Virtual private network

• US 20040054902A1
• Filed: 06/05/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ohsawa, Tomoki, Fujimoto, Yoshinori
• Application Number:
  US10/433,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054902A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

When an access-desired data base is set up in a private network, a public network, a contract provider for connecting the public network and the private network concerned, the private network in which the data base is set up, and a user terminal having an IP capsule encryption function for accessing the public network are used. The user terminal 10 connects to the contract provider 300 through the public network 200 at a visiting place, and achieves an IP address from the contract provider. The contract provider 300 accesses the private network 100 on the basis of the terminal request concerned, and the private network 100 authenticates an access of the terminal 10 concerned. The terminal 10 encrypts the communications, and carry out IP encapsulated communications through the public network 200 and the contract provider 300.

Claims

1. A virtual private network, comprising:

plural mutually-connected independent networks;

a terminal capable of accessing said networks and having an IP capsule communication and encryption function using a newly-achieved transmission source IP address;

a data base connected to any one of said networks, and

an access server that manages and controls an access to said data base and has an IP capsule communication and encryption function,

wherein said terminal accesses said data base from any one of the networks by IP capsule encrypted communications while keeping secrecy.

2. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein the access from said terminal to said networks is performed by wireless access means.

3. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein said terminal contains wireless access means and said wireless access means is PHS, GPRS, EDGE, HDR, WCDMA, wireless LAN or wireless access means using Bluetooth.

4. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein said terminal or said access server encrypts the communications between said terminal and said data base.

5. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein said terminal is equipped with a network card having a communication interface fitted to each of said networks.

6. The virtual private network according to claim 5, wherein said network card has an IP capsule communication function.

7. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein said terminal has control means for preferentially using an interface for directly accessing said network having said data base.

8. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein said plural independent networks contain a private network and a public network, said data base being set up in said private network, when said terminal is connected to said public network to access said data base, said terminal and an access server of said private network are connected to each other after access authentication of said terminal, and said access server makes said terminal access said data base by IP capsule communications after the access authentication of said terminal has been carried out.

9. The virtual private network according to claim 8, wherein said terminal has means for connecting the lowest-expense access point on the basis of position information of said terminal when said terminal connects to said public network.

10. The virtual private network according to claim 9, wherein the position information is judged on the basis of information transmitted from a base station.

11. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein said plural independent networks contain a private network and a public network;

said data base is setup in said private network;

a data base having the same information as said data base is owned by a communication operating business entrepreneur of said public network or a service business entrepreneur to be connected;

when said terminal connects to said public network to make an access request to said data base owned by the communication operating business entrepreneur or the service business entrepreneur to be connected, after access authentication to said data base owned by the communication operating business entrepreneur or the service business entrepreneur, said terminal is made to access said data base by IP capsule communications, and information is synchronized between said data base owned by the communication operating business entrepreneur or service business entrepreneur and said data base of said private network.

12. The virtual private network according to claim 11, wherein said terminal has means for connecting the lowest-expense access point on the basis of position information of said terminal when said terminal connects to said public network.

13. The virtual private network according to claim 12, wherein the position information is judged on the basis of information transmitted from a base station.

14. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein said plural independent networks contain a private network and a public network, said database is set up in said private network;

a communication operating business entrepreneur of said public network or a service business entrepreneur to be connected operates data communications/management of said private network or provides a private network service or data base service; and

when said terminal connects to said public network to make a request for accessing said data base, said terminal is made to access the data base by IP capsule communications after the access to said data base has been authenticated.

15. The virtual private network according to claim 14, wherein said terminal has means for connecting to the lowest-expense access point on the basis of position information of said terminal when said terminal connects to said public network.

16. The virtual private network according to claim 15, wherein the position information is judged on the basis of information transmitted from a base station.

17. The virtual private network according to claim 1, wherein when, in order to access said data base, said terminal makes an access through a private network in which said data base is not set up, an access server of a target network in which the access-desired data base is set up makes said terminal to access said data base by IP capsule communications after the access of said terminal has been authenticated.