JPH10322358A - Path setting method by multiple address function for time measuring cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically search and set an optimum path whose data transfer time and delay time become minimum by generating a time measuring cell by means of a control signal from high-order management system or a call setting request signal from a terminal equipment and searching and setting the shortest path from a time measuring result by means of the time measuring cell. SOLUTION: For setting the path of the terminal equipment 10 from the terminal equipment 9, the terminating device 3 generates the time measuring cell by the control signal 2 from the high-order management system 1 or the call setting request signal 11 from the terminal equipment 9 and it is transmitted to repeating devices 5 and 7 by a multiple address function. Prescribed processings are executed in the repeating devices 5 and 7 and data transfer time can be learnt from generation time information and detection time information of the time measuring cell arrived at a terminating device 4 through repeating devices 6 and 8. Thus, the shortest path route from the terminal equipment 9 to the terminal equipment 10 can be searched and set by comparing such data transfer time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a path setting method using a time measuring cell, and more particularly to an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode).
(Non Transfer Mode) The present invention relates to a network path setting method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of path setting method is known as PVC.
(Parent Virtual Channel
In 1), the upper management system sets a path based on the transmission path length and the traffic volume in the network. Also, SVC
(Switched Virtual Channel
In 1), the management system sets a path based on the amount of traffic in the network.

For this reason, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-292114
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 9-214605 proposes an apparatus and a method for setting a communication path that avoids a congestion state by detecting or monitoring a traffic state. According to the publication, a communication path setting unit instructs a test cell generation unit to generate a test cell with a high cell discarding priority set to check the congestion state of a predetermined communication path before setting the communication path. Then, the created test cell is inserted into an empty transmission cell of a predetermined communication path by the communication path setting means and output to the communication node on the other side.

[0004]

However, the conventional path setting method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-292114 has a problem that the path setting of the shortest path is not considered. For this reason, the data transfer time and the delay time increase, and the network configuration is not high in performance from the viewpoint of the user.

[0005] The reason is that path setting is performed by resource management such as traffic volume.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to generate a time measurement cell at the time of path setting and perform time measurement with high accuracy. Automatically search for the optimal path that minimizes data transfer time and delay time without depending on management,
An object of the present invention is to provide a path setting method which enables an optimum path to be set.

Another object of the present invention is to allow a cell for time measurement to pass through a path path similar to user data in advance when setting a path, thereby preventing cell discarding or path continuity due to congestion or the like. It is to provide a path setting method for confirming.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a path setting method using a broadcast function of a time measurement cell according to the first invention of the present application is an ATM (Asynchronous T).
transfer mode) in a network, comprising means for generating a cell for time measurement in response to a control signal from a higher-level management system or a call setup request signal from a terminal device, and means for detecting the cell. The shortest path route is searched and set.

Further, the second invention of the present application has means for transmitting the time measurement cell to all devices physically connected by the broadcast function when the time measurement cell is generated or detected. It is characterized by the following.

Further, the third invention of the present application is characterized in that there is provided a means for adding a device number of a device and a return signal to the time measuring cell when the time measuring cell passes.

Further, the fourth invention of the present application is characterized in that there is provided a means for monitoring a device number and a return signal added to the time measuring cell and discarding the time measuring cell.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The present invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, searches for an optimal path, and sets the path.The terminating device transmits a time measurement cell based on a path setting control signal or a call setting request signal. A means for generating (23 in FIG. 2) and a cell copy means for broadcasting (No.
2) and folding means (32 in FIG. 2).

Another feature of the present invention is that it can automatically cover all devices (termination devices, relay devices) in the network to broadcast the time measurement cells. Specifically, it has a cell copy unit (22 in FIG. 3) for the time measurement cell.

Since the time measuring cell can be folded back, the generating circuit and the detecting circuit (23 and 28 in FIG. 2) can be provided in the same device, and the measuring time is excellent in accuracy. is there. Specifically, a time stamp means (25 in FIG. 2) using a counter is provided.

When setting a path in an ATM network, the shortest path by a time measuring cell is automatically searched and set. Therefore, it is not necessary to set a path depending on resources such as a traffic amount.

Since there is a broadcast circuit that performs cell copying of the time measurement cell, the time measurement cell can be transmitted to all the physically connected devices. For this reason, there is no need to be conscious of which path the higher-level management system or the preceding device sends.

Since the generation circuit and the detection circuit can be provided in the same device, accurate time measurement can be performed, and there is no need to share or match a timer between devices as in the conventional case.

