Communication apparatus and communication method

A communication method for communicating with a communication apparatus connected via a network including three or more paths, the method comprising:

• measuring a network state for each of the three or more paths,
• wherein the network state includes a delay between the communication apparatus and a different communication apparatus, reliability, a delay variation between the communication apparatus and the different communication apparatus, and a transfer cost between the communication apparatus and the different communication apparatus;
• calculating an evaluation value based on a result of measuring the network state for each of the three or more paths;
• selecting at least two paths to be used for communication from among the three or more paths based on the calculated evaluation value;
• generating a packet for transmission through duplication of an input packet;
• and
• transmitting the generated packet to the communication apparatus via the selected paths.

A network system comprising:

• a first communication apparatus;
• a second communication apparatus;
• and
• a network that includes three or more paths for connecting the first communication apparatus and the second communication apparatus,
• wherein the first communication apparatus includes a first processing circuitry configured to
• measure a network state for each of the three or more paths,
• wherein the network state includes a delay between the communication apparatus and a different communication apparatus, reliability, a delay variation between the communication apparatus and the different communication apparatus, and a transfer cost between the communication apparatus and the different communication apparatus,
• calculate an evaluation value based on a result of measuring the network state for each of the three or more paths,
• select at least two paths to be used for communication from among the three or more paths based on the calculated evaluation value,
• generate a packet for transmission through duplication of an input packet, and
• transmit the generated packet to the second communication apparatus through the selected paths, and
• the second communication apparatus includes a second processing circuitry configured to
• receive the packet from the selected paths,
• perform selection processing on the received packet, and
• output data obtained through the selection processing.

A communication apparatus that is able to be connected to a different communication apparatus via a network including three or more paths, the communication apparatus comprising:

• a processing circuitry configured to
• measure a network state for each of the three or more paths,
• calculate an evaluation value based on a result of measuring the network state for each of the three or more paths,
• select at least two paths to be used for communication from among the three or more paths based on the calculated evaluation value,
• generate a packet for transmission through duplication of an input packet, and
• transmit the generated packet to the different communication apparatus through the selected paths,
• wherein the selection of the at least two paths to be used for the communication includes:
• selecting two paths from among paths with the calculated evaluation values exceeding a threshold value in a case in which the number of the calculated evaluation values exceeding the threshold value is two or more, and
• selecting N paths from among the three or more paths in a case in which the number of the calculated evaluation values exceeding the threshold value is less than two, and
• N is an integer that is equal to or greater than three.