Communication method and information processing apparatus

• US 20040117506A1
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ito, Hiromichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Even if a third party intercepts a packet flowing on the Internet, it is made difficult to identify which information processing apparatuses are performing communication with each other. In a communication system, there is provided a virtual address server for pooling a plurality of for-rent-out virtual global addresses to be temporarily used by a communication apparatus. When a first information processing apparatus performs communication with a second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus requests the virtual address server to rent out a virtual global address. Next, based on this request, the virtual address server rents out this virtual global address. Moreover, the first information processing apparatus sends out a communication packet whose transmission-source address is set up by this virtual global address and whose transmission-destination address is set up by the global address of the second information processing apparatus.

Claims

1. A communication method in a communication system wherein a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus perform communication with each other over a network, comprising steps of:

providing, on said network, a third information processing apparatus for pooling a plurality of for-rent-out virtual addresses to be temporarily used by said first information processing apparatus;

requesting, by said first information processing apparatus, said third information processing apparatus to rent out a virtual address when said first information processing apparatus performs said communication with said second information processing apparatus;

renting out, by said third information processing apparatus, said virtual address on the basis of said request; and

sending out, by said first information processing apparatus, a communication packet whose transmission-source address is set up by said virtual address and whose transmission-destination address is set up by an address of said second information processing apparatus.

2. A third information processing apparatus provided on a network and performing rent-out of an address, wherein said third information processing apparatus holds a correspondence table having a correspondence relationship between an inherent address and said rent-out address, and

said inherent address is allocated to a first information processing apparatus which is a rent-out destination of said address, said rent-out address being rented out to said first information processing apparatus by said third information processing apparatus.

3. A third information processing apparatus provided on a network and performing rent-out of an address, wherein said third information processing apparatus holds a correspondence table having a correspondence relationship among an inherent address, said rent-out address, and an address of a second information processing apparatus, and

said inherent address is allocated to a first information processing apparatus which is a rent-out destination of said address, said rent-out address being rented out to said first information processing apparatus by said third information processing apparatus, said second information processing apparatus being a partner information processing apparatus with which said first information processing apparatus performs communication using said rent-out address.

4. The third information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, in response to an inquiry from said second information processing apparatus, said third information processing apparatus notifies said second information processing apparatus of said inherent address allocated to said first information processing apparatus.

5. The third information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein permission to issue said notification is given only in a case of a combination of said address of said second information processing apparatus and said inherent address allocated to said first information processing apparatus, said address of said second information processing apparatus and said inherent address having a correspondence relationship in said correspondence table, and no permission is given to said notification in a case of a combination that does not exist in said correspondence table.

6. A second information processing apparatus provided on a network and performing communication with a first information processing apparatus, wherein said second information processing apparatus makes an inquiry about an inherent address of said first information processing apparatus to a third information processing apparatus that holds a correspondence table, and

said correspondence table has a correspondence relationship among said inherent address of said first information processing apparatus, a rent-out address rented out to said first information processing apparatus, and an address of said second information processing apparatus.

7. A first information processing apparatus provided on a network, wherein, when said first information processing apparatus performs communication with a second information processing apparatus over said network, said first information processing apparatus requests a third information processing apparatus to rent out an address to be temporarily used by said first information processing apparatus,

said first information processing apparatus then sends out a communication packet whose transmission-source address is set up by said address thus rented, and whose transmission-destination address is set up by an address of said second information processing apparatus.