Port forwarding configuration system and method for wire and wireless networks

• US 20070110039A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Se-Dong
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• 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 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

In a port forwarding configuration system and method for wire and wireless networks, when an Internet protocol (IP) is allocated according to a request from a wireless terminal of a private network and an initialization information message is transmitted by the terminal, a port to be used by the terminal is configured and a configured port information message is transmitted to the terminal so as to open a port for the terminal, thereby performing a remote connection of a user terminal to the wireless terminal through port forwarding.

Claims

1. A wire and wireless sharing device comprising a control module which, when an Internet protocol (IP) is allocated according to a request from a controlled target terminal of a private network and an initialization information message is transmitted from the corresponding terminal, configures a port to be used by the corresponding terminal and transmits a configured port information message to the corresponding terminal, whereby port forwarding to the corresponding terminal is performed.

2. The wire and wireless sharing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control module automatically allocates an IP address to the controlled target terminal in a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) manner.

3. The wire and wireless sharing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the initialization information message includes at least one of media access control (MAC) address information and private IP address information of the corresponding terminal.

4. The wire and wireless sharing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control module comprises:

a DHCP server unit for allocating an IP address according to a request from the controlled target terminal;

a message receiving unit for receiving at least one of the initialization information message and a life message transmitted by the controlled target terminal;

a port forwarding configuring unit for configuring a port to be used by the corresponding terminal according to the private IP address information of the corresponding terminal included in the initialization information message received by the message receiving unit;

a MAC address storage unit for mapping port information, configured by the port forwarding configuring unit, to the private IP address information and MAC address information included in the initialization information message, and for storing the mapped port information;

a message transmitting unit for transmitting a port information message, configured by the port forwarding configuring unit, to the corresponding terminal; and

a display unit for displaying a connection state of at least one terminal according to a key input signal by a user.

5. The wire and wireless sharing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the display unit displays MAC address list information of the terminal alternatively connected and unconnected to the control module.

6. The wire and wireless sharing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein upon rebooting, the control module releases the configured port to the corresponding terminal and, when the corresponding terminal is connected again, the control module checks a pre-stored MAC address of the corresponding terminal so as to configure a port according to originally configured port information.

7. The wire and wireless sharing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control module receives a life message periodically transmitted by the controlled target terminal so as to check an operating state of the corresponding terminal, and when the life message is not transmitted for a certain period of time, the control module releases the configured port to the corresponding terminal so as to turn off a connection status thereof.

8. A port forwarding terminal comprising a port configuration module which, after being allocated an Internet protocol (IP) address within a service area of a corresponding wire and wireless sharing device of a private network and transmitting an initialization information message to the wire and wireless sharing device, configures a port according to port information transmitted by the wire and wireless sharing device.

9. The port forwarding terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein the port configuration module is automatically allocated the IP address from the wire and wireless sharing device in a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) manner.

10. The port forwarding terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein the initialization information message includes at least one of media access control (MAC) address information and private IP address information of the port configuration module.

11. The port forwarding terminal as claimed in claim 8, wherein the port configuration module comprises:

a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) client unit for requesting the wire and wireless sharing device for an IP allocation;

a message transmitting unit for transmitting at least one of the initialization information message and a life message to the wire and wireless sharing device;

a message receiving unit for receiving at least one of a configured port message and a life response message from the wire and wireless sharing device; and

a port configuring unit for configuring the port according to port information transmitted by the wire and wireless sharing device.

12. A wire and wireless network system, comprising:

a controlled target terminal for transmitting an initialization information message after being allocated an Internet protocol (IP) address within a corresponding service area of a private network; and

a wire and wireless sharing device which allocates the IP address according to a request from the controlled target terminal, and when the initialization information message is transmitted by the corresponding terminal, the wire and wireless sharing device configures a port to be used by the corresponding terminal and transmits the configured port information message to the corresponding terminal, thereby performing port forwarding to the corresponding terminal.

13. The wire and wireless network system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controlled target terminal is allocated an IP address from the wire and wireless sharing device in a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) manner.

14. The wire and wireless network system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the initialization information message includes at least one of media access control (MAC) address information and private IP address information of the corresponding terminal.

