Translation of identifiers of user installation terminal in a packet network

• US 7,362,747 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2001
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Charlot, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh; Bob A.
• Application Number:
  US10/344,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,481 Days
• Field of Search: 370/392, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/475, 709/219, 709/226, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/663 Transport layer addresses, e.g. aspects of transmission control protocol [TCP] or user datagram protocol [UDP] ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2517 using port numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

To increase addressing capacity of terminals in a packet transmission network (RP) such as the Internet, the identifier (ITe) of a terminal (Te) having a predetermined format included in a network packet (PQ1) transmitted in a client installation (IC) is translated into a predetermined identifier (IPI) of the installation (IC) having said format and included in a network packet (PQ2) which is transmitted in the packet network (RP) to a telephone service provider server and into a port number (Pe1-Pe3) corresponding to the terminal identifier (ITe) and included in a transport packet encapsulated in the packet (PQ2) transmitted in the network, or vice versa. The port number can be allocated dynamically for steps during a call involving the terminal.

Claims

1. A method of translating identifiers of terminals in a client telecommunication installation, said identifiers having a predetermined format in packets in transit through a packet transmission network, the method comprising

including said identifiers in said packets in transit through said packet transmission network

causing said identifier of a terminal as a source address in a first network packet transmitted from the terminal through the client installation to be translated into a predetermined identifier of the installation having said format and included in a second network packet which is transmitted in the packet network to telephone service provider device and

causing a port number designating a voice call step involving the terminal and included in a transport packet encapsulated in the first network packet to be translated into a port number allocated dynamically to the terminal and included in a transport packet encapsulated in the second network packet in order to identify both said terminal and the call step involving the terminal in the provider device,

and conversely, the identifier of the installation included as a destination address in a third network packet which is transmitted in the packet network from the provider device to the installation through the packet network and the port number included in a transport packet encapsulated in the third network packet to be translated respectively into the identifier of the terminal included in a fourth network packet transmitted to the terminal through the installation and the port number designating the voice call step and included in a transport packet encapsulated in the fourth network packet.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein, at the time of connecting the terminal to the installation, causing (a) the port number in the second network packet to be a predetermined source port number independent of the terminal, and (b) the service provider device to allocate a terminal port number to the terminal and transmit said terminal port number to the installation as a destination port number in the transport packet included in the third network packet.

3. A method according to claim 1, further including causing the allocated port number dynamically to be again available at the end of said call step involving the terminal.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier of the terminal and the port number designating a voice call step are also included in a data field of the first network packet and causing the identifier of the terminal and the port number designating a voice call step to be translated respectively into the identifier of the installation and the port number allocated dynamically to the terminal which are also included in a data field of the second network packet, and conversely, causing the identifier of the installation and the port number allocated dynamically to the terminal to be included in a data field of the third network packet and be translated respectively into the identifier of the terminal and the port number designating a voice call step which are also included in a data field of the fourth network packet.

5. A device for translating identifiers of terminals in a client telecommunication installation, said identifiers being arranged to have a predetermined format and be included in packets in transit through a packet transmission network, the device comprising

a mapping table for matching said identifier of one of said terminals included in a network packet adapted to be transmitted in the installation to a dynamically allocated port number adapted to be included in a transport packet encapsulated in a network packet adapted to be transmitted in the packet network,

a controller arrangement for:

(a) replacing the identifier of the terminal included as a source address in a first network packet adapted to be transmitted by the terminal through the installation by a predetermined identifier of the installation having said format and included in a second network packet which is adapted to be transmitted in the packet network to a telephone service provider device and for replacing a port number designating a voice call step involving the terminal and included in a transport packet encapsulated in said first network packet by a port number allocated dynamically to the terminal and included in a transport packet adapted to be encapsulated in the second network packet, in order to identify both said terminal and the call step involving the terminal in the provider device, and (b) replacing the identifier of the installation adapted to be included as a destination address in a third network packet which is adapted to be transmitted in the packet network from the provider device to the installation through the packet network and the port number adapted to be included in a transport packet encapsulated in the third network packet respectively by the identifier of the terminal included in a fourth network packet transmitted to the terminal through the installation and the port number adapted to designate the voice call step and adapted to be included in a transport packet encapsulated in the fourth network packet.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the control means is arranged to delete the port numbers dynamically allocated in the mapping table at the end of said call step involving the terminal.