Methods and apparatus for setting up telephony connections between two address domains having overlapping address ranges

• US 7,408,928 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Bradd, Patrick, Aoun, Cedric, Baughan, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NG, CHRISTINE Y
• Application Number:
  US10/032,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20030118002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/351, 370/352, 370/353, 370/382, 370/383, 370/389, 370/395.52, 370/395.54, 370/400, 370/401, 370/409, 370/465, 370/474, 370/392, 370/466, 709/225, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/238, 709/245
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2517 using port numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2535 Multiple local networks, e.g. resolving potential IP address conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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

IP addresses are presently becoming a scarce resource, even in private IP address domains. Commonly therefore network address translators are used to map a large number of private addresses to a relatively small number of public IP address, or even map addresses between two different IP address domains. However, network address translators do not readily pass voice set-up protocols such as SIP and VoIP packets. By modifying a call server and providing an intelligent network address translator, conventional media gateways may be caused to use the intelligent address translator to route VoIP packets between IP domains having overlapping address spaces.

Claims

1. A method of initiating a media call over a packet-switched network comprising:

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(a) issuing a call set-up request at a first terminal having an address in a first address range, the call set-up request being destined for a second terminal in a separate network having an address in a second address range which overlaps with the first address range,

(b) passing the call set-up request to a first call server communicatively coupled to the first address range,

(c) passing the call set-up request from the first call server to a second call server communicatively coupled to the second address range,

(d) causing the call servers to negotiate a port at each respective addresses of the terminals for subsequent communication once the call is set-up,

(e) providing a first address translator having a first range address in the first address range,

(f) providing a second address translator having a second range address in the second address range,

(g) causing the first call server to provide the first terminal with the first range address of the first address translator as its destination address for the call,

(h) causing the second call server to provide the second terminal with the second range address of the second address translator as its destination address for the call,

(i) arranging for the first address translator to pass data received at the first range address from the first terminal at the negotiated port to the second address translator for onward communication to the address of the second terminal at the negotiated port, and

(j) arranging for the second address translator to pass data received at the second range address from the second terminal at the negotiated port to the first address translator for onward communication to the address of the first terminal at the negotiated port,

whereby two-way communication is established between the first and second terminals via the first and second address translators.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second address translators are integrated in a single device having external addresses in the first and second address ranges.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second address translators each have a third range address in a third address range which is common between the address translators, wherein the respective third range address of the second address translator is provided to the first address translator by at least one of the call servers and vice versa, and wherein data passed between the address translators is passed via their respective third range addresses.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the call servers each have a fourth range address in a fourth address range which is common between the call servers.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second address ranges are IANA reserved private IP address ranges as defined in RFC 1918.

6. A first call server in a first packet-switched network comprising:

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a terminal controller arranged to receive a call set-up request from an originating terminal in the first packet-switched network, wherein the first call server is responsive to the call set-up request to set up a communications session from the originating terminal in the first packet-switched network having a first address range to a destination terminal in a second packet-switched network having a second address range that overlaps with the first address range, the terminal controller arranged to further provide the originating terminal with a first range address of at least one address translator as its destination address for the call, the first range address being in the first address range;

an address translator controller arranged to provide to the at least one address translator, an address of the originating terminal in the first network as derived from the call set-up request received by the terminal controller, and

wherein the first call server is to communicate with a second call server in the second network to cause the second call server to assign a second range address of the at least one address translator as a destination address of the destination terminal, the second range address being in the second address range.

7. A first call server according to claim 6 including intra-server communication means arranged to communicate with the second call server to obtain an IP address and port for the destination terminal which is under the control of the second call server and wherein the address translator controller is further arranged to provide the IP address and port of the destination terminal to the at least one address translator.

8. A first call server according to claim 6, which arranges for the originating terminal to view a first virtual gateway in the address translator as a destination for the originating terminal, wherein the first virtual gateway has the first range address.

9. A first call server according to claim 8, which communicates with the second call server in the second packet-switched network to cause the second call server to assign a destination address of a second virtual gateway in the at least one address translator as the destination address of the destination terminal.

10. A first address translator in a first network comprising:

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a terminal port for communicating with a first terminal in the first network, wherein the first network has a first address range, and the first network further has a first call server, and wherein the first address translator has a first range address in the first address range,

a translator port for communicating with a second address translator in a second network having a second range address in a second address range, the second address range overlapping with the first address range and

a control port for communicating with the first call server, the first call server being adapted to provide the first terminal with the first range address of the first address translator as its destination address for the call;

wherein when the first address translator receives a message at the first range address from the first terminal, the first address translator routes the message to the second address translator, the second address translator having the second range address that is assigned as the destination address of a destination terminal in the second network.

11. A first address translator according to claim 10, including a controller arranged to receive at the control port, information relating to an IP address of the second address translator which is reachable via the translator port and corresponding information relating to an IP address of the first terminal and to pass data received at the terminal port from the first terminal to the first address translator via the translator port.