System and method for sharing an IP address

• US 20060034296A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Upland Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: I2 Telecom International, Inc. (Geos Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Talucci, Fabrizio
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.520
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• 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 61/2517 using port numbers

Abstract

Means for sharing an IP address between a first and second network device, the first device having an assigned IP address and the second network device having one or more port numbers reserved for use solely by the second network device. The second network device is connected serially between the first network device and an Internet access device. The second network device creates packets using the IP address and one of the one or more reserved port numbers and sends the packets to the Internet access device.

Claims

1. A method of sharing an IP address between a first and second network device, the method comprising:

assigning an IP address to the first network device;

reserving a port for use solely by the second network device, wherein the second network device is connected serially between the first network device and an Internet access device; and

the second network device creating second device packets using the IP address and the reserved port number and sending the second device packets to an Internet access device.

2. The method of sharing an IP address between a first and second network device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

creating first device packets at the first network device;

sending the first device packets to the second network device;

at the second network device, determining whether a first device packet uses the reserved port number; and

if the first network device packet uses a port number other then the reserved port number, then sending the first network device packet to the Internet access device; and

if the first network device packet uses the reserved port number, then discarding the first network device packet.

3. The method of sharing an IP address between a first and second network device of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving at the second network device incoming packets from the Internet access device;

determining whether an incoming packet is directed to the reserved port;

if the incoming packet is directed to the reserved port, then processing the incoming packet at the second network device; and

if the incoming packet is directed to a port other than the reserved port, then sending the incoming packet to the first network device.

4. The method of sharing an IP address between a first and second network device of claim 1, wherein the first network device is a computer and the second network device is a VoIP subscriber gateway.

6. The method of sharing an IP address between a first and second network device of claim 1, wherein the Internet access device is selected from the group consisting of a dial-up modem, a DSL modem, a wireless modem, and a cable modem.

5. The method of sharing an IP address between a first and second network device of claim 14, wherein the computer is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and a personal digital assistant.

7. A system for sharing an IP address comprising:

a first network device, the first network device having an assigned IP address and adapted to reserve a port number for use solely by a second network device; and

the second network device connected serially between the first network device and an Internet access device, wherein the second network device is adapted to create packets using the IP address of the first network device and the reserved port number and to send the packets to the Internet access device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein first network device is further adapted to:

create first device packets; and

send the first device packets to the second network device; and

wherein the second network device is further adapted to;

determine whether a first network device packet uses the reserved port number; and

if the first network device packet uses a port number other then the reserved port number, then send the first network device packet to the Internet access device; and

if the first network device packet uses the reserved port number, then discard the first network device packet.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the second network device is further adapted to:

receive incoming packets from the Internet access device;

determine whether an incoming packet is directed to the reserved port;

if the incoming packet is directed to the reserved port, then process the incoming packet at the second network device; and

if the incoming packet is directed to a port other than the reserved port, then send the incoming packet to the first network device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the first network device is a computer and the second network device is a VoIP subscriber gateway.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and a personal digital assistant.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the Internet access device is selected from the group consisting of a dial-up modem, a wireless modem, a DSL modem, and a cable modem.