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System and method for traversing a NAT device for peer-to-peer hybrid communications

  • US 9,172,702 B2
  • Filed: 03/07/2013
  • Issued: 10/27/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for enabling a first endpoint to traverse a network address translation (NAT) device associated with a second endpoint in a peer-to-peer communications system, wherein the NAT device includes a pinhole maintained between the NAT device and a stateless reflector, the method comprising:

  • receiving, by the first endpoint, a profile and a routing table corresponding to the first endpoint from an access server of the peer-to-peer communications system in response to performing a login process with the access server, wherein the profile and the routing table include contact information needed for the first endpoint to communicate with the second endpoint within the peer-to-peer communications system and wherein the contact information identifies the NAT device;

    determining, based on the contact information, whether a message sent to the second endpoint from an external source will only pass through the NAT device if the second endpoint has first sent a message to the external source; and

    if the determining indicates that the second endpoint must first send a message, sending a first message to the stateless reflector for reflection to the second endpoint via the pinhole in the NAT device.

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