FLOW CONTROLLER FOR MULTI-PROTOCOL NETWORK

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flow controller that prevents communication of other protocol from being affected by communication of a protocol. SOLUTION: The flow controller that optimizes a flow of packets sent to a channel according to fluctuations in a communication state of the channel, is provided with a table 21 that monitors a communication quantity and stores a setting value to optimize the flow, a communication quantity monitor discrimination control function 23 that calculates a maximum band occupancy rate for the flow control on the basis of the setting value of the table 21 and the communication quantity obtained through the monitor, and a switching function 24 that uses the maximum band occupancy rate calculated by this function 23 to discriminate whether or not the packet can be sent to a WAN. When the flow controller predicts that transmission of a packet with a protocol exceeds the maximum band occupancy rate of the protocol, the data packet with the protocol is aborted so as to avoid the communication of other protocol from being affected.