Distributed network address translation control

• US 8,112,545 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockstar Bidco LP (Rockstar Consortium Inc.)
• Inventors: Ong, Lyndon Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US09/742,683
• Time in Patent Office: 4,067 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/238, 709/239, 709/203, 709/245, 709/249, 709/202, 709/226, 709/231, 370/401, 370/389
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2521 Translation architectures other than single NAT servers

Abstract

A distributed network address translation (NAT) system is used to transport data packets between private and public network domains. A packet modifier substitutes public and private network address information in packets that are crossing between public and private domains to and from the end system. A network application server has an address mapping table and communicates with the packet modifier over a control protocol. The network application server generates address mappings which the packet modifier uses for modification of data packets passing through it.

Claims

1. A private communications network comprising:

an end system configured to communicate with a remote system via a network separate from the private communications network, the end system configured to communicate in at least a voice stream mode and a data stream mode;

a first network application server configured to receive a voice stream request sent by the end system, the first network application server including a first pool of addresses stored in a first address mapping table, and configured to generate a first address mapping responsive to the voice stream request;

a second network application server configured to receive a data stream request sent by the end system, the second network application server including a second pool of addresses stored in a second address mapping table, and configured to generate a second address mapping responsive to the data stream request, wherein the second pool of addresses differs from the first pool of addresses; and

a packet modifier device, separate from the first and second network application servers and configured to receive the first address mapping from the first network application server when the end system sends the voice stream request and the second address mapping from the second network application server when the end system sends the data stream request, and to use the received address mapping to map communication packets from the end system for transmission on the separate network, wherein the first network application server and the second network application server are not in a path of the communication packets.

2. The private communications network of claim 1, wherein:

the end system is configured to communicate with the remote system by sending the communication packets to the packet modifier device; and

the packet modifier device is configured to map the communication packets from the end system by substituting at least one of source and destination addresses in the communication packets according to the received address mapping.

3. The network of claim 2, wherein the packet modifier device is configured to substitute at least a source address in the communication packets.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the first and second network application servers are configured to provide the first address mapping and the second address mapping, respectively, to the packet modifier device via a command according to a predetermined protocol.

5. A method of mapping packets in a communication network, the method comprising:

allocating a first pool of addresses to a first address mapping table associated with a first network application server, the first network application server adapted to provide an address mapping from the first pool of addresses to a packet modifier device upon a request from an end system to establish a voice stream with a remote system associated with a separate network;

allocating a second pool of addresses to a second address mapping table associated with a second network application server, the second network application server adapted to provide an address mapping from the second pool of addresses to the packet modifier device upon a request from the end system to establish a data stream with the remote system;

receiving, by the first network application server, a voice call request from the end system to establish the voice stream between the end system and the remote system;

providing, by the first network application server, a first address mapping to the packet modifier device in response to the voice call request; and

modifying, at the packet modifier device, a plurality of voice packets sent from the end system to the remote system according to the first address mapping, wherein the first network application server and the second network application server are not in a path of the voice stream.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein modifying the plurality of voice packets includes modifying the plurality of voice packets by substituting addresses of the plurality of voice packets corresponding to the end system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the first address mapping to the packet modifier device in response to the voice call request further comprises providing the first address mapping to the packet modifier device in response to the voice call request via a command protocol.

8. A packet modifier device associated with a first communications network, comprising:

a communications interface configured to communicate with the first communications network;

a processor coupled to the communications interface and configured to;

receive a first address mapping from a first network application server upon a request by an end system associated with the first communications network to establish a voice stream with a remote system associated with a second communications network, the first address mapping based on a first pool of addresses maintained by the first network application server;

receive a second address mapping from a second network application server upon a request by the end system to establish a data stream with the remote system, the second address mapping based on a second pool of addresses maintained by the second network application server, wherein the second pool of addresses is different from the first pool of addresses;

map a stream of voice packets from the end system destined for the remote system in accordance with the first address mapping; and

map a stream of data packets from the end system destined for the remote system in accordance with the second address mapping, wherein the first network application server and the second network application server are not in a path of either the voice packets or the data packets.