For example, when setting a path from the terminal device (9 in FIG. 1) to the terminal device (10 in FIG. 1), a control signal (2 in FIG. 1) from the host management system or the terminal device (9 in FIG. 1) In response to the call setting request signal (11 in FIG. 1), the terminal device (3 in FIG. 1) generates a time measurement cell, and sends it to the relay device (5, 7 in FIG. 1) by the broadcast function.

When the relay device (5 or 7 in FIG. 1) receives the time measurement cell, it monitors the device number, and if a device number that matches its own device number is added, the time measurement cell Is discarded, and if it is not added, its own device number is added and transmitted to the relay device (6, 8 in FIG. 1) by the broadcast function. The relay device (6 or 8 in FIG. 1) performs the same processing as described above.

In this way, the time measurement cell arriving at the termination device (4 in FIG. 1) is detected, and the termination device (4 in FIG. 1) is detected from the generation time information and the detection time information added to the time measurement cell. ) Can be known.

Further, the path route can be known from the device number of the passed device added in the time measuring cell.

As described above, the broadcast function compares the data transfer times of a plurality of time measurement cells covering all the path routes in the network, and compares the data transfer time from the terminal device (9 in FIG. 1) to the terminal device (FIG. 1). The shortest path up to 10) can be set.

[0023]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention;

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention includes a first terminal device 3 for generating and detecting a cell for time measurement in a network, and a second terminal device 4 for detecting or turning back the cell for time measurement in a network. , The first, second, third, and fourth relay devices 5 through which the time measurement cell passes,
6, 7, and 8.

The first terminating device 3 includes signal lines 12 and 13
And connected to the first and third relay devices 5 and 7, respectively.
The second terminal device 4 is connected to the second and fourth relay devices 6 and 8 via signal lines 18 and 19, respectively.

The first repeater 5 is connected to the signal line 14,
At 15, the third relay device 7 is connected to the second and fourth relay devices 6, 8 by signal lines 16 and 17, respectively.

Then, the first terminal device 3 and the first terminal device 9 are connected by a signal line 11, and the second terminal device 4 and the second terminal device 9 are connected to each other.
The terminal device 10 is connected by a signal line 20.

An upper management system 1 for monitoring, controlling, and managing the status and abnormality of each device in the network is connected to all devices in the network by a control signal 2.

Next, detailed configurations of the first and second terminating devices 3 and 4 and the first to fourth relay devices 5 to 8 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the first and second terminating devices 3 and 4 in the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of first to fourth relay devices 5 to 8. is there.

The first terminating device 3 is a host management system 1
Alternatively, when a control signal 2 or 11 such as a call request is input from the first terminal device 9, generation time information is collected from the time stamp 25, and a time measurement cell is assembled by the time measurement cell generation circuit 23.

Then, the cell copy circuit 22 copies the time measurement cells by the number of physically connected devices, and inserts them into the main signal from the insertion circuit 21.

On the detecting side, the time measuring cell detecting / monitoring circuit 28 detects the time measuring cell from the main signal, monitors the device number and the return signal, and determines that the cell is a normal time measuring cell. , The time measurement circuit 26 measures the data transfer time on an arbitrary path route from the detection information from the time stamp 25 and the generation time information added in the time measurement cell.

At the same time, the path route detecting circuit 27 can know the path route passed from the device number added in the time measuring cell.

When the time stamps 25 of the first terminal device 3 and the second terminal device 4 match, the measurement of the path route by the time measuring cell is performed by the second terminal device 4.
There is no need to fold back, and measurement is performed in one direction. Therefore, the above-described detection and measurement are performed by the second terminal device 4.

In order to prevent the time measuring cell from entering a loop state and increasing the traffic, the first terminal device 3 monitors the device number by the time measuring cell detecting / monitoring circuit 28, and automatically monitors the device number. The time measurement cell to which the device number has already been added is discarded.

When the time stamps 25 of the first terminal device 3 and the second terminal device 4 do not match or when accurate measurement is performed, the measurement of the path route by the time measuring cell is performed by the first terminal device. The device 3 performs generation, detection and measurement of the time measurement cell, and the second terminal device 4 detects and loops the time measurement cell.

At this time, in the second terminating device 4, when the time measuring cell detecting / monitoring circuit 28 detects the time measuring cell from the main signal, the device number / return signal adding circuit 32
The cell copy circuit 22 copies the time measurement cell for the physically connected device, and inserts it into the main signal from the insertion circuit 21 to the relay device.

