Extended internet protocol network address translation system

• US 20030065817A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bryger, Boaz, Asulin, Aviv, Kolor, Sergio, Benchetrit, Uri
• Granted Patent: US 7,406,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/663 Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2517 using port numbers
• 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 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/166 IP fragmentation; TCP segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method for transferring data, by establishing network links between a private and a public network. Each link is associated with a respective unique public-network-address. Each session of one or more data packets within the private network is allocated an extended-private-address, the private network being adapted to transfer each data packet in a respective session using at least part of the extended-private-address as an identifying private-network-address. For each session the extended-private-address is translated to an extended-public-address, which includes one of the unique public-network-addresses. The data packets of each session are conveyed between the private and public networks via the link associated with the public-network-address of the respective session, and are transmitted within the public network using at least part of the extended-public-address as an identifying public-network-address.

Claims

1. A method for transferring data, comprising:

establishing a plurality of network links between a private network and a public network;

associating each link with a respective unique public-network-address;

generating sessions within the private network, each session comprising one or more data packets;

allocating to each session an extended-private-address, the private network being adapted to transfer each data packet comprised in a respective session using at least part of the extended-private-address as an identifying private-network-address;

translating for each session the extended-private-address to an extended-public-address, the extended-public-address comprising one of the unique public-network-addresses;

conveying the one or more data packets of each session between the private network and the public network via the link associated with the public-network-address of the respective session; and

transmitting the one or more data packets of each session within the public network using at least part of the extended-public-address as an identifying public-network-address.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of network links is implemented using one or more couplings chosen from conductive cabling, fiber optic cabling, and a wireless link.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein conveying the one or more data packets comprises conveying the data packets via one or more methods of transmission chosen from a dialup asynchronous line, a leased synchronous line, a cellular data link, and a cellular communication system channel.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of links comprises a second plurality of lines operating in parallel, and wherein conveying the one or more data packets comprises:

dividing the one or more data packets amongst the second plurality of lines; and

conveying the one or more data packets via the second plurality of lines in a multiplexed manner.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein associating each link with a respective unique public-network-address comprises choosing the respective unique public-network-address from a pool of addresses provided by the public network.

6. A method according to claim 1, and comprising generating a table mapping the extended-private-address to the extended-public-address, wherein translating for each session the extended-private-address to the extended-public-address comprises using the extended-private-address as a pointer in the table.

7. A method according to claim 6, and comprising receiving a public-network-data-packet originating from the public network and having the extended-public-address as an address, and using the extended-public-address as a pointer in the table so as to recover the extended-private-address.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein generating sessions comprises initiating each of the sessions responsive to the extended-private-address of the respective session not appearing in the table.

9. A method according to claim 1, and comprising receiving a public-network-data-packet originating from the public network and having the extended-public-address as an address, and conveying the public-network-data-packet between the public network and the private network via the link associated with the public 17 network-address.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein allocating to each session the extended-private-address comprises incorporating a private-port-number in the extended-private-address, so that the extended-private-address acts as an identifier of the session.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein translating for each session the extended-private-address to the extended-public-address comprises incorporating a public-port-number in the extended-public-address, so that the extended-public-address acts as an identifier of the session.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the unique public-network-address comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the extended-private-address comprises an IP address.

14. Apparatus for transferring data between a private network and a public network, comprising:

a plurality of network links, coupled to convey data packets between the private and public networks; and

an extended-multilink-manager, adapted to;

associate each of the plurality of network links with a respective unique public-network-address,

receive sessions generated within the private network, each of the sessions comprising one or more of the data packets,

allocate to each of the sessions an extended-private-address, the private network being adapted to transfer each of the data packets comprised in a respective session using at least part of the extended-private-address as an identifying private-network-address,

translate for each of the sessions the extended-private-address to an extended-public-address, the extended-public-address comprising one of the respective unique public-network-addresses, and

convey the one or more data packets of each of the sessions between the private network and the public network via the link associated with the public-network-address of the respective session, for transmission within the public network using at least part of the extended-public-address as an identifying public-network-address.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of network links comprises one or more couplings chosen from conductive cabling, fiber optic cabling, and a wireless link.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to convey the one or more data packets via one or more methods of transmission chosen from a dialup asynchronous line, a leased synchronous line, a cellular data link, and a cellular communication system channel.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of network links comprises a second plurality of lines operating in parallel, and wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to:

divide the one or more data packets amongst the second plurality of lines; and

convey the one or more of the data packets via the second plurality of lines in a multiplexed manner.

18. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to choose the respective unique public-network-address from a pool of addresses provided by the public network.

19. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to generate a table mapping the extended-private-address to the extended-public-address, and to translate for each session the extended-private-address to the extended-public-address using the extended-private-address as a pointer in the table.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to receive a public-network-data-packet originating from the public network and having the extended-public-address as an address, and to use the extended-public-address as a pointer in the table so as to recover the extended-private-address.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to receive a public-network-data-packet originating from the public network and having the extended-public-address as an address, and to convey the public-network-data-packet between the public network and the private network via the link associated with the public-network-address.

22. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to initiate each of the sessions responsive to the extended-private-address of the respective session not appearing in the table.

23. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to incorporate a private-port-number in the extended-private-address, so that the extended-private-address acts as an identifier of the session.

24. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is adapted to incorporate a public-port-number in the extended-public-address, so that the extended-public-address acts as an identifier of the session.

25. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the unique public-network-address comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

26. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended-private-address comprises an IP address.

27. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the extended-multilink-manager is implemented in the private network.