| 摘要 |
<p>A network comprises a plurality of devices (12) interconnected by a plurality of switching nodes (11). At least one source device generates device packets (20) to be transferred to destination devices. The switching nodes establish respective virtual circuits for transferring virtual circuit packets (30) from at least one originating node to terminating switching nodes. The originating switching node (11-1) receives each device packet from the source device (12-1), generates a respective virtual circuit packet, each virtual circuit packet including a virtual circuit identifier (32), and transfers the virtual circuit packet over the virtual circuit. Successive switching nodes (11-3), as intermediate switching node, receive the virtual circuit packets and use the virtual circuit identifier for routing for the virtual circuit packet. Each terminating switching node (12-5), upon receipt of the virtual circuit packet, extracts the device packet and, using the address identifying the destination device, transfers the device packet to the identified destination device (12-5).</p> |
