Method and apparatus for communications of frame relay data

Abstract

The present invention intends to realize highly reliable communications between a frame relay network and an ATM network by corresponding service classes decided in both networks to each other. In order to achieve the above object, the frame relay data communication apparatus of the present invention used to allow communications between the frame relay network and the ATM network is provided with a frame receiver unit for receiving frame data from the frame relay network; a cell assembly unit for assembling received frame data into ATM cells and transmitting assembled cells to the ATM network; and a controller for controlling both frame receiver unit and cell assembly unit so as to extract priority order information from received frame data and receive priority order information of data used in ATM networks from an ATM network and decide a service class of the received data to assemble the received frame data into cells according to the decided service class.

What is claimed is:  
     
         19 . A communication apparatus for connecting first network to second network that uses a data communication method different from that of said first network, comprising: 
 a data receiver unit for receiving first data transmitted from said first network;    a data converter for converting said first data to second data and transmitting converted data to said second network;    a controller for controlling said data receiver unit and said data converter so that first priority order information is extracted from said received first data, as will as second priority order information is received from said second communication network, thereby to decide a service class for said first data according to said first and second priority order information and discard said received first data according to said decided service class.    
     
     
         20 . A frame relay data communication apparatus for connecting a frame relay network to an ATM network, comprising: 
 a frame receiver unit for receiving frame data transmitted from a frame relay network;    a cell assembly unit for assembling said received frame data into ATM cells and transmitting assembled cells to said ATM network; and    a controller for controlling said frame receiver unit and said cell assembly unit so as to extract priority order information from received frame data and receiver priority order information of data used in ATM networks form an ATM network, decide a service class of the received data, and discard said received frame data according to the decided service class.    
     
     
         21 . A method for communications by connecting first communication network to second communication network, each of which uses a different data communication method from the other, comprising steps of: 
 receiving priority order information of data used in said second communication network from said second communication network;    extracting priority information of first data used in said first network when receiving said first data from said first communication network and deciding a service class of said first data according to priority order information used in said second communication network and priority order information extracted form said first data, and    discarding received first data according to said service class.    
     
     
         22 . A frame relay data communication method for assembling frame data received from a frame relay network to ATM cells and disassembling cells received from an ATM network to frame data, comprising steps of: 
 receiving priority order information of data used in ATM networks from an ATM network;    extracting priority order information of received frame data upon receiving said frame data from a frame relay network so as to decide a service class of said received frame data according to priority order information of said ATM network and priority order information said received frame data; and    discarding said received frame data according to said decided service class.    
     
     
         23 . A frame relay data communication method according to  claim 22 , wherein received frame data of law service classes are discarded when a congest occurs with frame data received from said frame relay network.  
     
     
         24 . A frame relay data communication method according to  claim 23 , wherein received frame data of low service classes is discarded for a fixed time if a detected congestion count reaches a predetermined value.  
     
     
         25 . A frame relay data communication method according to  claim 23 , wherein priority order information of data used in ATM networks is asked for and object ATM network if a frame data congestion is detected and frames of law service classes is discarded according to said priority order information received from said ATM network.