same procedure for the response packet from, and the address information stored and recorded in the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 or the already existing address information is updated (Step 7 above).

(Sixth Embodiment) MAC of a sixth embodiment of the present invention
A method of constructing the IP address conversion table will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a table construction method using an ICMP echo request, and similarly shows a case of the user terminals 1-a and 1-b. IC
In this case, the route control device 4 has its own IP address in order to perform the layer 3 processing of the MP.
An ICMP echo request packet is transmitted from the route control device 4 to the connected devices (user terminals 1-a and 1-b and ISP servers 5-A and 5-B in the case of the figure). In this case, since the destination IP is unknown, the packet is transmitted in the broadcast mode and all response packets from the terminal device or the like are received. At this time, it is possible to make a setting to return a response from the terminal device to the broadcast in the same manner as the unicast ICMP echo request by software setting of the network interface portion of the terminal device.

After receiving the response packet, the IP header portion is read in addition to the source MAC address in the Ethernet header, and the source IP address is extracted (layer 3).
Processing). The obtained IP address and MAC address are used as address information, and the address information stored or recorded in the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 is updated (step 8).

FIG. 8 is an example of a format of a tag frame applied in the embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the tag frame of the IEEE 802.1Q VLAN standard can be used. The IP address writing described in the procedure 3-1 in FIG. 2 or the procedure 7 in FIG. However, in order to cope with use as a normal VLAN, it is desirable to delete the written IP information in the tag except between the user terminals 1-a to 1-c and the route control device 4. Further, as for the VLAN-ID described in FIG. 3, the VID in the figure can be used as in the normal VLAN procedure.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the MAC-IP address conversion table of the table unit 9 used in the embodiment of the present invention. The table unit 9 includes a classification number for table management, a MAC address of a device connected to the path control device,
An IP address, a VLAN-ID, a physical port number of a path control device, and the like are defined in fields. In each field, data corresponding to the devices connected to the path control device, that is, the users in the area and the ISP server are written.

(Seventh Embodiment) The configuration of an IP communication system according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, the tag processing unit 7 on the end user side in the network configuration of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.
This is a configuration example in which the tag processing unit 8, the table unit 9, and the route control unit 10 are included in the subscriber terminal device 3. The function of the path control device 4 does not necessarily need to be separated from the transmission device, and can be embedded as an additional function.

[0063]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In communication between end users who have contracted with different ISPs and communication between users in the region, unnecessary traffic is suppressed by filtering or forwarding to the intra-area packets that do not need to go to the upper station (upper node) of the network. The access speed can be increased, and the convenience of Internet users can be improved. Also,
In order to realize the route control mainly at the layer 2 level without changing the relationship between the conventional end user and the ISP,
It has an affinity with the conventional network configuration and is expected to have the effect of promoting its spread. Furthermore, since a huge LAN configuration such as a closed network is not used, no special LAN management is required, and there is an advantage in communication security between end users, which has an effect of promoting the spread.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an IP communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a communication procedure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a communication procedure according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a table construction method based on ARP request packet detection.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a table construction method using RARP / BOOTP.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view for explaining a table construction method by detecting information in a tag;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view for explaining a table construction method using an ICMP echo request;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a format example of a tag frame applied in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a MAC- of the table unit used in the embodiment of the present invention.
The figure which shows an IP address conversion table structure.

FIG. 10 is an overall configuration diagram of an IP communication system according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional IP communication system.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a communication procedure of a conventional IP communication system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-a to 1-c User terminal 2 Network termination device 3 Subscriber termination device 4 Route control device 5-A to 5-C ISP server 6 Server 7, 8 Tag processing unit 9 Table unit 10 Route control unit 30 Internet network

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5K030 HA08 HB11 HB14 HB16 HC01 HC14 HD03 HD06 HD09 KA05 LB05 LD02 5K033 AA01 AA03 CB01 CB06 CB09 CB13 DA06 DB12 DB14 DB16 DB19 EA07 EC04 5K051 AA01 AA03 001

