Process for manging resource address requests and associated gateway device

• US 20090059936A1
• Filed: 04/11/2006
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Du Tre, Thierry, Van De Poel, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 8,325,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

The invention concerns a gateway device comprising means for connection to a first device and means for connection to a second device for obtaining a network address as a function of a network resource identifier provided by the second device, and means for providing a false network address in response to a network resource identifier provided by the first device in case a real network address cannot be provided. The means for providing a false network address are adapted to provide a distinct false network address for a distinct network resource identifier—when the real address becomes available, a request made on the distinct false address allows the first device to obtain the corresponding real network address. The invention also concerns an associated process.

Claims

1. Gateway device comprising means for connection to a first device located on a first network and means for connection to a second device located on a second network for obtaining a real network address as a function of a network resource identifier provided by the first device, further comprising:

means for providing a false network address in response to a network resource identifier provided by the first device in case a real network address cannot be provided;

characterized in that said means for providing a false network address are adapted to provide a distinct false network address for a distinct network resource identifier.

2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a server component for providing responses to requests made by the first device on the basis of a false network address.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein said responses include information describing the reason of the lack of a real network address.

4. Device according to claims 1, further adapted to determine a real network address for a network resource identifier for which a false network address was previously provided.

5. Device according to claim 4, further comprising means of redirecting the first device to the real network address upon a request from the first device based on a false network address for which a real network address has been determined.

6. Device according to claims 1, further comprising memory for storing a false network address and its respective network resource identifier.

7. Device according to claim, wherein said memory further stores a real network address corresponding to a network resource identifier, once the real network address is determined.

8. Method for managing network resource address requests from a first device located on a first network to a second device located on a second network, said method being carried out by a gateway device connected between the first device and the second device, comprising the steps of:

receiving a resource identifier from the first device,

determining whether the second device can provide a real network resource address corresponding to the resource identifier,

in the affirmative, providing the real network resource address,

in the negative, providing a false network resource address, wherein the false network resource address provided is uniquely associated with the received resource identifier.

9. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of receiving a request based on a false network address from the first device and, in response, of redirecting the first device to a server accessible by the first device.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein said accessible server provides information on the error condition causing the lack of a real network address.

11. Method according to claim 8, further comprising the step, once a real network address can be obtained, of obtaining such a real network address for a previously received resource identifier for which a false network address has been provided.

12. Method according to claim 11, further comprising the step, upon reception of a request based on a false network address from the first device, of setting up a connection between the gateway and a device identified by the real network address corresponding to the false network address.

13. Method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of storing a received identifier with its associated false network resource address and, when obtained, with the corresponding real network address.