Methods and apparatus for providing high speed connectivity to a hotel environment

• US 9,025,599 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guest-tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Guest-tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd.
• Inventors: Smith, Wallace Eric, West, William B., McDaniel, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, ANDREW CHUNG CHEUNG
• Application Number:
  US14/299,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20140289410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/390, 370/392, 370/401, 370/465
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2854 Wide area networks, e.g. public data networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/72 Routing based on the source address
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70

Abstract

One or more processors are configured to associate a first local IP address with a computer while the computer is connected to a first network access node thereby providing the computer with access to a network. The first local IP address is one of a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network. The one or more processors monitor transmissions received from the first network access node to determine when the computer requests an Internet transaction. When the computer requests an Internet transaction, a first one of the globally unique IP addresses is associated with the first local IP address thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction. The first globally unique IP address is disassociated from the first local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction and is then available for association with any of the local IP addresses used on the network.

Claims

1. A method for providing Internet access to a computer via a first one of a plurality of network access nodes in a network using one or more globally unique IP addresses, the method comprising:

associating a first local IP address with the computer while the computer is connected to the first network access node thereby providing the computer with access to the network, wherein the first local IP address is one of a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network;

monitoring transmissions received from the first network access node to determine when the first computer requests an Internet transaction;

when determining that the computer has requested the Internet transaction, associating a first one of the globally unique IP addresses with the first local IP address thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction, wherein the computer has an internal IP address and associating the first local IP address with the computer comprises translating the internal IP address of the computer to the first local IP address; and

disassociating the first globally unique IP address from the first local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction, the first globally unique IP address then being available for association with any of the local IP addresses used on the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the first globally unique IP address with the first local IP address comprises employing a network address translation protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network comprises a local area network and the associating and disassociating of the first globally unique IP address is done by a headend associated with the local area network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the network is installed at a hospitality establishment having a plurality of guest rooms;

each of the guest rooms has a respective one of the network access nodes accessible therefrom; and

the one or more globally unique IP addresses are less in number than a total number of the guest rooms of the hospitality establishment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a total number of the globally unique IP addresses is less in number than a maximum number of hosts supported by the network access nodes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first local IP address that is associated with the computer is not a globally unique IP address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network first network access node comprises an Ethernet port and the computer is coupled to the first network access node via the Ethernet port.

8. An apparatus for providing Internet access to a computer via a first one of a plurality of network access nodes in a network using one or more globally unique IP addresses, the apparatus comprising:

a first communication interface coupled to the network;

a second communication interface coupled to the Internet;

one or more processors coupled to the first and second communication interfaces; and

a memory device storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

associate a first local IP address with the computer while the computer is connected to the first network access node thereby providing the computer with access to the network, wherein the first local IP address is one of a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network, wherein the computer has an internal IP address; and

the program instructions cause the one or more processors to associate the first local IP address with the computer by translating the internal IP address of the computer to the first local IP address;

monitor transmissions received from the first network access node to determine when the computer requests an Internet transaction;

associate a first one of the globally unique IP addresses with the first local IP address when determining that the computer has requested the Internet transaction thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction; and

disassociate the first globally unique IP address from the first local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction, the first globally unique IP address then being available for association with any of the local IP addresses used on the network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to associate the first globally unique IP address with the computer by employing a network address translation protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein none of the local IP addresses are globally unique IP addresses.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

the network is installed at a hospitality establishment having a plurality of guest rooms;

each of the guest rooms has a respective one of the network access nodes accessible therefrom; and

the one or more globally unique IP addresses are less in number than a total number of the guest rooms of the hospitality establishment.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a total number of the globally unique IP addresses is less in number than a maximum number of hosts supported by the network access nodes.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first local IP address that is associated with the computer is not a globally unique IP address.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first network first network access node comprises an Ethernet port and the computer is coupled to the first network access node via the Ethernet port.

15. A method of providing Internet access to a computer via a first one of a plurality of network access nodes in a local area network, the local area network having a pool of one or more globally unique IP addresses;

the method comprising;

associating a locally unique IP address of the local area network with the computer for as long as the computer is connected to the first network access node;

translating from an internal IP address of the computer to the locally unique IP address to thereby provide the computer with access to the local area network;

monitoring network transmissions received from the first network access node in order to determine that the computer is requesting an Internet transaction;

temporarily associating a globally unique IP address selected from the pool of globally unique IP addresses with the locally unique IP address in response to the computer requesting the Internet transaction; and

translating from the locally unique IP address to the globally unique IP address during the Internet transaction to thereby provide the computer with access the Internet.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising disassociating the globally unique IP address from the locally unique IP address after the Internet transaction is completed.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising returning the globally unique IP address to the pool so it is available for association with other computers on the local area network after the Internet transaction is completed.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the local area network is installed at a hospitality establishment and the computer is operated by a guest of the hospitality establishment.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the local area network is installed at a hospitality establishment having a plurality of guest rooms; and

the pool of globally unique IP addresses is less in number than a total number of the guest rooms of the hospitality establishment.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the pool of globally unique IP addresses is less in number than a maximum number of hosts supported by the network access nodes.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the locally unique IP address that is associated with the computer is not a globally unique IP address.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first network first network access node comprises an Ethernet port and the computer is coupled to the first network access node via the Ethernet port.

23. An apparatus providing Internet access to a computer via a first one of a plurality of network access nodes in a local area network, the local area network having a pool of one or more globally unique IP addresses, the apparatus comprising:

a first communication interface coupled to the local area network;

a second communication interface coupled to the Internet;

a central processing unit comprising one or more processors coupled to the first and second communication interfaces; and

a memory device storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

associate a locally unique IP address of the local area network with the computer for as long as the computer is connected to the first network access node;

translate from an internal IP address of the computer to the locally unique IP address to thereby provide the computer with access to the local area network;

monitor network transmissions received from the first network access node in order to determine that the computer is requesting an Internet transaction;

temporarily associate a globally unique IP address selected from the pool of globally unique IP addresses with the locally unique IP address in response to the computer requesting the Internet transaction; and

translate from the locally unique IP address to the globally unique IP address during the Internet transaction to thereby provide the computer with access the Internet.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to disassociate the globally unique IP address from the locally unique IP address after the Internet transaction is completed.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the program instructions cause the one or more processors to return the globally unique IP address to the pool so it is available for association with other computers on the local area network after the Internet transaction is completed.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the local area network is installed at a hospitality establishment and the computer is operated by a guest of the hospitality establishment.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the local area network is installed at a hospitality establishment having a plurality of guest rooms; and

the pool of globally unique IP addresses is less in number than a total number of the guest rooms of the hospitality establishment.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the pool of globally unique IP addresses is less in number than a maximum number of hosts supported by the network access nodes.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the locally unique IP address that is associated with the computer is not a globally unique IP address.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the first network first network access node comprises an Ethernet port and the computer is coupled to the first network access node via the Ethernet port.