IPv4-to-IPv6 address transitioning methods and apparatus for systems that push information to wireless communication devices

• US 8,107,483 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dunk, Craig Allan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAO, WEI PO ERIC
• Application Number:
  US12/723,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20100172302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/230, 370/231, 370/235, 370/315, 370/327, 370/328, 370/329, 370/340, 370/341, 370/331, 370/338, 370/389, 370/392, 370/393, 370/400, 370/401, 370/466, 370/467
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/52 Multiprotocol routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/251 between different IP versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• 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 69/167 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 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 : involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 : between backbone network devices

Abstract

A front end of an IPv6 communication network includes a network entry point device and a plurality of tunnel servers which facilitate the communication of user information between a host computer of an IPv4 communication network and an IPv6 wireless communication device. The network entry point device is configured to direct a tunnel request from the host computer to a selected tunnel server, which establishes a tunnel connection with the host computer. The tunnel server facilitates the communication of user information between the host and the wireless device through the tunnel connection. The tunnel server also performs a dynamic routing protocol (DRP). In accordance with the DRP, the tunnel server updates a local routing table to reflect the newly established tunnel connection and broadcasts updated routing table information to the other tunnel servers. In another related technical aspect, a back end of the IPv6 communication network facilitates communication with the IPv6 wireless device when it operates in an IPv4 wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A method for use in facilitating, via a communication network, the communication of user information between a plurality of host computers and a plurality of wireless communication devices operative via a base station of a mobile communication network, the communication network including a front end subnet and a core network, the front end subnet including a network entry point device and a plurality of tunnel servers co-located in the front end subnet, the tunnel servers being connected between the network entry point device and the core network, the method comprising the acts of:

operating to receive, by the network entry point device, a plurality of tunnel requests from the host computers, each said tunnel request being associated with one of the wireless communication devices operating in the mobile communication network;

operating to communicate, by the network entry point device, in accordance with one of a round-robin assignment technique and a load balancing technique, the plurality of tunnel requests to the tunnel servers co-located in the front end subnet;

establishing, by the tunnel servers, a plurality of tunnel connections between the host computers and the tunnel servers in response to the tunnel requests received in accordance with the round-robin assignment technique or the load balancing technique, each said tunnel connection being associated with one of the wireless communication devices operating in the mobile communication network; and

allowing the user information to be communicated, via the communication network through the tunnel connections established with the tunnel servers co-located in the front end subnet, between the host computers and the wireless communication devices operating via the base station of the mobile communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further acts of:

performing, by each tunnel server, a dynamic routing protocol (DRP);

updating, by each tunnel server according to the DRP, a local routing table to reflect newly established tunnel connections; and

broadcasting, by each tunnel server according to the DRP, updated routing table information which reflects newly established tunnel connections to other tunnel servers.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further acts of:

operating to receive, by the network entry point device, a new tunnel request from one of the host computers which has detected a communication failure with one of the tunnel servers;

operating to send, by the network entry point device, the new tunnel request to a new one of the tunnel servers in accordance with the round-robin assignment technique or the load balancing technique;

establishing, by the newly selected tunnel server, a new tunnel connection with the host computer; and

performing, by the newly selected tunnel server, the DRP for updating the local routing table and for broadcasting updated routing table information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each tunnel server is further operative to allow the communication of the user information via the tunnel connection by:

receiving, from a host computer, a first plurality of data packets having user information;

decapsulating the first plurality of data packets to reveal decapsulated data packets for communication to the wireless communication device;

receiving, from the wireless communication device, a second plurality of data packets having user information; and

encapsulating the second plurality of data packets to produce encapsulated data packets for communication to the host computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network entry point device comprises a local director.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network entry point device comprises a round-robin domain name server (DNS).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises an IPv6 communication network and at least one host computer communicates through an IPv4 communication network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises an IPv6 communication network and the at least one host computer communicates through an IPv4 communication network, and wherein each tunnel server is further operative to allow the communication of the user information via the tunnel connection by:

receiving, from the host computer, IPv4-addressed data packets having user information;

decapsulating the IPv4-addressed data packets to reveal underlying IPv6-addressed data packets for communication to the wireless communication device;

receiving, from the wireless communication device, IPv6-addressed data packets having user information; and

encapsulating the IPv6-addressed data packets within IPv4-addressed data packets for communication to the host computer.

