PACKET COMMUNICATION DEVICE, PACKET COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, AND PACKET COMMUNICATION METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a packet communication device that secures sequentiality of a packet group while reducing a system load even when path switching is caused. SOLUTION: The packet communication device includes: a switching packet generation unit 3 which generates a final switching packet indicative of the end of transmission of a final packet transmitted using a switching source path 2A and a leading switching packet indicative of the start of transmission of an leading packet transmitted using a switching destination path 2B; a plurality of transmission units 4 which are provided correspondingly to a plurality of paths 2 including the switching source path 2A and switching destination path 2B, respectively and transmits packets to be transmitted to the paths 2 sequentially; and a control unit 5 which performs control to output the final switching packet after outputting the final packet to a transmission unit 4 corresponding to the switching source path 2A in response to a path switching instruction, and to output the leading switching packet before outputting the leading packet to a transmission unit 4 corresponding to the switching destination path 2B. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT