Method for transparently exchanging data packets

• US 8,626,945 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Lindemann, Werner, Schonfeld, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Donabed, Ninos
• Application Number:
  US10/529,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20060080458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,813 Days
• Field of Search: 709/237, 709/238, 370/469
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2546 Arrangements for avoiding unnecessary translation

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transparently exchanging data packets with a packet-oriented network, via which a number of network elements and a network node device are connected based on a common access method. The network elements are allocated unique local addresses only within the network. The network node device connects the packet-oriented network to an external device based on a point-to-point protocol and performs an address conversion of the address of a network element, said address being allocated within the packet-oriented network, into an address valid for the external device. A verification of message header entries of the data packets exchanged between the external device and the network element permits the establishment of a temporary transparent connection of the network element to the external device in the event an entry is detected the characterizes an expanded point-to-point protocol, e.g. PPPoE, whereby the address newly allocated by the external device is transmitted to the external device without address conversion.

Claims

1. A method for transparently exchanging data packets of a packet-oriented network by a network node device, the packet oriented network comprised of at least one network element connected to the network node device, each network element having a unique address within the packet-oriented network, the network node device utilizing the method comprising:

setting up a connection between a first network element and an external device, the connection being set up such that the unique address of the first network element is converted to an address valid for the external device;

verifying message header entries of data packets exchanged between the external device and the first network element;

determining whether a message header entry characterizing an expanded packet-oriented protocol is within the message header entries;

if the message header entry is determined to characterize an expanded packet-oriented protocol, establishing a temporarily transparent connection between the first network element and the external device, the unique address of the first network element that is valid for the external device being transferred to the external device without converting that unique address for a duration of the temporarily transparent connection.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unique address of the first network element is assigned by the external device while the connection is set up between the first network element and the external device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein a modulation/demodulation device connects the external device to the network node device such that the network node device exchanges data packets of the packet-oriented network with the external device via the modulation/demodulation device.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a verification is carried out before the transparent connection for the first network element is set up to determine whether a transparent connection already exists for a least one other network element.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein a maximum number of transparent connections is defined depending on a specification of the external device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a modulation/demodulation device connects the external device to the network node device such that the network node device exchanges data packets of the packet-oriented network with the external device via the modulation/demodulation device.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a verification is carried out before the transparent connection for the first network element is set up to determine whether a transparent connection already exists for a least one other network element.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a verification is carried out before the transparent connection for the first network element is set up to determine whether a transparent connection already exists for a least one other network element.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a maximum number of transparent connections is defined depending on a specification of the external device.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising rejecting an establishment of the transparent connection if another network element already has a transparent connection established.

11. The method according to claim 9 further comprising cancelling an existing transparent connection and subsequently establishing a transparent connection between the external device and a second network element.

12. The method according to claim 1 further comprising terminating the transparent connection after a connection release request is detected.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the connection release request is triggered when no data packets have been exchanged according to the expanded packet-oriented protocol within a predefined time period.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication of the at least one network element with the network node device is effected according to Internet protocol or according to PPPoE communication protocol.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the expanded packet-oriented protocol is PPPoE.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one network element is comprised of a plurality of network elements and communication of the network elements is effected according to at least one of Internet protocol and PPPoE communication protocol.

17. A network node element for supporting a transparent exchange of data packets comprising:

at least one first network interface to connect to a packet-oriented network;

at least one second network interface to connect to an external device;

at least one monitoring unit operatively connected to at least one of the at least one first network interface and the at least one second network interface, the at least one monitoring unit to establish a temporarily transparent connection between at least one network element of the packet-oriented network and the external device; and

wherein the network node element does not convert a unique address of any network element that is allocated to that network element by the external device for a duration of a temporarily transparent connection established between that network element and the external device.

18. The network node element according to claim 17, wherein the network node element is a router.

19. The network node element according to claim 18, wherein the at least one monitoring unit controls at least one bridging device of the network node element.

20. The network node element according to claim 17, wherein the at least one monitoring unit controls at least one bridging device of the network node element.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the expanded packet-oriented protocol is PPPoE.

22. The network node element according to claim 17 wherein the at least one second network interface is comprised of a modem connected to the network node element.