Information device, gateway device and control method

• US 20040071148A1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kuwabara, Tadashi, Ito, Hiromichi, Ozaki, Tomochika, Nakagawa, Isao
• Granted Patent: US 7,339,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• 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 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08

Abstract

A non-IP device holds an interface ID defined by Ipv6. A gateway generates and holds an Ipv6 address for the non-IP device. The gateway serves to convert the protocol of a packet destined to the non-IP device from a portable telephone or a personal computer coupled to an internet into the protocol for a network connected to the non-IP device and transmit the packet to the non-IP device.

Claims

1. A gateway device comprising:

a first communication unit for connecting to a first network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said first network;

a second communication unit for connecting to a second network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said second network with use of an Internet protocol (IP);

a unit for acquiring an interface ID (identifier) of a device connected to said first network and identifier information of the device in said first network;

a unit for acquiring a network ID of said second network; and

an address translation unit for generating an IP address from said IP identifier and network ID and managing a correspondence relation between the generated IPv6 address and said identifier information, whereby the device connected to the first network can communicate with the device connected to said second network.

4. A gateway device as set forth in claim 1, wherein an IP address of a transmission source of data received from said second network is included in data to be transmitted via said first network when the data received from the device connected to the second network is transmitted via said first network.

2. A gateway device comprising:

a first communication unit for connecting a first network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said first network;

a second communication unit for connecting a second network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said second network with use of an IP protocol;

a unit for acquiring an interface ID of a device connected to said first network and identifier information of the device in said first network;

a unit for acquiring a network ID of said second network;

an address translation unit for generating an IP address from said IP identifier and network ID and managing a correspondence relation between the generated IP address and said identifier information; and

an NDP response unit for examining whether or not an IP address specified in a target address within an NS (neighbor solicitation) packet prescribed in an NDP (neighbor discovery protocol) when received from said second network is present in an IP address controlled by said address translation unit, and when the IP address is present, for returning an NA (neighbor advertisement) packet thereto,

whereby the device connected to the first network can communicate with the device connected to said second network.

3. A gateway device comprising:

a first communication unit for connecting a first network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said first network;

a second communication unit for connecting a second network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said second network with use of an IP protocol;

a unit for acquiring an interface ID of a device connected to said first network and identifier information of the device in said first network;

a unit for acquiring a network ID of said second network; and

a management table for generating an IP address from said interface ID and network ID and managing a correspondence relation between the generated IP address and said identifier information.

5. An information device to communicate with a gateway device, said gateway device including a first communication unit for connecting a first network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said first network and a second communication unit for connecting a second network to perform data. transmission and reception to and from said second network with use of an IP protocol, said gateway device being provided for communication between an information device connected to said first network and another information device connected to said second network, said information device comprising:

a communication unit for communicating with said gateway device via said first network;

a unit for holding an interface ID; and

a unit for transmitting the interface ID to said gateway device with use of said communication unit,

wherein said information device communicates with the information device connected to the second network of said gateway device via said gateway device.

6. An information device as set forth in claim 5, wherein an IP address of an IP device connected to said second network of said gateway device is included in data communicating with said IP device.

7. A gateway device comprising:

a first communication unit for connecting a first network using a protocol other than an IP protocol to perform data transmission and reception to and from said first network; and

a second communication unit for connecting a second network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said second network with use of an IP protocol,

wherein an IP address is allocated to a device connected to said first network and not supporting said IP protocol and, when data directed to said IP address reaches said gateway device from said second network, said gateway device transmits said data to a device connected to said first network.

8. A gateway device comprising:

a first communication unit for connecting a first network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said first network;

a second communication unit for connecting a second network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said second network with use of an IP protocol;

a unit for acquiring first identifier information for identifying a device connected to said first network and second identifier information of said device in said first network;

a unit for acquiring a network ID of said second network;

a management table for managing a correspondence relation between an IP address and said first and second identifier information; and

a unit for generating a plurality of IP addresses with use of said network ID and registering them in said management table,

wherein said management table is arranged so that an identical first identifier information is associated with the IP addresses at all times in said management table and so that communication can be realized between the device connected to said first network and the device connected to said second network.

9. A gateway device comprising:

a first communication unit for connecting a first network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said first network;

a second communication unit for connecting a second network to perform data transmission and reception to and from said second network with use of an IP protocol;

a unit for acquiring first identifier information for identifying a device connected to said first network and second identifier information of said device in said first network;

a unit for acquiring a network ID of said second network;

a management table for managing a correspondence relation between an IP address and said first and second identifier information;

a unit for generating a plurality of IP addresses from said network ID and registering them in said management table;

said management table being arranged so that identical first identifier information is associated with the IP addresses at all time in said management table, and

an NDP response unit for examining whether or not the IP address specified by a target address within an NS (neighbor solicitation) packet prescribed by an NDP (neighbor discovery protocol) when received from said second network is present in the IP addresses managed by an address translation unit and, when the packet is present, for returning an NA (neighbor advertisement) packet,

wherein communication can be realized between the device connected to said first network and the device connected to said second network.