9. A network entry point device configured to connect in a communication network for use in facilitating the communication of user information between a plurality of host computers and a plurality of wireless communication devices operative via a base station of a mobile communication network, the communication network including a front end subnet and a core network, the front end subnet including the network entry point device and a plurality of tunnel servers co-located in the front end subnet, the tunnel servers being connected between the network entry point device and the core network, the network entry point device being operative to:

receive a plurality of tunnel requests from the host computers, each said tunnel request being associated with one of the wireless communication devices operating in the mobile communication network; and

communicate, in accordance with one of a round-robin assignment technique and a load balancing technique, the plurality of tunnel requests to the tunnel servers co-located in the front end subnet, so that the tunnel servers establish a plurality or tunnel connections with the host computers through which the user information is communicated to the wireless communication devices operating via the base station of the mobile communication network.

10. The network entry point device of claim 9, which is further operative to:

receive a new tunnel request from one of the host computers which has detected a communication failure with one of the tunnel servers;

send the new tunnel request to a new one of the tunnel servers in accordance with the round-robin assignment technique or the load balancing technique, so that the newly selected tunnel server establishes a new tunnel connection with the host computer.

11. The network entry point device of claim 9, which comprises a local director.

12. The network entry point device of claim 9, which comprises a round-robin domain name server (DNS).

13. A communication network for facilitating communications between a plurality of host computers and a plurality of wireless communication devices operative via a base station of a mobile communication network, the communication network comprising:

a front end subnet including a network entry point device and a plurality of tunnel servers which are co-located in the front end subnet;

a core network;

the tunnel servers being connected between the network entry point device and the core network;

the network entry point device being operative to communicate, in accordance with one of a round-robin assignment technique and a load balancing technique, a plurality of tunnel requests, received from a plurality of host computers, to the tunnel servers co-located in the front end subnet, each said tunnel request being associated with one of the wireless communication devices operating in the mobile communication network;

each tunnel server being operative to establish and maintain a plurality of tunnel connections between host computers and the tunnel server in response to tunnel requests received in accordance with the round-robin assignment technique or the load balancing technique, each said tunnel connection being associated with one of the wireless communication devices operating in the mobile communication network; and

each tunnel server being further operative to allow a communication of user information, via a tunnel connection, between each host computer having the tunnel connection established therewith and at least one wireless communication device operating via the base station of the mobile communication network.

14. The communication network of claim 13, further comprising:

each tunnel server being further operative to perform a dynamic routing protocol for updating a local routing table to reflect newly established tunnel connections and for broadcasting updated routing table information to the other tunnel servers.

15. The communication network of claim 13, further comprises:

a first router;

a second router;

the first router being connected between the tunnel servers and the core network; and

the second router being connected between the core network and the mobile communication device.

16. The communication network of claim 13, wherein each tunnel server is further operative to establish and maintain the plurality of tunnel connections which further comprise Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections.

17. The communication network of claim 13, wherein the network entry point device comprises a local director.

18. The communication network of claim 13, wherein the network entry point device comprises a round-robin domain name server (DNS).

19. The communication network of claim 13, wherein each tunnel server is further operative to allow the communication of the user information via the tunnel connection by:

receiving, from a host computer, a first plurality of data packets having user information;

decapsulating the first plurality of data packets to reveal decapsulated data packets for communication to the wireless communication device;

receiving, from the wireless communication device, a second plurality of data packets having user information; and

encapsulating the second plurality of data packets to produce encapsulated data packets for communication to the host computer.

20. The communication network of claim 13, further comprising:

each host computer being operative to detect a communication failure with a tunnel server; and

each host computer being operative to send a tunnel request for a new tunnel connection through the network entry point device in response to detecting the communication failure.