Ring network and network relay device

1. A ring network comprising:

plural network relay devices connected in a ring shape,

wherein the plural network relay devices comprise a first network relay device and a second network relay device, the first network relay device comprises a first control port, the second network relay device comprises a second control port;

wherein the first control port and the second control port to be transitioned into either a forwarding state that permits relaying information, or a blocking state that prohibits relaying information; and

wherein the first network relay device comprises a first ring protocol control unit for transmitting a first connection confirmation information generated by the first network relay device indicative of communications being possible between the first control port and the second control port from the first control port to the second control port at a first predetermined time interval, and

wherein the second network relay device comprises a second ring protocol control unit for transmitting a second connection confirmation information generated by the second network relay device from the second control port to the first control port at a second predetermined time interval, and

wherein, in an event that the first control port does not receive the second connection confirmation information, the first ring protocol control unit transmits a first failure information indicative of communications being not possible between the first control port and the second control port, from the first control port to the second control port, and,

wherein, in an event that the second control port does not receive the first connection confirmation information, the second ring protocol control unit transmits a second failure information from the second control port to the first control port,

wherein the first ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port into the blocking state when the first control port receives the second failure information, and into the forwarding state when the first control port transmits the first failure information, and

wherein the second ring protocol control unit transitions the second control port into the blocking state when the second control port receives the first failure information, and into the forwarding state when the second control port transmits the second failure information;

wherein after a first predetermined period of time passing from a point of transmitting the first failure information from the first control port, the first ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port, from which the first failure information has been transmitted, into the forwarding state, and wherein after a second period of time shorter than the first predetermined period of time passing from a point of receiving the first failure information in the second control port, the second ring protocol control unit transitions the second control port, in which the first failure information has been received, into the blocking state;

wherein said transmitting the first failure information from the first control port to the second control port and the second failure information from the second control port to the first control port includes, transmitting the first failure information and the second failure information via at least one another network relay device.

2. The ring network according to claim 1 , wherein the first network relay device further comprises a first frame generation unit for generating the first connection confirmation information or the first failure information to be transmitted by the first control port

wherein during the first or the second control port receiving the second connection confirmation information or the second failure information, the first ring protocol control unit causes the first frame generation unit to generate the first connection confirmation information, and transmit the first connection confirmation information from the first control port,

wherein, when the first control port does not receive the second connection confirmation information and the second failure information, the first ring protocol control unit causes the first frame generation unit to generate the first failure information, and transmits the first failure information from the first control port, and

wherein the second network relay device further comprises a second frame generation unit for generating the second connection confirmation information or the second failure information to be transmitted by the second control port,

wherein during the second control port receiving the first connection confirmation information or the first failure information, the second ring protocol control unit causes the second frame generation unit to generate the second connection confirmation information, and transmits the second connection confirmation information from the second control port, and

wherein, when the second control port does not receive the first connection confirmation information and the first failure information, the second ring protocol control unit causes the second frame generation unit to generate the second failure information, and transmits the second failure information from the second control port.

3. The ring network according to claim 2 , wherein the first network relay device further comprises a first port control unit for transitioning the first control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state, wherein the first ring protocol control unit controls the first port control unit to transition the first control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state, and

wherein the second network relay device further comprises a second port control unit for transitioning the second control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state, wherein the second ring protocol control unit controls the second port control unit to transition the second control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state.

4. A network relay device to be used in a ring network, said network relay device comprising:

plurality of physical sports;

a first control port and a second control port to be transitioned into either a forwarding state that permits relaying information, or a blocking state that prohibits relaying information; and

a ring protocol control unit for transmitting a first connection confirmation information generated by the network relay device and indicative of communications being possible between the first control port and the second control port from the first control port to the second control port at a first predetermined time interval, and transmitting a second connection confirmation information from the second control port to the first control port at a second predetermined time interval, and for, in an event that the first control port does not receive the second connection confirmation information from the another second control port, transmitting a first failure information indicative of communications being not possible from the first control port to the second control port, and, in an event that the second control port does not receive the first connection confirmation information from the first control port, transmitting a second failure information from the second control port to the first control port,

wherein the ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port into the blocking state when the first control port receives the second failure information, and into the forwarding state when the first control port transmits the first failure information, and

wherein the ring protocol control unit transitions the second control port into the blocking state when the second control port receives the first failure information, and into the forwarding state when the second control port transmits the second failure information;

wherein after a first predetermined period of time passing from a point of transmitting the first failure information from the first control port, the ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port, from which the first failure information has been transmitted, into the forwarding state, and wherein after a second period of time shorter than the first predetermined period of time passing from a point of receiving the first failure information in the second control port, the ring protocol control unit transitions the second control port, in which the first failure information has been received, into the blocking state;

wherein said transmitting the first failure information from the first control port to the second control port and said transmitting the second failure information from the second control port to the first control port includes, transmitting the first failure information and the second failure information via at least one another network relay device.