At this time, in the second terminating device 4, in order to prevent the time measuring cell from entering a loop state and increase traffic, the time measuring cell detecting / monitoring circuit 28 monitors the device number and the return signal. The time measurement cell to which the own device number has already been added is discarded.

In the measurement of the cell for time measurement, the switching of the above-mentioned function in the case of turning back or not in the second terminal device 4 is realized by the switching circuit 24.

When the time measuring cell detecting / monitoring circuit 28 detects the time measuring cell from the main signal, the first to fourth relay devices 5 to 8 add their own device numbers by the device number adding circuit 32. Then, the cell for the time measurement is copied by the cell copy circuit 22 for the physically connected device, and inserted into the main signal from the insertion circuit 21.

At this time, in order to prevent the time measuring cell from entering a loop state and increasing traffic, the time measuring cell detecting / monitoring circuit 28 monitors the device number and the return signal, and the return signal is added. If not, the time measurement cell to which the device number matching the own device number is added is discarded. When the return signal is added, the time measurement cell to which the device number matching the own device number is added twice or more is discarded.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

When constructing an ATM network, a logical path between devices is set. Here, the first terminal device 3
In the case of setting a path from the second terminal device 4 to the second terminating device 4, in a PVC that sets a semi-fixed path like a dedicated line, the path is set by the control signal 2 from the upper management system 1. In SVC such as a connectionless service, a path is set by a call request signal 11 from the first terminal 9. In addition, the measurement method is a one-way measurement when the time stamps 25 of the first terminal device 3 and the second terminal device 4 match, and a second method when the time stamps 25 do not match or when the measurement is performed with high accuracy. The measurement is returned by the terminal device 4.

Here, the case where the time stamps 25 of the first terminal device 3 and the second terminal device 4 match, that is, measurement in one direction will be described.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 in addition to FIG. 1, when the control signal 2 or the call request signal 11 is received by the first terminating device 3, the generation time information is indicated by the time stamp 2
5 and assembled by the time measurement cell generation circuit 23. The time stamp 25 can be realized by a counter.

Then, the cell for the time measurement is copied by the cell copy circuit 22 for the first relay device 5 and the third relay device 7 which are physically connected, and the insertion circuit 2
Insert from 1 into the main signal.

The time measuring cell is sent to the first repeater 5 and the third repeater 7 via the signal line 12 and the signal line 13, respectively.

In the first relay device 5 and the third relay device 7, when the time measurement cell detection / monitoring circuit 28 detects the time measurement cell from the main signal, the device number is monitored.

Here, since the device number corresponding to the own device number is not added, the own device number is added by the device number adding circuit 32, and the cell copy circuit 2 is added.
In the first relay device 5, the second relay device 6 and the fourth relay device 8 are used in the first relay device 5, and the third relay device 7 also uses the second relay device 6 and the fourth relay device 8 Is copied and inserted again from the insertion circuit 21 into the main signal.

When the time measurement cell transmitted from the first relay device 5 via the signal line 14 in the second relay device 6 is detected from the main signal by the time measurement cell detection / monitoring circuit 28, Monitor the device number. Here, since a device number matching the own device number is not added, the own device number is added by the device number adding circuit 32, and the second terminating device 6 and the third
The time measurement cell is copied by the amount of the relay device 7, and is inserted into the main signal again from the insertion circuit 21.

The time measurement cell transmitted from the third relay device 7 to the second relay device 6 via the signal line 16 performs the same processing, and the physically connected first relay device 5
Is sent to the second terminal device 4.

In the fourth relay device 8, the signal line 15
The time measurement cell transmitted from the third relay device 7 via the first relay device 5 via the signal line 17 is processed in the same manner as the second relay device 6, 5 is sent to the second terminal device 4 and the third relay device 7, and the time measurement cell from the third relay device 7 is sent to the second terminal device 4 and the first relay device. It is sent to the device 5.

In the block diagram shown in FIG. 1, when the time measurement cell is transmitted to all the physically connected devices as described above, as shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. There are 16 possible paths.

4 to 11, paths A, B,
At E, F, I, J, M, N, the time measurement cell is received by the second terminating device 4.

In the second terminating device 4, when the time measuring cell is detected from the main signal by the time measuring cell detecting / monitoring circuit 28, the time measuring circuit 26 detects the detected time information from the time stamp 25 and the time. The data transfer time of each path is measured from the generation time information added in the measurement cell. At the same time, the path route detection circuit 2
7, the path route can be known from the device number added in the time measurement cell.

Therefore, the paths A, B, E, F, I, J,
The shortest path route among M and N can be known.

