Relay method, relay device, communication system, and computer program

Abstract

The present invention enables accurate simulation of the state of communication over a communication network in which a communication channel of different communication characteristic is set for each protocol and session, such as a VoIP network built in a multi-vendor environment, and evaluation of communication quality of communications between IP phones, etc. over a supposed communication network. A relay device for relaying packet communications between a plurality of communication devices is used, and the relay device sets a virtual processing unit as an initial process so that it corresponds to the packet transmission direction and/or attribute, based on the contents of a received packet specified by a control protocol, and relays communications of packets after the initial process, based on the packet loss rate and delay time distribution indicated by communication state information associated with the processing unit.

1 . A relay method for transmitting a packet received from one communication device to other communication device, said relay method comprising:
 deriving a transmission time of a received packet based on prerecorded communication state information indicating a communication state, by a virtual processing unit corresponding to a packet transmission direction and/or attribute; and   transmitting the packet based on the derived time, by the virtual processing unit,   the communication state information containing information indicating a delay time distribution, and   wherein said virtual processing unit accumulates a packet based on a delay time contained in the communication state information.   
     
     
         2 . A relay device for transmitting a packet received from one communication device to other communication device, comprising
 a processing unit corresponding to a packet transmission direction and/or attribute, for deriving a transmission time of a packet based on prerecorded communication state information indicating a communication state, and transmitting the packet based on the derived time,   the communication state information containing information indicating a delay time distribution, and   wherein said processing unit accumulates a packet based on a delay time contained in the communication state information.   
     
     
         3 . A relay device for transmitting a packet received from one communication device to other communication device, comprising
 a controller setting a virtual processing unit corresponding to a packet transmission direction, said virtual processing unit deriving a transmission time of a packet based on prerecorded communication state information indicating a communication state, and transmitting the packet based on the derived time,   the communication state information containing information indicating a delay time distribution, and   wherein said virtual processing unit accumulates a packet based on a delay time contained in the communication state information.   
     
     
         4 . A relay device for transmitting a packet received from one communication device to other communication device, comprising
 a first setting unit which sets a virtual processing unit corresponding to a packet transmission direction,   said virtual processing unit deriving a transmission time of a packet based on prerecorded communication state information indicating a communication state and transmits the packet based on the derived time, the communication state information containing information indicating a delay time distribution, and   wherein said virtual processing unit comprises:   an accumulating unit which accumulates a packet based on a delay time contained in the communication state information.   
     
     
         5 . A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute an operation, comprising:
 communicating with a plurality of devices to transmit a packet received from one device to other device;   setting a virtual processing unit, which derives a transmission time of a packet based on prerecorded communication state information indicating a communication state and a delay time distribution, and transmits the packet based on the derived time, in association with a packet transmission direction and/or attribute, and   an accumulating a packet based on a delay time contained in the communication state information.