5. A network relay device to be used in a ring network, said network relay device comprising:

plurality of physical ports;

a first control port to be transitioned into either a forwarding state that permits relaying information, or a blocking state that prohibits relaying information; and

a ring protocol control unit for transmitting a first connection confirmation information generated by the network relay device and indicative of communications being possible between the first control port and a second control port of another network relay device from the first control port to the second control port at a first predetermined time interval, and for, in an event that the first control port does not receive a second connection confirmation information, which is generated by the another network relay device and transmitted from the second control port to the first control port at a second predetermined time interval, transmitting a first failure information generated by the network relay device and indicative of communications being not possible from the first control port to the second control port,

wherein the ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port into the blocking state when the first control port receives a second failure information, which is generated by the another network relay device and transmitted from the second control port to the first control port when the second control port does not receive the first connection confirmation information, and into the forwarding state when the first control port transmits the first failure information, and

wherein after a first period of time passing from a point of transmitting the first failure information from the first control port, the ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port, from which the first failure information has been transmitted, into the forwarding state, and

wherein after a second period of time shorter than the first period of time passing from a point of receiving the second failure information from the second control port in the first control port, the ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port, in which the second failure information has been received, into the blocking state;

wherein said transmitting the first failure information from the first control port to the second control port and the second failure information from the second control port to the first control port includes, transmitting the first failure information and the second failure information via at least one external network relay device.

6. A ring network comprising:

plural network relay devices connected in a ring shape,

wherein the plural network relay devices comprise a first network relay device, the first network relay device comprises a first control port and a second control port:

wherein the first control port and the second control port to be transitioned into either a forwarding state that permits relaying information, or a blocking state that prohibits relaying information; and

wherein the first network relay device comprises a ring protocol control unit for transmitting a first connection confirmation information generated by the first network relay device indicative of communications being possible between the first control port and the second control port from the first control port to the second control port at a first predetermined time interval, and for transmitting a second connection confirmation information generated by the first network relay device from the second control port to the first control port at a second predetermined time interval, and

wherein, in the event that the first control port does not receive the second connection confirmation information, the ring protocol control unit transmits a first failure information indicative of communications being not possible between the first control port and the second control port, from the first control port to the second control port, and

wherein, in the event that the second control port does not receive the first connection confirmation information, the ring protocol control unit transmits a second failure information from the second control port to the first control port, and

wherein the ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port into the blocking state when the first control port receives the second failure information, and into the forwarding state when the first control port transmits the first failure information, and

wherein the ring protocol control unit transitions the second control port into the blocking state when the second control port receives the first failure information, and into the forwarding state when the second control port transmits the second failure information;

wherein after a first predetermined period of time passing from a point of transmitting the first failure information from the first control port, the ring protocol control unit transitions the first control port, from which the first failure information has been transmitted, into the forwarding state, and wherein after a second period of time shorter than the first predetermined period of time passing from a point of receiving the first failure information in the second control port, the ring protocol control unit transitions the second control port, in which the first failure information has been received, into the blocking state;

wherein said transmitting the first failure information from the first control port to the second control port and the second failure information from the second control port to the first control port includes, transmitting the first failure information and the second failure information via at least one another network relay device.

7. The ring network according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first network relay device further comprises a frame generation unit for generating the first connection confirmation information or the first failure information to be transmitted by the first control port, and for generating the second connection confirmation information or the second failure information to be transmitted by the second control port,

wherein during the first control port receiving the second connection confirmation information or the second failure information, the ring protocol control unit causes the frame generation unit to generate the first connection confirmation information, and transmits the first connection confirmation information from the first control port, and

wherein, when the first control port does not receive the second connection confirmation information and the second failure information, the ring protocol control unit causes the frame generation unit to generate the first failure information, and transmits the first failure information from the first control port, and

wherein during the second control port receiving the first connection confirmation information or the first failure information, the ring protocol control unit causes the frame generation unit to generate the second connection confirmation information, and transmits the second connection confirmation information from the second control port, and

wherein, when the second control port does not receive the first connection confirmation information and the first failure information, the ring protocol control unit causes the frame generation unit to generate the second failure information, and transmits the second failure information from the second control port.

8. The ring network according to claim 7 ,

wherein the first network relay device further comprises a port control unit for transitioning the first control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state, wherein the ring protocol control unit controls the port control unit to transition the first control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state, and for transitioning the second control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state, wherein the ring protocol control unit controls the port control unit to transition the second control port into either the forwarding state or the blocking state.