Here, assuming that the data transfer time of the path A (the first terminal device 3 → the first relay device 5 → the second relay device 6 → the second terminal device 4) is the shortest, the upper management system 1 is notified of the information of the path A, and the upper-level management system 1 performs the path setting, whereby the shortest path A can be set.

The fact that the time measurement cell passing through each path can be detected by the second terminating device 4 means that the path route is not in a congested state before actual data is transferred.
It can also be confirmed that the conduction state is good.

The paths C, G,
K and O receive the same time measurement cell again at the relay device that has passed once, and paths D, H, L, and P return the same time measurement to the first terminal device 3 that has generated the time measurement cell again. In this case, when the device number added to the time measuring cell is monitored by the detection / monitoring circuit 28, the device number matching the own device number can be detected. The time measurement cell is discarded. As a result, a loop state of the path can be prevented, and an increase in traffic due to the time measurement cell can be suppressed.

Next, a description will be given of a measuring method in which the second terminal device 4 loops back when the time stamps 25 of the first terminal device 3 and the second terminal device 4 do not match or when accurate measurement is desired.

The generation of the time measurement cell in the first terminal device 3 is the same as the one-way measurement described above, but it is necessary to detect and measure the time measurement cell. First termination device 3
When the time measurement cell detection / monitoring circuit 28 detects the time measurement cell from the main signal, the loopback signal added in the time measurement cell is monitored.

Here, when the return signal is not added, it indicates a time measuring cell that has not passed through the second terminating device 4 and is therefore discarded.

On the other hand, when the return signal is added, the time measurement circuit 26 of the first terminal 3
The data transfer time of each path is measured from the detection time information from the time stamp 25 and the generation time information added in the time measurement cell. At the same time, the path route can be known from the device number added in the time measurement cell by the path route detection circuit 27.

Accordingly, the shortest path can be known, the upper management system 1 is notified of the path information, and the upper management system 1 sets the path so that the shortest path can be set.

In the processing in the second terminating device 4, when the time measuring cell is detected by the detection / monitoring circuit 28 from the main signal, the device number is monitored, similarly to the relay device.

At this time, if the device number indicating the own device number is added to the time measurement cell, the time measurement cell is discarded.

On the other hand, if the own device number is not added in the time measuring cell, the return signal and own device number are added to the time measuring cell by the device number / return signal adding circuit 32. The cell copy of the physically connected device is performed by the cell copy circuit 22, and the cell is copied from the insertion circuit 21 to the main signal again.

The monitoring of the time measuring cells in the first to fourth relay devices 5 to 8 is different from the one-way measurement,
It is necessary to monitor not only the device number but also the return signal.

The conditions for discarding the time measurement cell are also different. If the return signal is not added, the time measurement cell to which the device number matching the own device number is added is discarded.

When the return signal is added, the time measurement cell to which the device number matching the own device number is added twice or more is discarded.

The fact that the first terminating device 3 that has generated the time measuring cell passing through each path can be detected means that the path route is not in a congested state before the actual data is transferred, and the conduction state is good. Can be confirmed.

Further, the generation time and the detection time of the time measuring cell can be compared by the time stamp 25 in the same device, and the data transfer time with high accuracy can be confirmed.

[Embodiment 2] Another embodiment (second embodiment) of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the relay device has a two-stage configuration,
Although there are only 16 types of path settings, as shown in FIG.
In an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a three-stage configuration of the relay device, when setting a path route from the first terminal device 3 to the second terminal device 4, possible path routes are complicated and the number of paths is large. However, the broadcast function of the time measurement cell can automatically cover all path routes in the network.

The operation of this embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, except that when the time stamps 25 (see FIG. 2) of the first terminal device 3 and the second terminal device 4 match, the first A time measurement cell is transmitted from the terminating device 3 of the above, and the data transfer time of the time measuring cell detected by the second terminating device 4 is compared to search for a path route with the shortest data transfer time.
It is possible to set. When the time stamps 25 of the first terminal device 3 and the second terminal device 4 do not match or when it is desired to perform accurate measurement, the time measurement cell transmitted from the first terminal device 3 is used. By looping back at the second terminal device 4 and comparing the data transfer times received by the first terminal device 3 again, it is possible to search for and set the path route with the shortest data transfer time.

