Methods for discovering network address and port translators

• US 7,333,500 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2002
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Roshko, Michael E
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye, Saba
• Application Number:
  US10/253,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20040057385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370351-352, 370/389, 370/392, 370/393, 370/395.2, 370/395.3, 370/395.5, 370/395.52, 370/395.53, 370/401
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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]

Abstract

Network Address and Port Translators (NATs) have the potential to interrupt the end-to-end nature of Internet applications, thereby threatening end-to-end security and other end-to-end functions. Thus it is important to be able to discover the existence of NATs and their type. Accordingly there is provided a method of discovering the existence and type of NAT that involves instigating a test call between media endpoints on a Media Gateway (MG) and a Media Gateway Controller (MGC). The MGC is able to deduce the existence of a NAT by examining the media packets sent to its endpoint. If a NAT is determined to be present the MGC instructs the endpoint on the MG to send media packets to another endpoint on the MGC. By comparing the IP addresses and ports of the media packets received at the endpoints of the MGC, the MGC is able to deduce whether the type of NAT is Cone or Symmetric.

Claims

1. A method of determining a presence of a Network Address and Port Translator between a Telephony Service Provider Network and a network comprising a Media Gateway, said Telephony Service Provider Network comprising a Media Gateway Controller, said method comprising:

the Media Gateway Controller instigating a test call between a first virtual endpoint on the Media Gateway Controller acting as a calling party, and an endpoint on the Media Gateway acting as a called party by transmitting a Create Connection message to the endpoint on the Media Gateway;

receiving a reply comprising a local Session Description Protocol of the endpoint of the Media Gateway at the Media Gateway Controller;

receiving an empty/noise media packet from the Media Gateway at the first virtual endpoint of the Media Gateway Controller; and

comparing source IP address and port of the empty/noise media packet received at the first virtual endpoint of the Media Gateway Controller with IP address and port contained in the received local Session Description Protocol of the endpoint of the Media Gateway, wherein if the IP addresses are different or the ports are different then a Network Address and Port Translator is determined to be present, otherwise, if the IP addresses are the same and the ports are the same then a Network Address and Port Translator is determined not to be present.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the test call is instigated during registration of the Media Gateway with the Media Gateway Controller.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the test call is instigated between a first virtual media endpoint on the Media Gateway Controller and a real media endpoint on the Media Gateway.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the test call between the Media Gateway and the Media Gateway Controller is instigated during set-up of an actual call.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said Telephony Service Provider Network and said network comprising the Media Gateway are packet-switched networks.

6. A method according to claim 5 for use with voice over Internet Protocol applications.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein instigating the test call comprises sending a message to create a connection to the endpoint on the Media Gateway from the Media Gateway Controller, wherein a remote Session Description Protocol is sent in the message to create the connection and corresponds to a first virtual media endpoint on the Media Gateway Controller.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the empty/noise media packets from the Media Gateway are received at the first virtual media endpoint on the Media Gateway Controller.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein if a Network Address and Port Translator is found to present, said method further comprises:

determining the type of Network Address and Port Translator that is present.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein determining the type of Network Address and Port Translator comprises:

changing the remote Session Description Protocol for the call to one with a different IP address, but still on the same Media Gateway Controller, corresponding to a second virtual media endpoint;

sending a message to modify the Session Description Protocol to the Media Gateway from the Media Gateway Controller;

prompting the Media Gateway to send empty/noise media packets to the changed IP address and port corresponding to the second virtual media endpoint on the Media Gateway Controller;

receiving the empty/noise media packets at the second virtual media endpoint on the Media Gateway Controller;

