INTER-WORKING BETWEEN NETWORK ADDRESS TYPE (ANAT) ENDPOINTS AND INTERACTIVE CONNECTIVITY ESTABLISHMENT (ICE) ENDPOINTS

• US 20100293297A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mohan R, Ram, Perumal, Muthu Arul Mozhi
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2589 over a relay server, e.g. traversal using relay for network address translation [TURN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A method for inter-working between an alternative network address type (ANAT) endpoint and an interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) is provided. The method may include identifying one or more network addresses operable to be used to communicate with a alternative network address type (ANAT) endpoint. One or more candidates operable to be used for interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) traversal may also be identified. A preferred network address may be determined from the one or more network addresses based on an ANAT endpoint preference. A corresponding candidate may be determined based on the ANAT endpoint preference. The corresponding candidate may use a candidate address to communicate. A media stream may be established between the preferred network address and the corresponding candidate address.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying one or more network addresses operable to be used to communicate with a alternative network address type (ANAT) endpoint;

identifying one or more candidates operable to be used for interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) traversal;

determining a preferred network address from the one or more network addresses based on an ANAT endpoint preference;

determining a corresponding candidate based on the ANAT endpoint preference, the corresponding candidate using a candidate address to communicate; and

establishing a media stream between the preferred network address and the corresponding candidate address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the corresponding candidate includes calculating candidate priority for the one or more candidates based on the ANAT endpoint preference and comparing the priority identifiers.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein identifying one or more network addresses includes receiving an ANAT message from the ANAT endpoint, the ANAT message defining the one or more network addresses in an ANAT session description;

and

wherein identifying one or more candidates includes receiving an ICE message from an ICE endpoint operable to use the one or more candidates for ICE traversal, the ICE message defining the one or more candidates in an ICE session description.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the ANAT message and ICE message are session initiation protocol (SIP) messages and are formatted according to the session description protocol (SDP).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the corresponding candidate includes determining the corresponding candidate based on a type preference value for each type of candidate, the types of candidates including server reflexive candidates, peer reflexive candidates, relayed candidates, host candidates, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more network addresses are different types of addresses, the different types of addresses being Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) or Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4).

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the ANAT endpoint preference is a preference to use a latest version of the Internet Protocol.

8. A method for establishing a media session path, comprising:

receiving a message from a first endpoint that includes a list of one or more network addresses;

determining a preferred network address from the one or more network addresses based on a first preference of the first endpoint;

obtaining a list of one or more candidates used by a second endpoint to traverse network address translation (NAT) network devices;

determining a corresponding candidate address from the one or more candidates based on the first preference; and

transmitting a first message to the first endpoint and a second message to the second endpoint, the first message defining a corresponding candidate address and the second message defining the preferred network address, the corresponding candidate address and the preferred network address being operable to be used to establish a media session path between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining a preferred network address includes:

determining one or more preference identifiers for the one or more network addresses;

comparing the one or more preference identifiers with each other; and

selecting a network address based on the comparison, the selected network address having a preference identifier indicating that the selected network address is preferred over the other network addresses, the selected network address being the preferred network address.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein obtaining a list of one or more candidates includes gathering server reflexive candidates, peer reflexive candidates, relayed candidates and host candidates.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein gathering candidates includes using Session Traversal Utilities for NAT and Traversal Using Relay NAT.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a corresponding candidate address includes:

calculating one or more priority identifiers for the gathered candidates based on the first preference;

comparing the one or more priority identifiers with each other; and

selecting a candidate with a priority identifier that indicates that the candidate is preferred, the selected candidate having a corresponding candidate address.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first preference is a preference to use the latest version of the Internet Protocol.

14. A session border controller comprising:

a processor operable to execute instructions; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory storing instructions that may be executed to;

identify one or more network addresses for communicating with a first endpoint;

determine a preferred network address from the one or more network addresses, the preferred network address being determined based on a preference for communicating with the first endpoint;

identify one or more candidates used by a second endpoint to traverse network address translation (NAT) network devices; and

determine a corresponding candidate address from the one or more candidates, the corresponding candidate address being determined based on the preference for communicating with the first endpoint.

15. The session border controller of claim 14, wherein the memory stores instructions that may be executed to:

receive a message from the first endpoint, the message including the list of one or more network addresses, and

extract the one or more network addresses from the message.

16. The session border controller of claim 14, wherein the memory stores instructions that may be executed to:

determine one or more preference identifiers for the one or more network addresses;

compare the one or more preference identifiers with each other; and

select a network address with the preference identifier that indicates that the network address is preferred, the selected network address being the preferred network address.

17. The session border controller of claim 14, wherein the memory stores instructions that may be executed to gather server reflexive candidates, peer reflexive candidates, relayed candidates and host candidates.

18. The session border controller of claim 17, wherein the memory stores instructions that may be executed to:

calculate one or more priority identifiers for the gathered candidates based on the preference for communicating with the first endpoint;

compare the one or more priority identifiers with each other; and

select a candidate with a priority identifier that indicates that the candidate is preferred over other candidates, the selected candidate having a corresponding candidate address.

19. The session border controller of claim 17, wherein the memory stores the preference for communicating with the first endpoint, the preference being a preference to communicate with a preferred Internet Protocol (IP) version.

20. The session border controller of claim 19, wherein the IP version is IPv6 or IPv6.