The network becomes complicated, and the number of relay devices is n.
Even in the case of a stage, the time measurement cell can automatically cover all the path routes in the network by the broadcast function, so that the path route with the shortest data transfer time can be searched and set. It becomes possible.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, only the path setting between the terminating devices is performed, but the path between the terminating device and the relay device (the first terminating device 3 in FIG. 4th
2 and FIG. 2 also show the terminating device 8, the first relay device 5 and the second terminating device 4) and between the relay devices (the first relay device 5 and the sixth relay device 31 in FIG. 12). This can be achieved by providing each device with the configuration shown in FIG. It should be noted that FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are merely divided for convenience of drawing.

[0078]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) The first effect of the present invention is that the shortest path can be set in an arbitrary path.

The reason is that, in the present invention, the path setting is performed after searching for the shortest path using the time measurement cell.

(2) A second effect of the present invention is that the shortest path can be automatically searched from all possible paths in the network.

The reason is that, in the present invention, the time measurement cell passes through all the devices in the network by the broadcast function of the time measurement cell.

(3) A third effect of the present invention is that a path route between arbitrary devices can be confirmed.

The reason is that, in the present invention, the return signal and the device number of the passing device are added to the payload of the time measuring cell.

(4) A fourth effect of the present invention is that a congestion state and an increase in traffic due to the broadcast function of the time measuring cell can be suppressed.

The reason for this is that, in the present invention, the return information in the payload of the time measurement cell and the device number of the passing device are monitored, and if a loop occurs, the time measurement cell is discarded. Because.

(5) A fifth effect of the present invention is that an optimum path having good performance for the user is provided.

The reason for this is that, in the present invention, path setting independent of resources such as traffic volume and path path length is performed.

(6) A sixth effect of the present invention is that a conduction state and a congestion state are confirmed before operation.

The reason is that, in the present invention, when setting a path, the time measurement cell is actually passed through the same path as the user cell.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of first and second terminating devices 3 and 4 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of first to fourth relay devices 5 to 8 according to the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the operation of the time measuring cell according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 upper management system 2 control signal 3 first terminal device 4 second terminal device 5 first relay device 6 second relay device 7 third relay device 8 fourth relay device 9 first terminal device 10 Second terminal device 11 Signal of second terminal device and first terminal device 12 Signal of first terminal device and first relay device 13 Signal of first terminal device and third relay device 14 First Of the relay device and the third relay device 15 Signal of the first relay device and the fourth relay device 16 Signal of the third relay device and the second relay device 17 Third relay device and the fourth relay Signal of device 18 Signal of second relay device and second terminal device 19 Signal of fourth relay device and second terminal device 20 Signal of second terminal device and second terminal device 21 Cell for time measurement Insertion circuit 22 Time measurement cell copy circuit 23 Time measurement cell generation cycle Reference Signs List 24 Switching circuit for generation function and return function 25 Time stamp circuit 26 Time measurement circuit 27 Path route detection circuit 28 Cell detection / monitoring circuit for time measurement 29 Delay insertion circuit 30 Fifth relay device 31 Sixth relay device 32 Device number・ Return signal addition circuit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An ATM (Asynchronous Tr)
and a means for generating a time measurement cell according to a control signal from a higher-level management system or a call setting request signal from a terminal device, and a means for detecting the time measurement cell. A path setting method characterized by searching for and setting a shortest path route from a time measurement result. Means for transmitting a time measuring cell to all physically connected devices by a broadcast function when the time measuring cell is generated or detected. The path setting method according to claim 1, wherein 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for adding a device number of a device and a return signal to the time measuring cell when the time measuring cell passes.
Path setting method described. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising means for monitoring a device number and a return signal added to said time measurement cell, and for discarding the received time measurement cell based on said monitoring result. Path setting method. 5. An ATM (Asynchronous Tr).
In the case of setting a path from a first terminal device connected to a first terminal device to a second terminal device connected to a second terminal device via a plurality of relay devices in an answer mode network, A relay device for generating a time measurement cell in the first terminal device according to a control signal from a system or a call setting request signal from a terminal device, copying the generated time measurement cell, and connecting by a broadcast function In the relay device, upon receiving the time measurement cell, monitor the device number, if a device number that matches the own device number is added, discard the time measurement cell, If not added, add own device number,
Transmitted to the device connected by the broadcast function, the relay device that has received the time measurement cell performs the same processing as above,
In this way, the time measurement cell arriving at the second terminal device is detected, and the data transfer time to the terminal device is obtained from the generation time information and the detection time information added to the time measurement cell, The path route information is obtained from the device number of the passed device added in the time measurement cell, and a plurality of time measurement cells covering all the path routes in the network by the broadcast function of the terminal device and the relay device. A data transfer time of the first terminal device and a shortest path from the first terminal device to the second terminal device.