Communication system and transfer device

• US 7,249,370 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Issei, Kodama, Mitsuru, Tsuji, Kenjirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Arani; Taghi T.
• Application Number:
  US10/531,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 713/3, 726/3
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/64 Asynchronous transfer mode [ATM] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A video data providing unit (10) connects to a restricted access providing-side VPN (20). A streaming server (60) connects to a restricted access transmitting-side VPN (50). A router (40) determines whether or not transmitting-side data such as request data or instruction data received via the transmitting-side VPN (50) is data that has been transmitted from the streaming server (60), and whether or not providing-side data such as video data received via the providing-side VPN (20) is data that has been transmitted from the information providing unit (10). The router 40 then transfers the transmitting-side data and providing-side data based on those determination results.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

an information providing unit configured to provide information data;

an information providing-side network configured to provide connectivity to the information providing unit, to restrict access to the information providing-side network, and to operate under a first security policy restricting access to the information providing-side network based on an authentication determination made from within the information providing-side network;

an information transmitter configured to obtain the information data by transmitting request data for requesting the information data to the information providing unit, and transmit obtained information data to a terminal;

an information transmitting-side network configured to provide connectivity to the information transmitter, to restrict access to the information transmitting-side network, and to operate under a second security policy restricting access to the information transmitting-side network based on an authentication determination made from within the information transmitting-side network; and

a transfer unit comprising an interface for each of the information transmitting-side network and the information providing-side network, the transfer unit configured to connect to each of the networks, determine whether or not transmitting-side data received via the information transmitting-side network is data transmitted from the information transmitter, and whether or not providing-side data received via the information providing-side network is data transmitted from the information providing unit, and transfer the transmitting-side data and the providing-side data based on determination results.

2. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of information providing-side networks, wherein

the transfer unit connects the information transmitting-side network and the plurality of information providing-side networks.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the transfer unit converts an address attached to data transmitted to the information providing unit from the information transmitter, into a providing-side address, and converts an address attached to data transmitted to the information transmitter from the information providing unit, into a transmitting-side address.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the transfer unit converts an address attached to data transmitted to the information providing unit from the information transmitter, into a common address, converts a converted common address into a providing-side address, converts an address attached to data transmitted to the information transmitter from the information providing unit, into the common address, and converts a converted common address into a transmitting-side address.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the transfer unit memorizes a threshold value for an amount of the information data from the information providing unit for transfer at once, compares the threshold value with an amount of the information data received from the information providing unit via the information providing-side network, and controls transfer of the transmitting-side data and the providing-side data based on a comparison result.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the information data is video data.

7. The communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the information providing-side network and the information transmitting-side network is a virtual private network.

9. The communication system of claim 2, the transfer unit further comprising an interface for each of the plurality of information providing-side networks.

8. A transfer device comprising:

a first interface connected to an information providing-side network, wherein the information providing-side network is configured to provide connectivity to an information providing unit, to restrict access to the information providing-side network, and to operate under a first security policy restricting access to the information providing-side network based on an authentication determination made from within the information providing-side network;

a second interface connected to an information transmitting-side network, wherein the information transmitting-side network is configured to provide connectivity to an information transmitter, to restrict access to the information transmitting-side network, and to operate under a second security policy restricting access to the information transmitting-side network based on an authentication determination made from within the information transmitting-side network, and the information transmitter obtains the information data by transmitting request data for requesting the information data to the information providing unit and transmitting obtained information data to a terminal; and

a controller configured to determine whether or not transmitting-side data received via the information transmitting-side network is data transmitted from the information transmitter, determine whether or not providing-side data received via the information providing-side network is data transmitted from the information providing unit, and transfer the transmitting-side data and the providing-side data based on determination results.