Mobile networking system and method using IPv4 and IPv6

• US 7,644,171 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netmotion Wireless Holdings, Inc. (NetMotion Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Netmotion Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Olson, Erik, Sturniolo, Emil A., Patashnik, Eli, Savarese, Joseph T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell; Robert B
• Application Number:
  US11/252,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/230, 270/401
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/133 Protocols for remote procedure calls [RPC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• 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 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/167 Adaptation for transition between two IP versions, e.g. between IPv4 and IPv6 translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses H04L61/2503
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A method for communicating Internet Protocol data over a network, comprises providing an IPv4 data stream and providing an IPv6 data stream. An encrypted Internet Protocol communications tunnel is established through the network between a roaming mobile device and a further computing device. The IPv4 and IPv6 data streams are combined for encapsulation within and transmission through said encrypted tunnel. Continual secure communications of the encapsulated IPv4 and IPv6 data streams is maintained between said roaming mobile device and the further computing device while the roaming mobile device roams between network access points. The encapsulated, transmitted IPv4 and IPv6 data streams are received from said tunnel, and the received IPv4 and IPv6 data streams are demultiplexed.

Claims

1. A method of communicating Internet Protocol data over networks with a mobile device comprising a roamable hardware device that executes software of the type, defining an application layer, the method comprising:

(a) communicating said Internet Protocol data of a predetermined version IPvX between said mobile device and a further device, wherein said mobile device has an IPvX stack but no IPvY stack;

(b) communicating said Internet Protocol data of a predetermined version IPvY between another device and said further device, where X does not equal Y; and

(c) using functionality provided at least in part at said further device to bridge said mobile device communications with said another device including at least one of (a) encapsulating an IPvY application layer data stream in IPvX protocol formatting for communication with said mobile device so an IPvY application layer at the mobile device can interoperate with said communicated IPvY application layer data stream even though the mobile device has no IPvY stack, and (b) encapsulating an IPvX application layer data stream in IPvY protocol formatting for communication to said another device so an IPvX application layer at the said another device can interoperate with said communicated IPvX application layer data stream from the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein X=4 and Y=6.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step (c) comprises proxying said mobile device communications.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said mobile device includes an application level proxy.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said mobile device includes an IPvX sockets interface and an IPvY sockets interface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said further device also comprises a mobile device.

7. A system for communicating Internet Protocol data over a network comprising:

a mobile device that communicates said Internet Protocol data of a predetermined version IPvX with a bridging device;

a further device that communicates said Internet Protocol data of a predetermined version IPvY with said bridging device, where X does not equal Y; and

a facility within the bridging device that bridges said mobile device communications with said further device communications,

wherein said mobile device has no IPvY protocol stack and said further device has no IPvX protocol stack,

and said method further includes at least one of (a) encapsulating an IPvY application layer data stream in IPvX protocol formatting for communication to said mobile device so an IPvY application layer at the mobile device can interoperate with said IPvY application layer data stream communicated to said mobile device, and (b) encapsulating an IPvX application layer data stream in IPvY protocol formatting for communication to said further device so an IPvX application layer at the further device can interoperate with said communicated IPvX application layer data stream.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said further device also comprises a mobile device.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said bridging device comprises a proxy.

10. A method for communicating Internet Protocol data over a network, comprising:

providing an IPv4 application layer data stream;

providing an IPv6 application layer data stream;

establishing an encrypted Internet Protocol communications tunnel through said network between a roaming mobile device comprising a roamable hardware device that executes software defining an application layer, and a further computing device;

combining said IPv4 and IPv6 application layer data streams for encapsulation within and transmission through said encrypted tunnel;

maintaining continual secure communications of said encapsulated IPv4 and IPv6 application layer data streams between said roaming mobile device and said further computing device while said roaming mobile device roams between network access points;

receiving said encapsulated and transmitted IPv4 and IPv6 application layer data streams from said tunnel;

demultiplexing said received IPv4 and IPv6 application layer data streams;

providing said received IPv4 application layer data stream to an IPv4 application; and

providing said received IPv6 application layer data stream to an IPv6 application.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a proxy establishes said encrypted tunnel.