Method for providing privacy by network address translation

• US 6,870,845 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1999
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramakrishnan, Kadangode K., Mishra, Partho Pratim, Kalmanek, Charles Robert Jr., Bellovin, Steven Michael, Marshall, William Todd, Nortz, Douglas M
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, THIEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/366,678
• Time in Patent Office: 2,057 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/392, 370/401, 370/407, 370/467, 370/469, 370/400, 370/393, 370/404, 370/403, 370/402, 370/465, 370/466, 709/238, 709/245
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2517 using port numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A call between a first network associated with a calling party and a second network associated with a called party is connected. The source address for packets associated with the call arc translated. The packets are sent from the calling party to the called party without the called party receiving the source address that indicates at least one from the group of a logical identity of the calling party and a geographical identity of the calling party.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a call between a calling party and a called party, comprising:

translating a first source address into a first global address, the first source address being local to a first network and being associated with the calling party;

translating a first destination address into a second global address;

sending the first global address and the second global address from a first network edge device to a second network edge device, the first network edge device connecting the first network and a second network, the second network edge device connecting a third network to the second network, the third network being associated with the called party;

translating the first global address into a second source address, the second source address being local to the third network;

translating the second global address into a second destination address, the second destination address being local to the third network and being associated with the called party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first source address and the first destination address are translated at the “

first network edge device”

for a plurality of packets associated with the call, and

the first global address and the second global address are translated at the “

second network edge”

for the plurality of packets associated with the call.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first source address and the first destination address are translated at the “

first network edge device”

connecting the first network and the second network

the first global address and the second global address are translated at the “

second network edge device”

connecting the second network and the third network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first source address and the second source address are associated with an originating interface unit within the first network, and

the first destination address and the second destination address are associated with a terminating interface unit within the third network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first network and the third network are untrusted networks, and

the second network is a trusted network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

releasing the first global address and the second global address after the call is completed; and

translating a third source address into the first global address, the third source address being local to the first network and being associated with a second calling party.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second destination address is translated into the second global address for a plurality of packets associated with the call and being sent from the called party to the calling party;

the second source address is translated into the first global address for the plurality of packets;

the first global address is translated into the first source address for the plurality of packets; and

the second global address is translated into the first destination address for the plurality of packets.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first source address and the first destination address are translated at the first network edge device for a first plurality of packets associated with the call and being sent from the calling party to the called party,

the first global address and the second global address are translated at the second network edge device for the first plurality of packets associated with the call and being sent from the calling party to the called party.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

translating the second destination address into the second global address for a second plurality of packets associated with the call and being sent from the called party to the calling party;

translating the second source address into the first global address for the second plurality of packets;

translating the first global address into the first source address for the second plurality of packets; and

translating the second global address into the first destination address for the second plurality of packets.

10. A method for privately connecting a call between a calling party and a called party, comprising:

receiving a first global address and a second global address, the first global address being a translation of a first source address, the first source address being local to a first network and being associated with the calling party, the second global address being a translation of a first destination address, the first destination address being associated with the called party;

translating the first global address into a second source address, the second source address being local to a second network; and

translating the second global address into a second destination address, the second destination address being local to the second network and being associated with the called party.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first global address and the second global address are translated for a plurality of packets associated with the call and being sent from the calling party to the called party,

the first global address and the second global address are translated at an edge router connecting a third network to the second network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first source address and the second source address are associated with an originating telephone broadband interface within the first network, and

the first destination address and the second destination address are associated with a terminating broadband interface within the second network.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein

the first global address and the second global address are translated at an edge router connecting a third network to the second network,

and wherein the first network and the second network are not under the control of the third network.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

releasing the first global address and the second global address after the call is completed; and

translating the first global address into a third source address, the third source address being local to the second network and being associated with a second called party.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the first global address is translated into a second source address for a first plurality of packets associated with the call and being sent from the calling party to the called party; and

the second global address is translated into a second destination address for the first plurality of packets.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

translating the second source address into the first global address for a second plurality of packets associated with the call and being sent from the called party to the calling party; and

translating the second destination address into the second global address for the second plurality of packets.

17. A method for connecting a call between a calling party and a called party, comprising:

translating a first local address into a first global address, the first local address being associated with a first network;

sending the first global address from a first network edge device to a second network edge device, the first network edge device connecting the first network and a second network, the second network edge device connecting a third network to the second network; and

translating the first global address into a second local address, the second local address being associated with the third network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the first local address is associated with the calling party, the first network is associated with the calling party,

the second local address is associated with the called party, the second network is associated with the called party.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the first local address is associated with the called party, the first network is associated with the called party,

the second local address is associated with the calling party, the second network is associated with the calling party.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

releasing the first global address after the call is completed; and

translating a third local address into the first global address, the third local address being associated with a second call.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

translating a second local address into a second global address, the second local address being associated with the third network;

sending the second global address from the second network edge device to the first network edge device; and

translating the second global address into a third local address, the third local address being associated with the first network.

22. A method for connecting a call between a calling party and a called party, comprising:

receiving, from a first network edge device at a second network edge device, a first global address that is a translation of a first local address, the first local address being associated with a first network, the first network edge device connecting the first network and a second network, the second network edge device connecting a third network to the second network; and

translating the first global address into a second local address, the second local address being associated with the third network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the first local address is associated with the calling party, the first network is associated with the calling party,

the second local address is associated with the called party, the second network is associated with the called party.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the first local address is associated with the called party, the first network is associated with the called party,

the second local address is associated with the calling party, the second network is associated with the calling party.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

releasing the first global address after the call is completed; and

translating a third local address into the first global address, the third local address being associated with a second call.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

translating a second local address into a second global address, the second local address being associated with the third network;

sending the second global address from the second network edge device to the first network edge device; and

translating the second global address into a third local address, the third local address being associated with the first network.