Encapsulation method discovery protocol for network address translation gateway traversal
First Claim
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1. In a Virtual Private Network or VPN comprising a Network Address Translation or NAT device and a voice communication device, a method to determine an encapsulation used by a tunnel, comprising:
- a processor selecting a first encapsulation method for use in a pre-existing tunnel;
the processor transmitting a packet encapsulated by the first encapsulation method;
the processor determining if the packet has been received;
the processor determining if a response to the packet has been received;
if either the packet or the response has been received, the processor increasing a receive packet counter;
the processor waiting for a selected period of time;
the processor determining if the receive packet counter has been increased;
if the receive packet counter has not been increased in the selected period of time, the processor selecting a second encapsulation method; and
the processor repeating the transmitting through selecting steps (b) and (c) using the second encapsulation method.
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a communication device including a discovery agent 348 operable to determine an encapsulation method used by a tunnel by transmitting packets generated using different encapsulation protocols until a responsive packet is received on a selected receive port.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a Virtual Private Network or VPN comprising a Network Address Translation or NAT device and a voice communication device, a method to determine an encapsulation used by a tunnel, comprising:
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a processor selecting a first encapsulation method for use in a pre-existing tunnel; the processor transmitting a packet encapsulated by the first encapsulation method; the processor determining if the packet has been received; the processor determining if a response to the packet has been received; if either the packet or the response has been received, the processor increasing a receive packet counter; the processor waiting for a selected period of time; the processor determining if the receive packet counter has been increased; if the receive packet counter has not been increased in the selected period of time, the processor selecting a second encapsulation method; and the processor repeating the transmitting through selecting steps (b) and (c) using the second encapsulation method. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a Virtual Private Network or VPN comprising a Network Address Translation or NAT device and a voice communication device, a method to determine a tunnel quality, comprising:
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a processor periodically introducing a packet into the tunnel at a selected frequency for a predetermined time, wherein the packet is sourced from and destined to a secured communication client of a voice communication device and wherein the packet comprises a timestamp; when the packet is received by the secured communication client, the processor determining a round trip time of the packet and a number of packets lost; and while the tunnel is functioning and when the round trip time and the number of packets lost is not acceptable for voice communications, the processor tearing down the tunnel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A packet-switched voice communication device, comprising:
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a secured communication client; and a discovery agent operable to perform the following operations; select a first encapsulation method; transmit a packet encapsulated by the first encapsulation method on a selected transmit port; determine if the packet has been received; determine if a response to the packet has been received; if either the packet or the response has been received, increase a receive packet counter; wait for a selected period of time; determine if the receive packet counter has been increased; if the receive packet counter has been increased in the selected period of time, select a second encapsulation method; and repeat the transmit through selected steps using the second encapsulation method. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification