Method of translating protecol at translator, method of providing protocol translation information at translation server, and address translation server

• US 20020154624A1
• Filed: 08/14/2001
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Inouchi, Hidenori, Oishi, Takumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/350
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/251 between different IP versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2535 Multiple local networks, e.g. resolving potential IP address conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2571 for identification, e.g. for authentication or billing charging arrangements H04L12/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 Caching of addresses or names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/167 Adaptation for transition between two IP versions, e.g. between IPv4 and IPv6 translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses H04L61/2503
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6

Abstract

A translator is connected to a first network for transferring data in a first protocol, to a second network for transferring data in a second protocol, and to a translation server to which other translators are connected, for retaining translation information for a protocol translation between the first protocol and the second protocol. The translator generates a second address in the first protocol corresponding to a first address in the second protocol provided to a terminal accommodated in the second network. It retains a correspondence between the first address and the second address as the translation information and registers the correspondence at the translation server.

Claims

1. A method of translating protocols at a translator connected to a first network for transferring data in a first protocol, to a second network for transferring data in a second protocol, and to a translation server to which other translators are connected, said translator retaining translation information for a protocol translation between said first protocol and said second protocol, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting an address query of a terminal accommodated in said second network, from a first mobile terminal accommodated in said first network;

generating a second address in said first protocol corresponding to a first address in said second protocol provided to said terminal;

retaining a correspondence between said first address and said second address as said translation information; and

registering the correspondence between said first address and said second address at said translation server.

2. A method of translating protocols according to claim 1, upon receiving a packet having said second address as a destination IP address from said second mobile terminal at the address in said first protocol in which a source IP address is provided to said second terminal as a result of a movement of said second mobile terminal which has been communicating with said terminal via said other translators, further comprising the steps of:

inquiring of said translation server about address information of said terminal;

receiving the correspondence between said first address and said second address registered by said other translators from said server;

rewriting said destination IP address to said first address; and

transmitting said rewritten packet to said terminal.

3. A method of translating protocols according to claim 2,

wherein said source IP address is rewritten to the address in said second protocol provided to said translator.

4. A method of providing protocol translation information at a translation server connected to a plurality of translators each performing a translation between a first protocol and a second protocol, comprising the steps of:

receiving protocol translation information retained in each of said plurality of translators therefrom;

retaining the protocol translation information; and

searching the retained protocol translation information and transmitting the corresponding protocol translation information to the translator when receiving a query of protocol translation information from one of said plurality of translators.

5. A method of providing protocol translation information according to claim 4, wherein said protocol translation information is a correspondence between the address in said first protocol provided to the terminal and the address in said second protocol generated in each translator corresponding to it.

6. An address translation server connected to a first network for transferring data in a first protocol, comprising a name of a terminal accommodated in a second network for transferring data in said first protocol, an address in said second protocol corresponding to said name, and a table containing a correspondence between said address and an address in said first protocol generated correspondingly to said address.

7. An address translation server according to claim 6, wherein the address in said first protocol is transmitted to said terminal upon receiving an address query for said name from the terminal accommodated in said first network.