Communication system and session establishment method

• US 20060294242A1
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ozaki, Naohiro, Koga, Akio, Furutono, Tomoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/147 Signalling methods or messages providing extensions to protocols defined by standardisation

Abstract

A communication system capable of securely preventing illegal use of addresses and enhancing confidentiality of communication. Based on an originating-side real address which is the real address of an originating-side client terminal and specific information included in a registration message, a conversion data generator generates conversion data which the local server alone can convert to a receiving-side real address which is the real address of a receiving-side client terminal, and transmits the conversion data to the originating-side client terminal. A session controller receives a first session establishment request message, obtains the receiving-side real address from the conversion data and the originating-side real address included in the first session establishment request message, and transmits a second session establishment request message to the receiving-side real address, whereby a session is established between the originating-side and receiving-side client terminals without directly using the originating-side and receiving-side real addresses uniquely assigned on the network.

Claims

1. A communication system for performing communication with a session established between terminals via a network, comprising:

a receiving-side client terminal;

an originating-side client terminal which is to establish a session with the receiving-side client terminal; and

a communication server located within the network for establishing the session,

wherein the originating-side client terminal includes a specific information setter for setting, in a registration message, specific information previously agreed on with a recipient and transmitting the registration message to the communication server, a conversion data memory for receiving conversion data relating to the receiving-side client terminal from the communication server and storing the received conversion data, and a session establishment requester for setting the conversion data in a first session establishment request message and transmitting the first session establishment request message to the communication server when establishing a session with the receiving-side client terminal, and

the communication server includes a conversion data generator for receiving the registration message, generating, based on an originating-side real address which is a real address of the originating-side client terminal and the specific information included in the registration message, the conversion data which the communication server alone can convert to a receiving-side real address which is a real address of the receiving-side client terminal, and transmitting the generated conversion data to the originating-side client terminal, and a session controller for receiving the first session establishment request message, obtaining the receiving-side real address based on the conversion data and the originating-side real address included in the first session establishment request message, and transmitting a second session establishment request message to the receiving-side real address to establish the session between the originating-side client terminal and the receiving-side client terminal.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the session establishment requester sets dummy information in a destination field of the first session establishment request message, and the session controller judges, on detecting the dummy information set in the received first session establishment request message, that session control should be executed to obtain the receiving-side real address based on the conversion data.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the session controller sets dummy information in a source field of the second session establishment request message in order to conceal information about the originating-side client terminal, and transmits the second session establishment request message to the receiving-side real address.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the conversion data generator sets, with respect to the conversion data, a validity term optionally set by the originating-side client terminal and allows the validity term to be extended or deleted before expiry thereof.

5. A session establishment method for establishing a session between terminals via a network, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, from a specific information setter of an originating-side client terminal to a communication server located within the network, a registration message in which is set specific information previously agreed on with a recipient;

receiving the registration message by a conversion data generator of the communication server, generating, based on an originating-side real address which is a real address of the originating-side client terminal and the specific information included in the registration message, conversion data which the communication server alone can convert to a receiving-side real address which is a real address of a receiving-side client terminal, and transmitting the conversion data to the originating-side client terminal;

receiving the conversion data relating to the receiving-side client terminal, transmitted from the communication server, and storing the received conversion data in a conversion data memory of the originating-side client terminal;

transmitting, from a session establishment requester of the originating-side client terminal to the communication server, a first session establishment request message including the stored conversion data when a session is to be established with the receiving-side client terminal;

receiving the first session establishment request message by a session controller of the communication server, obtaining the receiving-side real address based on the conversion data and the originating-side real address included in the first session establishment request message, and transmitting a second session establishment request message to the receiving-side real address; and

establishing a session between the originating-side client terminal and the receiving-side client terminal.

6. The session establishment method according to claim 5, wherein the session establishment requester sets dummy information in a destination field of the first session establishment request message, and the session controller judges, on detecting the dummy information set in the received first session establishment request message, that session control should be executed to obtain the receiving-side real address based on the conversion data.

7. The session establishment method according to claim 5, wherein the session controller sets dummy information in a source field of the second session establishment request message in order to conceal information about the originating-side client terminal, and transmits the second session establishment request message to the receiving-side real address.

8. The session establishment method according to claim 5, wherein the conversion data generator sets, with respect to the conversion data, a validity term optionally set by the originating-side client terminal and allows the validity term to be extended or deleted before expiry thereof.

9. An IP telephony communication establishment method for establishing a session between terminals when IP telephony communication using SIP as a signaling protocol is performed via an IP network, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, from a specific information setter of an originating-side client terminal to a communication server located within the IP network, a REGISTER message in which is set specific information previously agreed on with a recipient;

receiving the REGISTER message by a conversion data generator of the communication server, generating, based on an originating-side actual telephone number which is an actual telephone number of the originating-side client terminal and the specific information included in the REGISTER message, conversion data which the communication server alone can convert to a receiving-side actual telephone number which is an actual telephone number of a receiving-side client terminal, and transmitting the conversion data to the originating-side client terminal;

receiving the conversion data relating to the receiving-side client terminal, transmitted from the communication server, and storing the received conversion data in a conversion data memory of the originating-side client terminal;

transmitting, from a session establishment requester of the originating-side client terminal to the communication server, a first INVITE message including the stored conversion data when a session is to be established with the receiving-side client terminal;

receiving the first INVITE message by a session controller of the communication server, obtaining the receiving-side actual telephone number based on the conversion data and the originating-side actual telephone number included in the first INVITE message, and transmitting a second INVITE message to the receiving-side actual telephone number; and

establishing a session of IP telephony communication between the originating-side client terminal and the receiving-side client terminal, without directly using the originating-side and receiving-side actual telephone numbers uniquely assigned on the IP network.