Processing network address identifiers

• US 6,988,143 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications (BT Group Plc) (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: O'Neill, Alan W, Clarke, Philip M, Baker, Shaun S, Felton, Paul J, Beauchamps, Caroline M
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/220,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-224, 709230-231
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/327 in the session layer [OSI layer 5]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention provides a method, data processing system and software for generating address identifiers for use in a communications network. The method comprises the step of processing a first address identifier constructed in accordance with a first communications protocol; and the step of constructing a second address identifier, from said first identifier, in accordance with a second communications protocol. The first communications protocol may be protocol Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and the second communications Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The invention enables messages to be sent to a SIP URL derived from an SMTP email URL. In the event that the SIP URL is invalid, or unregistered the SIP message is diverted from a SIP defined destination URL address identifier to a corresponding SMTP defined destination URL address identifier for the same user or end system. In this way users may send SIP messages to SMTP address identifiers using the SMTP network protocol and infrastructure (416) and SMTP messages to SIP address identifiers using the SIP network protocol and infrastructure (408, 410, 412).

Claims

1. A method of operating a network to provide communications in accordance with a first communications protocol, said method comprising:

receiving a base address identifier convertible by a first directory server associated with said network to an address for use in communications made in accordance with a second communications protocol;

derive, from said base address identifier, an amended address identifier convertible by a second directory server to an address for use in communications made in accordance with said first communications protocol;

wherein at least part of said address identifiers is formed in accordance with a hierarchical addressing scheme, said part comprising a sequence of address identifier components, the position of a component in said sequence indicating the level of said component in said hierarchical addressing scheme;

said method being characterised in that said derivation involves providing amended address components so that a plurality of base address identifiers convertible by said first directory server are converted to one or more amended address identifiers convertible by said second directory server.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said one or more address components is positioned in said sequence such that in said amended address identifier, said one or more added address components are associated with higher positions in said hierarchy than the address components derived from said base address identifier.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which one or more of said base address identifier components are maintained in said amended address identifier.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which all of said base address identifier components are maintained in said amended address identifier.