Providing network address translation information
First Claim
1. A remote network address translation (NAT) system comprising:
- a storage module to store network address translation information for a first terminal, the first terminal associated with a first network and coupled to a first network address translator associated with the first network, wherein the remote NAT system is external to the first network; and
a controller having a processor and configured to;
partially create the network address translation information during a call setup phase of a communications session between the first terminal and a second terminal external to the first network based on translated address data generated by the first network address translator in a call control packet associated with the first terminal, the communications session comprising the call setup phase and a subsequent bearer traffic phase;
insert a predetermined indication into the network address translation information to indicate that the network address translation information has not been completed;
subsequent to inserting the predetermined indication, receive a media packet comprising bearer traffic originated by the first terminal during the bearer traffic phase after the communications session has been set up; and
complete the network address translation information using information in the media packet.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided to allow telephony or other types of media communications and services to be provided for a device having a private network address that resides behind a firewall and network address and port translation (NAPT) module (which is not aware of the underlying protocol for the communications and services). Examples of the underlying protocol includes the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Real-Time Protocol (RTP). A path through the firewall and NAPT module is defined by use of keep-alive messages communicated through the firewall and network address translator. Addresses that are allocated by the firewall and NATP module are associated with the device for both signaling and media communications. A feature of the firewall that enables the provision of telephony and media communications through the firewall that is protocol-unaware is that the firewall allows responses to messages initiated by the device back through the firewall.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A remote network address translation (NAT) system comprising:
-
a storage module to store network address translation information for a first terminal, the first terminal associated with a first network and coupled to a first network address translator associated with the first network, wherein the remote NAT system is external to the first network; and a controller having a processor and configured to; partially create the network address translation information during a call setup phase of a communications session between the first terminal and a second terminal external to the first network based on translated address data generated by the first network address translator in a call control packet associated with the first terminal, the communications session comprising the call setup phase and a subsequent bearer traffic phase; insert a predetermined indication into the network address translation information to indicate that the network address translation information has not been completed; subsequent to inserting the predetermined indication, receive a media packet comprising bearer traffic originated by the first terminal during the bearer traffic phase after the communications session has been set up; and complete the network address translation information using information in the media packet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. An article comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for establishing communications between a first terminal and a second terminal, the instructions when executed causing a remote network address translation (NAT) system having a processor to:
-
store network address translation information for the first terminal, the first terminal associated with a first network and coupled to a first network address translator associated with the first network, wherein the second terminal and the remote NAT system are external to the first network, and the remote NAT system; partially create the network address translation information during a call setup phase of a communications session between the first terminal and the second terminal external to the first network based on translated address data generated by the first network address translator in a call control packet associated with the first terminal, the communications session comprising the call setup phase and a subsequent bearer traffic phase; insert a predetermined indication into the network address translation information to indicate that the network address translation information has not been completed; subsequent to inserting the predetermined indication, receive a media packet comprising bearer traffic originated by the first terminal during the bearer traffic phase after the communications session has been set up; and complete the network address translation information using information in the media packet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A method performed by a remote network address translation (NAT) system of establishing communications between a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising:
-
storing network address translation information for the first terminal, the first terminal associated with a first network and coupled to a first network address translator associated with the first network, wherein the second terminal and the remote NAT system are external to the first network, wherein the network address translation information contains fields to map an address of the first terminal to a first alias address and to map an address of the second terminal to a second alias address; partially creating, by the remote NAT system having a processor, the network address translation information during a call setup phase of a communications session between the first terminal and the second terminal, the communications session comprising the call setup phase and a subsequent bearer traffic phase; and subsequent to partially creating the network address translation information receiving, by the remote NAT system, a media packet comprising bearer traffic originated by the first terminal during the bearer traffic phase after the communications session has been set up to complete the network address translation information using information in the media packet. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
-
Specification