10. A gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of n bits and a second information processor based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of m bits (m <

n), comprising;

a virtual address allocation unit for allocating a virtual address of n bits to said second information processor;

a unit for receiving a connection oriented type communication connection request conforming to said first network communication protocol transmitted from said first information processor with use of said virtual address as a destination address and for establishing a communication connection;

a translation table unit for making correspondence between at least three of a connection identifier for identifying said communication connection, said virtual address and the m-bit address of said second information processor; and

a unit, after said communication establishment, for receiving data transmitted based on said first network communication protocol from said first information processor with use of said virtual address as its destination, converting said data to data conforming to said second network communication protocol, and for transmitting said converted data to said second information processor according to said second network communication protocol with use of the m-bit address associated with said virtual address by said translation table unit as an destination address of said second network communication protocol.

11. A gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of n bits and a second information processor based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of m bits (m<

n), comprising;

a virtual address allocation unit for allocating a virtual address of n bits to said second information processor;

a unit for receiving a connection oriented type communication connection request conforming to said first network communication protocol transmitted from said first information processor with use of said virtual address as a destination address and for establishing a communication connection;

a translation table unit for making correspondence between at least three of a connection identifier for identifying said communication connection, said virtual address and the m-bit address of said second information processor; and

a unit, after said communication establishment, for receiving data transmitted based on said second network communication protocol from said second information processor with use of the m-bit address of aid gateway device as its destination address and with use of the m-bit address of said second information processor as a transmission source address, converting said data to data conforming to said first network communication protocol, and transmitting said converted data to said first information processor according to said first network communication protocol with respect to the connection wherein said communication connection identified by said connection identifier associated with the m-bit address of said second information processor by said translation table unit is established.

12. A gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of n bits and a second information processor based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of m bits (m <

n), wherein data transmission from said second information processor to said first information processor via aid gateway device is enabled only when a connection oriented type communication connection is established between said first information processor and gateway device.

13. A gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of n bits and one or more second information processors based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of m bits (m<

n), comprising;

a virtual address allocation unit for allocating a unique n-bit virtual address not overlapped even with the n-bit address allocated to said first information processor to said respective second information processors;

a detection unit for detecting connection and disconnection of said second information processor to and from a network;

a unit for initiating a first network communication protocol processing unit associated with said virtual address when said detection unit detects the connection; and

a unit for terminating said first network communication protocol processing unit associated with said virtual address when said detection unit detects the disconnection.

14. A gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address and a second information processor based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address as an m-bit node address (m<

n), comprising;

a unit holding a plurality of said n-bit node addresses for receiving and processing a packet based on said first network communication protocol using said plurality of node addresses as destination addresses; and

a unit holding said single m-bit node address for receiving and processing a packet based on said second network communication protocol using said node address as a destination address.

15. A method for controlling a gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of n bits and a second information processor based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of m bits (m<

n), comprising the steps of;

allocating an n-bit virtual address to said second information processor;

receiving a connection oriented type communication connection request transmitted with said virtual address as a destination and based on said first network communication protocol from said first information processor and establishing a communication connection;

making correspondence between at least three of an connection identifier for identifying said communication connection, said virtual address, and the m-bit address of said second information processor and storing it in a translation table; and

after said communication is established, receiving data transmitted based on said first network communication protocol from said first information processor with use of said virtual address as a destination, converting said data to data conforming to said second network communication protocol, and transmitting said converted data to said second information processor based on said second network communication protocol with use of the m-bit address associated with said virtual address using said translation table as the destination address of said second network communication protocol.

16. A method for controlling a gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of n bits and a second information processor based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of m bits (m<

n), comprising the steps of;

allocating an n-bit virtual address to said second information processor;

receiving a connection oriented type communication connection request transmitted with said virtual address as a destination and based on said first network communication protocol from said first information processor and establishing a communication connection;

making correspondence between at least three of an connection identifier for identifying said communication connection, said virtual address, and the m-bit address of said second information processor and storing it in a translation table; and

after said communication is established, receiving data transmitted based on said second network communication protocol from said second information processor with use of m-bit address of said gateway device as a destination and the m-bit address of said second information processor as a transmission source address, converting said data to data conforming to said first network communication protocol, and transmitting said converted data to said first information processor based on said first network communication protocol with respect to a connection wherein said communication connection identified by said connection identifier associated with the m-bit address of said second information processor in said translation table step is established.

17. A method for controlling a gateway device for enabling communication between a first information processor based on a first network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of n bits and a second information processor based on a second network communication protocol using a destination address and transmission source address of m bits (m<

n), wherein data communication from said second information processor via said gateway device to said first information processor can be established only when a connection oriented type communication connection is established between said first information processor and gateway device.