Header conversion technique

Abstract

A header conversion device allowing reduced amount of hardware and memory and high-speed line switching is disclosed. In an ATM switching device having redundant incoming line systems, a header conversion table stores a set of header conversion information for one of the redundant incoming line systems. A header converter converts the header of an ATM cell received from each of the redundant incoming line systems by referring the same set of header conversion information.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A device comprising:
 a first converter to:
 convert first information, associated with a first interface, to second information associated with a second interface, 
 the second information being different than the first information; and 
   a second converter to:
 obtain output information corresponding to the second information for a packet associated with the first interface, 
 the output information corresponding to the second information being obtained based on the first information being converted to the second information, and 
 convert, using the obtained output information, a header of the packet. 
   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , where the first converter is to convert the first information to the second information based on a failure of the second interface. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , where the second converter is further to transmit a request for output information corresponding to the first information for the packet associated with the first interface, the request including the first information, and
 where the output information corresponding to the second information is obtained based on the request.   
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , where the first interface is associated with a reserved line, and
 where the second interface is associated with a working line.   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising a memory to store:
 first header conversion information associated with the first interface; and   second header conversion information associated with the second interface, the second header conversion information including the output information corresponding to the second information.   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 18 , where the first converter is further to:
 convert the first information to third information associated with a third interface,   the third information being different than the first information, and where the second converter is further to:   obtain output information corresponding to the third information for another packet that is associated with the first interface,   the output information corresponding to the third information being obtained based on the first information being converted to the third information, and   convert, using the obtained output information corresponding to the third information, a header of the other packet.   
     
     
         24 . A system comprising:
 a device to:
 store output information corresponding to a first interface; 
 convert a header of a first packet using the output information when no failure of the first interface is detected, 
 the first packet being associated with the first interface; 
 convert a header of a second packet using the output information when a failure of the first interface is detected, 
 the second packet being associated with a second interface, 
 the second interface being different than the first interface; and 
 transmit at least one of:
 the first packet after converting the header of the first packet, or 
 the second packet after converting the header of the second packet. 
 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , where the device is further to:
 detect that the first interface is experiencing the failure.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , where the device is further to:
 store output information corresponding to a third interface that is different than the first interface and the second interface;   obtain, based on a failure of the third interface, the output information corresponding to the third interface for a third packet that is associated with the second interface; and   convert, using the obtained output information corresponding to the third interface, a header of the third packet.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , where the device is further to:
 convert first information, associated with the second interface, to second information associated with the third interface based on the failure of the third interface; and   obtain the output information corresponding to the third interface based on the first information being converted to the second information.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 , where the device is further to:
 obtain the output information corresponding to the first interface for the second packet based on the failure of the first interface.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , where the device is further to:
 convert information identifying the second interface to information identifying the first interface based on the failure of the first interface; and   obtain the output information corresponding to the first interface based on the information identifying the second interface being converted to the information identifying the first interface.   
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 detecting, by a device, a failure of a first interface;   obtaining, by the device, output information for a packet associated with a second interface,   the second interface being different than the first interface,   the output information corresponding to the first interface,   the output information being obtained based on detecting the failure of the first interface; and   converting, by the device, a header of the packet using the obtained output information based on detecting the failure of the first interface.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 transmitting the packet after converting the header of the packet.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , where the first interface corresponds to a working interface, and
 where the second interface corresponds to a reserved interface.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 storing output information corresponding to a third interface that is different than the first interface and the second interface;   obtaining, based on a failure of the third interface, the stored output information corresponding to the third interface for another packet that is associated with the third interface; and   converting, using the obtained output information corresponding to the third interface, a header of the other packet.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 converting, based on the failure of the third interface, first information, associated with the second interface, to second information that is associated with the third interface; and   obtaining the output information corresponding to the third interface based on the first information being converted to the second information.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 detecting the failure of the third interface; and   converting the first information to the second information based on detecting the failure of the third interface.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , where the third interface corresponds to a working interface, and
 where the second interface corresponds to a reserved interface.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 converting first information identifying the second interface to second information identifying the first interface based on detecting the failure of the first interface; and   obtaining the output information corresponding to the first interface based on the first information being converted to the second information.