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An IP communication system comprising a plurality of user terminals, a network to which the user terminals are connected, and a plurality of servers arranged in the network, wherein the user terminals are in the same regional area unit. Between the same regional area and the network,
Means for controlling a data transfer path is provided, wherein the means for controlling the data transfer path transmits data between the user terminals in the same local area where the user terminal is provided via the network. An IP communication system characterized by comprising means for performing autonomous operation without any change. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said means for performing autonomous comprises: a MAC assigned within said same regional area corresponding to an IP address assigned within said network of said user terminal.
2. The IP communication system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for determining a packet transfer route according to a table in which addresses are recorded; and means for automatically creating or updating this table. 3. A means for attaching a tag in which an IP address of a destination user terminal is written to a header portion of a packet transmitted from the user terminal as a packet transmission source, wherein the means for determining the transfer route includes a header Means for detecting the presence / absence of a tag, means for reading the IP address written in the tag when there is a tag according to the detection result, and searching for the MAC address corresponding to the read IP address from the table Means for rewriting the IP address to the MAC address according to the search result, and deleting the tag or deleting the IP address if there is no MAC address corresponding to the IP address according to the search result. Means for forwarding packets to the network. IP communication system other 2 wherein. 4. The packet to be transferred is Ethernet
Or a packet specified in IEEE 802.2 / 3, and the header of a packet transmitted from the user terminal of the packet source is a packet addressed to another user terminal in the same area. Means for providing a tag containing information indicating the presence of the tag is provided. The means for determining the transfer route includes means for detecting the presence or absence of a tag in the header portion, Destination I written in
Means for reading the P address; means for searching the table for a MAC address corresponding to the read IP address; means for rewriting the IP address to the MAC address according to the search result; MAC corresponding to this IP address
If there is no address, delete this tag or
Means for deleting a P address and transferring the packet to the network. 5. A means for transmitting an ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) request packet is provided for each user terminal belonging to the same regional area, and the means for automatically creating or updating the table receives the ARP packet. And the received A
2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for detecting a MAC address and an IP address of a transmission source of the RP packet, and means for storing and detecting the detection result as address information in said table or updating said table with said address information.
Or the IP communication system according to 2. 6. A means for controlling the data transfer path from the means for controlling the data transfer path to the server by RARP (Reverse ARP) or DRP.
RARP (Dynamic RARP) or BOOTP (Bootstrap
Protocol) means for transmitting a request packet is provided. The means for automatically creating or updating the table includes means for receiving a response packet to the request packet, and means for receiving the response packet corresponding to the specified MAC address. And means for storing and recording the IP address to be stored in the table as address information or updating the table with the address information.
An IP communication system as described. 7. The IP communication system according to claim 5, wherein the means for transmitting the request packet includes a means for transmitting the request packet at regular time intervals. 8. The tag includes destination and source IP addresses.
The address is written, the means for automatically creating or updating the table is means for detecting a MAC address corresponding to the source IP address written in the tag, and the detection result is used as address information in the table. 3. An IP communication system according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing and updating the table with the address information. 9. An ICMP (Internet Control Message) from a means for controlling the data transfer path to the user terminal.
means for broadcasting or multicasting an echo request packet of an age protocol), means for automatically creating or updating the table, means for receiving a response packet to the ICMP echo request packet, and writing to the response packet 3. A means for detecting the information of the MAC address and IP address of the transmission source obtained, and means for storing and detecting the detection result as address information in the table or updating the table with the address information. An IP communication system as described. 10. The IP communication system according to claim 3, wherein the means for assigning the tag is provided in the user terminal. 11. The data transfer of the IP communication system according to claim 1, further comprising installing the computer device on a computer device having predetermined hardware and predetermined basic software installed on the hardware. A machine-readable recording medium on which software is recorded as an apparatus corresponding to the means for controlling a route.