Transferring control and signalling data between protocol stack layers by inserting it into Destination Options Headers of IPv6 packets

摘要

Communicating a message between a first layer (202) of a protocol stack (300) and a second layer (204) of the protocol stack (300). An IPv6 packet is either formed or intercepted at the first layer (202) of the protocol stack (300) by virtual channel logic (206) and a Destination Options Header is inserted into the packet containing signalling and/or control data constituting the message. The altered or newly created packet is then inserted into the first layer (202) of the protocol stack (300) and passed to the second layer (204) of the protocol stack (300). The second layer (204) of the protocol stack (300) identifies the Destination Options Header as destined for the second layer (204) and the message is extracted and used in addition to normal processing of the packet by the second layer (204) of the protocol stack (300). The same procedure can be used for interlayer/intrastack communication in both directions.