Remote access to local network

• US 10,142,294 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tinnakornsrisuphap, Peerapol, Palanigounder, Anand, Jayaram, Ranjith, Dondeti, Lakshminath Reddy, Wang, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Shepperd, Eric W
• Application Number:
  US15/140,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20160241516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Multiple protocol tunnels (e.g., IPsec tunnels) are deployed to enable an access terminal that is connected to a network to access a local network associated with a femto access point. A first protocol tunnel is established between a security gateway and the femto access point. A second protocol tunnel is then established in either of two ways. In some implementations the second protocol tunnel is established between the access terminal and the security gateway. In other implementations the second protocol tunnel is established between the access terminal and the femto access point, whereby a portion of the tunnel is routed through the first tunnel.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

identifying, at an access terminal, an access point on a local network to be accessed by the access terminal;

sending a first message from the access terminal to a first security gateway to determine whether the first security gateway has established a first protocol tunnel to the access point;

receiving, at the access terminal, a response to the first message from the first security gateway, wherein the response indicates whether the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point; and

establishing, by the access terminal, a second protocol tunnel between the access terminal and the first security gateway to enable the access terminal to remotely access the local network if the response indicates that the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the response indicates that the security gateway has not established the first protocol tunnel to the access point, the method further comprises sending a second message from the access terminal to a second security gateway to determine whether the second security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending, by the access terminal, a domain name system query to determine at least one security gateway address; and

receiving, by the access terminal, a plurality of security gateway addresses in response to the query, wherein the security gateway addresses are used to send the first message to the first security gateway and to send the second message to the second security gateway.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response comprises a redirection to a second security gateway.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining, at the access terminal, an address of the first security gateway for future remote accesses of the local network if the response indicates that the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol tunnel and the second protocol tunnel comprise IPsec tunnels.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point comprises a femto access point.

8. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a mobility controller configured to identify an access point on a local network to be accessed by an access terminal;

a communication controller configured to send a first message from the access terminal to a first security gateway to determine whether the first security gateway has established a first protocol tunnel to the access point, and further configured to receive a response to the first message from the first security gateway, wherein the response indicates whether the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point; and

a tunnel controller configured to establish a second protocol tunnel between the access terminal and the first security gateway to enable the access terminal to remotely access the local network if the response indicates that the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the communication controller is further configured to:

send a domain name system query to determine at least one security gateway address; and

receive a plurality of security gateway addresses in response to the query, wherein the security gateway addresses are used to send the message to the first security gateway.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the response comprises a redirection to a second security gateway.

11. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for identifying an access point on a local network to be accessed by an access terminal;

means for sending a first message from the access terminal to a first security gateway to determine whether the first security gateway has established a first protocol tunnel to the access point;

means for receiving a response to the first message from the first security gateway, wherein the response indicates whether the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point; and

means for establishing a second protocol tunnel between the access terminal and the first security gateway to enable the access terminal to remotely access the local network if the response indicates that the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for sending a domain name system query to determine at least one security gateway address; and

means for receiving a plurality of security gateway addresses in response to the query, wherein the security gateway addresses are used to send the message to the first security gateway.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the response comprises a redirection to a second security gateway.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for causing a computer to:

identify an access point on a local network to be accessed by an access terminal;

send a first message from the access terminal to a first security gateway to determine whether the first security gateway has established a first protocol tunnel to the access point;

receive a response to the first message from the first security gateway, wherein the response indicates whether the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point; and

establish a second protocol tunnel between the access terminal and the first security gateway to enable the access terminal to remotely access the local network if the response indicates that the first security gateway has established the first protocol tunnel to the access point.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to:

send a domain name system query to determine at least one security gateway address; and

receive a plurality of security gateway addresses in response to the query, wherein the security gateway addresses are used to send the message to the first security gateway.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the response comprises a redirection to a second security gateway.