comparing the source IP address and port of the empty/noise media packets received at the second virtual media endpoint of the Media Gateway Controller with the source IP address and port of the media packets received at the first virtual media endpoint of the Media Gateway Controller, wherein if the same source IP address and port is used for the media packets sent to the first and the second virtual media endpoints on the Media Gateway Controller, the Network Address and Port Translator is determined to be a Cone Network Address and Port Translator, but if a different source IP address or port is used for the media packets sent to the first and the second virtual media endpoints on the Media Gateway Controller, the Network Address and Port Translator is determined to be a Symmetric Network Address and Port Translator.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the message to create a connection instructs the endpoint on the Media Gateway to be in a mode for sending media packets.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the test call is instigated during registration of the Media Gateway with the Media Gateway Controller.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the test call between the Media Gateway and the Media Gateway Controller is instigated during set-up of an actual call.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the test call is instigated between the virtual media endpoint on the Media Gateway Controller and a real media endpoint on the Media Gateway.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the Media Gateway Controller stores information relating to the type of Network Address and Port Translator determined.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein said Telephony Service Provider and said Media Gateway Networks are packet-switched networks.

17. A method according to claim 16 for use with voice over IP applications.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein receipt of a registration message from the Media Gateway triggers the instigating of the test call.

19. A computer readable medium embodied with a computer program that comprises computer executable instructions for use in a computer for determining the presence of a Network Address and Port Translator between a Telephony Service Provider Network and a network comprising a Media Gateway, according to the method of claim 10.

20. A computer readable medium embodied with a computer program that comprises computer executable instructions for use in a computer for determining the presence of a Network Address and Port Translator between a Telephony Service Provider Network and a network comprising a Media Gateway, according to the method of claim 1.

21. A Media Gateway Controller comprising a first virtual media endpoint, and capable of determining the presence of a Network Address and Port Translator between a Telephony Service Provider Network in which said Media Gateway Controller is located, and a network comprising a Media Gateway, wherein said Media Gateway Controller:

investigates a test call between the first virtual media endpoint acting as a calling party, and an endpoint on the Media Gateway acting as a called party by the first virtual media endpoint transmitting a Create Connection message to the endpoint on the media gateway;

receives a reply comprising the local Session Description Protocol of the endpoint of the Media Gateway;

receives empty/noise media packets from the Media Gateway at its first virtual media endpoint; and

compares source IP address and port of the empty/noise media packets received at its first virtual media endpoint with IP address and port contained in the received local Session Description Protocol of the endpoint of the Media Gateway, wherein if the IP addresses we different or the ports we different ten a Network Address and Port Translator is determined to be present, otherwise, if the IP addresses are the same and the ports are the same ten a Network Address and Port Translator is determined not to be present.

22. A Media Gateway Controller according to claim 21, wherein if a Network Address and Port Translator is found to be present, said Media Gateway Controller is operable to:

determine the type of Network Address and Port Translator that is present.

23. A Media Gateway Controller according to claim 21, further comprising a second virtual media endpoint, wherein if a Network Address and Port Translator is found to be present, wherein said Media Gateway Controller:

changes the remote Session Description Protocol for the call to one with a different IP address and port, but still on said Media Gateway Controller, corresponding to said second virtual media endpoint;

sends a message to modify the Session Description Protocol to the Media Gateway;

receives empty/noise media data packets at the changed IP address and port, corresponding to its second virtual media endpoint, from the Media Gateway; and

compares the source IP address and port of the empty/noise media packets received at its second virtual media endpoint with the IP address and port of the media packets received at its first virtual media endpoint, wherein if the same source IP address and port is used for the media packets sent to said first and said second virtual media endpoints, the Network Address and Port Translator is determined to be a Cone Network Address and Port Translator, but if a different source IP address or port is used for the media packets sent to said first and said second virtual media endpoints, the Network Address and Port Translator is determined to be a Symmetric Network Address and Port Translator.

24. A Media Gateway Controller according to claim 23, comprising a data store capable of holding information relating to the type of Network Address and Port Translator determined.

25. A packet-switched network comprising a Media Gateway Controller according to claim 23.

26. A packet-switched network comprising a Media Gateway Controller according to claim 21.