System and method for routing information packets

• US 7,680,065 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jennings, Cullen
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/038,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20060159065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/389, 370/401, 370/466, 370/254, 455/41.2, 707/1, 709/203, 709/238, 709/245, 709/204, 709/226
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming

Abstract

A system and method allowing control of VoIP communications by configuring a Network Address Translator (NAT) is provided. In a first NAT configuration, such a port-restricted NAT, peer-to-peer Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications are permitted between a VoIP originator and a receiver. In a second NAT configuration, such as a symmetrical NAT, peer-to-peer communications are not possible without further cooperation of the NAT. In this manner, an entity that has control of the NAT, such as an ISP, is able to have a degree of control over traffic using network resources such as bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method for controlling traffic in a network, wherein an originator initiates a transfer of information with a receiver, wherein a network device coupled between the originator and the receiver has at least two modes of operation, the method comprising:

translating an unregistered address for the originator into a registered address using a network address translator (NAT) in the network device, wherein the network device operates in a first mode of operation with a port-restricted NAT configuration such that the originator sends information packets to the receiver using a first port in the NAT;

detecting that a predetermined network traffic condition has been met; and

changing operation of the network device from the first mode of operation to a second mode of operation in response to the detected predetermined network traffic condition, wherein the second mode of operation comprises a symmetrical NAT configuration such that the receiver subsequently sends information packets to the originator using a second port in the NAT.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the predetermined network traffic condition comprises detecting that voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) transmissions are occurring.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected predetermined network traffic condition includes a level of bandwidth use.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected predetermined network traffic condition includes a level of device use.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected predetermined network traffic condition includes a level of a type of traffic.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the type of traffic includes voice-over-internet protocol.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the type of traffic includes streaming media.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the type of traffic includes file downloads.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the file downloads include video.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting and the changing are done by a first entity, wherein in the first mode of operation an increased amount of traffic is sent through resources controlled by the first entity, and wherein in the second mode of operation an increased amount of traffic is sent through resources controlled by a second entity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first entity includes an Internet service provider (ISP).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second entity includes a voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) server is used for the transfer of information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein an rport parameter is specified in a Via header of an information packet of the transfer of information.

15. An apparatus for controlling traffic in a network, wherein an originator initiates a transfer of information with a receiver, wherein a network device coupled between the originator and the receiver has at least two modes of operation, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium including instructions executable by the processor, the storage medium comprising;

one or more instructions for translating an unregistered address for the originator into a registered address using a network address translator (NAT) in the network device, wherein the network device operates in a first mode of operation with a port-restricted NAT configuration such that the originator sends information packets to the receiver using a first port in the NAT;

one or more instructions for detecting that a predetermined network traffic condition has been met; and

one or more instructions for changing operation of the network device from the first mode of operation to a second mode of operation in response to the detected predetermined network traffic condition, wherein the second mode of operation comprises a symmetrical NAT configuration such that the receiver subsequently sends information packets to the originator using a second port in the NAT.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the detected predetermined traffic condition comprises occurrence of voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) transmissions.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the detected predetermined network traffic condition comprises a level of bandwidth use.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the detected predetermined network traffic condition comprises a level of device use.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the detected predetermined network traffic condition comprises a level of a type of traffic.

20. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions executable by a processor for controlling traffic in a network, wherein an originator initiates a transfer of information with a receiver, wherein a network device coupled between the originator and the receiver has at least two modes of operation, the storage medium comprising:

one or more instructions for translating an unregistered address for the originator into a registered address using a network address translator (NAT) in the network device, wherein the network device operates in a first mode of operation with a port-restricted NAT configuration such that the originator sends information packets to the receiver using a first port in the NAT;

one or more instructions for detecting that a predetermined network traffic condition has been met; and

one or more instructions for changing operation of the network device from the first mode of operation to a second mode of operation in response to the detected predetermined network traffic condition, wherein the second mode of operation comprises a symmetrical NAT configuration such that the receiver subsequently sends information packets to the originator using a second port in the NAT.