Controlled transmission across packet network

• US 6,870,841 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2000
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Russell, Larry Arnise, Brown, John Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HANH N
• Application Number:
  US09/664,597
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 370/400, 370/401, 370/351, 370/466, 370/350, 370/503, 370/395.31, 370352-356, 709/245, 709/201, 709/203, 713/201
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2539 Hiding addresses; Keeping addresses anonymous
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Control over the movement of packets is exercised by edge nodes of a network mapping the addresses of incoming packets in accordance with a prespecified functional mapping P. Remote sources of packets are provided address information that is mapped with a prespecified functional mapping Q, where mappings P and Q are such that P(Q(j)=j. The mapping change at regular intervals, or upon the occurrence of specified events, and with each change, the communicating the remote source is provided with a different mapped address to be used.

Claims

1. A method for communicating packets from a packet source in a first network to a packet destination in a second network, where said packet destination has a network address X, comprising the steps of:

communicating, from an element in said second network to an element in said first network, an address Y that corresponds to address X mapped with function ; and

mapping, in a node in said second network, at least a sub-field of an address field contained in packets received from said first network with a function , where and are functions such that ((X))=X, where functions and change upon occurrence of an event.

2. The method of claim 1 where said functions and change at regular time intervals.

3. The method of claim 1 where said changes to said mapping function and mapping function are algorithmically determined.

4. The method of claim 1 where said changes to said mapping function and mapping function are determined by reference to a table that is stored in said element of said second network, and a table that is stored in said node.

5. The method of claim 4 where said table in said node contains seed values that are used to develop a decryption function to serve as mapping function , and said table in said element of said second network contains seed values that are used to develop a decryption function to serve as mapping function .

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of communicating, from said element in said second network, an identifier that is instrumental in routing said packets from said first network to said second network.

7. The method of claim 1 where said node includes links to elements outside said second network.

8. The method of claim 7 where said elements outside said second network are nodes in a third network.

9. The method of claim 7 where said elements outside said second network are links to a PSTN network.

10. The method of claim 7 where said elements outside said second network are Media Terminal Adapters.

11. The method of claim 1 where said node includes links to nodes outside said second network.

12. The method of claim 1 where said element is in said second network is a call agent.

13. The method of claim 12 where said call agent implements communication features for said packet destination.

14. The method of claim 1 where said element in said first network is a call agent.

15. The method of claim 14 where said step of communicating employs a third network for communicating from said call agent in said second network to said call agent in said first network.

16. The method of claim 1 where said first network and said second network carry information in packet format or switched-circuit format.

17. The method of claim 1 where said node in said second network receives said packets from said first network via one or more other networks.

18. A method for communicating Packets from a packet source in a first network to a packet destination in a second network, where said packet destination has a network address X, comprising the steps of:

communicating, from an element in said second network to an element in said first network, an address Y that corresponds to address X mapped with function ;

mapping, in a node in said second network, at least a sub-field of an address field contained in packets received from said first network with a function , where and are functions such that ((X))=X;

determining whether result of said mapping correspond to a valid packet destination in said second network; and

if said step of determining concludes that said result of said mapping does not correspond to a valid packet destination in said second network, mapping said at least a sub-field of an address field contained in packets received from said first network with a function , which corresponds to the mapping function employed by said node prior to a change in mapping function .