15. The wire and wireless network system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the wire and wireless sharing device comprises:

a DHCP server unit for allocating an IP address according to a request from the controlled target terminal;

a message receiving unit for receiving at least one of the initialization information message and a life message transmitted by the controlled target terminal;

a port forwarding configuring unit for configuring a port to be used by the corresponding terminal according to the private IP address information of the corresponding terminal included in the initialization information message received by the message receiving unit;

a MAC address storage unit for mapping port information, configured by the port forwarding configuring unit, to the private IP address information and MAC address information included in the initialization information message, and for storing the mapped point information;

a message transmitting unit for transmitting a port information message, configured by the port forwarding configuring unit, to the corresponding terminal; and

a display unit for displaying a connection state of at least one terminal according to a key input signal by a user.

16. The wire and wireless network system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the display unit displays MAC address list information of the terminal alternatively connected and unconnected to the wire and wireless sharing device.

17. The wire and wireless network system as claimed in claim 12, wherein upon rebooting, the wire and wireless sharing device releases the configured port to the corresponding terminal and, when the corresponding terminal is connected again, the wire and wireless sharing device checks the pre-stored MAC address of the corresponding terminal so as to configure a port according to originally configured port information.

18. The wire and wireless network system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the wire and wireless sharing device receives a life message periodically transmitted by the controlled target terminal so as to check an operating state of the corresponding terminal, and when the life message is not transmitted for a certain period of time, the wire and wireless sharing device releases the configured port to the corresponding terminal so as to turn a connection status thereof off.

19. The wire and wireless network system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the controlled target terminal comprises:

a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) client unit for requesting the wire and wireless sharing device for an IP allocation;

a message transmitting unit for transmitting at least one of the initialization information message and a life message to the wire and wireless sharing device;

a message receiving unit for receiving at least one of a configured port message and a life response message from the sharing device; and

a port configuring unit for configuring the port according to port information transmitted by the wire and wireless sharing device.

20. A port forwarding configuration method of a wire and wireless sharing device, the method comprising the steps of:

allocating an Internet protocol (IP) address according to a request from a controlled target terminal of a private network;

when an initialization information message is transmitted by a certain terminal, configuring a port to be used by the certain terminal; and

transmitting a configured port information message to the certain terminal, thereby configuring port forwarding to the certain terminal.

21. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step of allocating the IP address comprises allocating the IP address in a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) manner.

22. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the initialization information message includes at least one of media access control (MAC) address information and private IP address information of the certain terminal.

23. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

releasing the configured port to the certain terminal when the wire and wireless sharing device is rebooted; and

when the certain terminal is connected again, checking a pre-stored media access control (MAC) address of the certain terminal so as to configure a port according to originally configured port information.

24. A port forwarding configuration method of a wire and wireless terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an allocated Internet protocol (IP) address within a corresponding wire and wireless sharing device of a private network;

causing the terminal having the IP address which is allocated to transmit an initialization information message to the wire and wireless sharing device; and

configuring a port according to port information transmitted by the wire and wireless sharing device.

25. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the step of allocating the IP address comprises allocating the IP address in a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) manner.

26. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the initialization information message includes at least one of media access control (MAC) address information and private IP address information of the certain terminal.

27. A port forwarding configuration method of a wire and wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a terminal in a private network;

allocating to the terminal an Internet protocol (IP) address within a service area of a corresponding wire and wireless sharing device;

causing the terminal having the IP address which is allocated to transmit an initialization information message to the wire and wireless sharing device;

receiving the initialization information message and configuring a port to be used by the terminal;

mapping configured port information to information included in the initialization information message and storing the mapped configured port information;

transmitting a configured port information message to the terminal; and

configuring a port according to the transmitted configured port information message.

28. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 27, wherein, in the step of allocating the IP address comprises allocating the IP address in a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) manner.

29. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the initialization information message includes at least one of media access control (MAC) address information and private IP address information of the terminal.

30. The port forwarding configuration method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

releasing the configured port to the terminal when the wire and wireless sharing device is rebooted; and

when the terminal is connected again, checking a pre-stored media access control (MAC) address of the terminal so as to configure a port according to originally configured port information.