Disabling header compression over point-to-point protocol (PPP)

• US 20030026255A1
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Poeluev, Yuri, Mercer, Ronald G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• 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 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

A method and system for manipulating packet header compression parameters, by substituting at least one instruction set associated with a PPP negotiation packet at the PPP layer of a protocol stack, the at least one instruction set for use in establishing a communication protocol and channel between a pair of correspondents. The method includes the steps of a software module coupled to a first correspondent examining all PPP negotiation packets from a second correspondent; the software module determining whether a first instruction set is present in the PPP negotiation packet; the software module discarding said first instruction set and replacing the first instruction set with a second instruction set; and at the second correspondent receiving the second instruction set associated with a communication protocol information.

Claims

1. A method for manipulating at least one packet header compression parameter included in a negotiation packet, said method including the steps of:

substituting at least one instruction set associated with sad at least one parameter at a layer of a protocol stack, said at least one instruction set for use in establishing a communication channel between a pair of correspondents,

said method of substituting said at least one instruction set Her including the steps of;

a software module at said layer of a responding correspondent intercepting and examining at least one negotiation packet from an initiating correspondent;

said software module determining whether a first instruction set is is present in the negotiation packet;

said software module substituting said first instruction set with a second instruction set; and

at said initiating correspondent receiving said second instruction set and transmitting subsequent packets to said responding correspondent in accordance with said second instruction set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one instruction set for use in establishing a communication channel between said correspondents includes a compression request for header compression.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one instruction set is used for establishing a communication channel between said correspondents includes a compression reject for header compression.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said least one packet header compression parameter is associated with at least one compression type option for header compression.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said header compression is implemented by a Van Jacobson compression algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said negotiation packets are intercepted before reaching said layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said layer of said protocol stack is a point-to-point protocol (PPP) layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one negotiation packet is a point-to point protocol (PPP) negotiation packet.

9. A method for disabling header compression of TCP/IP headers during an establishment and configuration of a communication protocol and communication channel between a pair of correspondents, said method including the steps of:

an initiating correspondent transmitting PPP negotiation packets including at least one PPP compression request packet having at least one TCP/IP header compression option type, said option type associated with a first instruction set for said establishment and configuration of said communication protocol and channel;

a software module coupled to a responding correspondent intercepting and examining said at least one PPP compression request packet bore said at least one PPP compression request packet reaches said responding correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer;

said software module determining said option type included in said at least one PPP compression request packet;

said software module substituting said first instruction set with a second instruction set to said at initiating correspondent, said second instruction set having an option type rejecting said compression request

transmitting subsequent data packets in accordance with said second instruction set.

10. A method for disabling header compression of TCP/IP headers during an establishment and configuration of a communication protocol and communication channel between an initiating correspondent and a responding correspondent, said method including the steps of:

an initiating correspondent transmitting at least one PPP negotiation packet having at least one acceptable TCP/IP header compression option type, said option type being associated with a first instruction set for said establishment and configuration of said communication protocol and channel;

a software module coupled to said responding correspondent intercepting and examining sad at least one PPP compression request packet before said at least one PPP compression request packet reaches said responding correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer;

said software module modifying said acceptable option type to an unacceptable option type and transmitting said modified PPP negotiation packet to said responding correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer;

said responding correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer receiving said modified PPP negotiation packet and rejecting said unacceptable option type;

said software module receiving said PPP negotiation packet having said unacceptable option type;

said software module modifying modifying said unacceptable option type to said acceptable type and transmitting said PPP negotiation packet to said initiating correspondent.

11. A method for disabling header compression of TCP/IP headers during an establishment and configuration of a communication protocol and communication channel between an initiating correspondent and a responding correspondent, said method including the steps of:

an initiating correspondent transmitting at least one PPP negotiation packet having at least one acceptable TCP/IP header compression option type, said option type being associated with a first instruction set for said establishment and configuration of said communication protocol and channel;

a software module coupled to said initiating correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer for intercepting and examining said at least one PPP compression request packet before said at least one PPP compression request packet is transmitted to said responding correspondent,

said software module modifying said acceptable option type to an unacceptable option type and transmitting said modified PPP negotiation packet to said responding correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer;

said responding correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer receiving said modified PPP negotiation packet and rejecting said unacceptable option type;

said software module receiving said PPP negotiation packet having said unacceptable option type;

said software module modifying modifying said unacceptable option type to said it acceptable tpe and transmitting said PPP negotiation packet to said initiating correspondent'"'"'s PPP layer.

12. A system for manipulating at least one packet header compression parameter included in a negotiation packet, said at least parameter associated with at least one instruction set for establishing a communication channel between a pair of correspondents, the system having:

a software module at a layer of a protocol stack included in a computer readable medium a responding correspondent, said software module configured to intercept and examine at least one negotiation packet from said initiating correspondent and configured to substitute at least one instruction set associated with said at least one parameter with a second instruction set;

wherein subsequent packets to said responding correspondent in accordance with said second instruction set.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said software module is located at a point-to-point protocol (PPP) layer of said protocol stack.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said negotiation packets are point-to-point protocol (PPP) negotiation packets.

15. The system of claim 13 and 14, wherein said PPP negotiation packets are intercepted by said software module located t said PPP layer before reaching said PPP layer.