Relay node, control method of relay node and network system

A control method of a first relay node located in a network that includes two terminals, each being provided to transmit data by data stream service using a sequence number, and the first relay node and a second relay node arranged in series on a communication path between the two terminals and provided to relay data between the two terminals,

• the control method comprising the steps of:
• (a) forwarding received data;
• and
• (b) detecting occurrence of a failure in the second relay node, wherein
• the step (a) includes:
• the steps of:
• (a1) attaching a flag denoting transmission of data between the first relay node and the second relay node, to data to be forwarded to the second relay node;
• (a2) adding a protocol specific number to a sequence number attached to data that is to be sent from one of the terminals as a source terminal when the data is sent to a remote terminal;
• and
• (a3) subtracting the protocol specific number from an acknowledgement number attached to data received from the remote terminal, when the data is received from the remote terminal, wherein
• the step (b) includes the step of detecting the occurrence of a failure in the second relay node, based on at least one of the flag and the acknowledgement number.

A network system, comprising:

• two terminals, each being provided to transmit data by data stream service using a sequence number;
• and
• a first relay node and a second relay node arranged in series on a communication path between the two terminals and provided to relay data between the two terminals, wherein
• each of the first relay node and the second relay node includes:
• a forwarding controller configured to forward received data;
• and
• a fault detector configured to detect occurrence of a failure in a remote other relay node, wherein
• the forwarding controller includes:
• a forwarding unit configured to forward the received data;
• and
• a modifier configured to modify the received data for detection of the occurrence of a failure in the other relay node, the modifier including (i) a flag option marker configured to attach a flag denoting transmission of data between the first relay node and the second relay node, to data to be forwarded to the other relay node;
• (ii) a sequence adding unit configured to add a protocol specific number to a sequence number attached to data that is to be sent from one of the terminals as a source terminal when the data is sent to a remote terminal;
• and (iii) a sequence subtracting unit configured to subtract the protocol specific number from an acknowledgement number attached to data received from the remote terminal, when the data is received from the remote terminal, wherein
• the fault detector detects the occurrence of a failure in the second relay node, based on at least one of the flag and the acknowledgement number.