System and method for assigning labels in a data transmission network using label switching

摘要

System and method for assigning labels in a data transmission network (10) in which flows of data composed of packets (16) are transmitted from a source node to a destination node through a plurality of switching nodes and of the type wherein an identification label (18) identifying each flow of data is added by a transmitting node (12) to each packet of the flow of data before the packet is transmitted from the transmitting node to a receiving node (14) adjacent to the transmitting node, the identification label being recognized by the receiving node for the identification of the flow of data. Each switching node comprises identical label assignment means (20 or 22) for generating an identification label each time a new flow of data is received by the node, the label assignment means of the transmitting node and of the receiving node both generating an identical label when they both receive the flow of data, thereby avoiding the transmitting node (or the receiving node) from having to send the identification label to the receiving node (or the transmitting node) in order to be recognized by the receiving node when receiving the packets of said flow of data. <IMAGE>