Address mapping mechanism enabling multi-domain addressing in communication networks

• US 20020114326A1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dunti Corporation
• Inventors: Mahalingaiah, Rupaka
• Granted Patent: US 6,587,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses

Abstract

An architecture, system and method are provided for transparently mapping addresses across multiple addressing domains and/or protocols. A destination of a packet can therefore be transferred from a first addressing domain within one network to a second addressing domain within another network, without inserting knowledge into the packet of the relationship between the two separate and independent domains. Transmission modules within one network can be identified with unique identification numbers or addresses assigned during configuration of those modules. The identification numbers assigned internal to the network can be mapped and placed upon the packet as the packet enters the network. Mapping, however, is minimal, knowing that relatively few external devices are connected to select internal devices and/or modules. The packet can then be mapped into the network, where it is then transferred across the network whereupon it is mapped to another network or termination device external to the network. The downstream network or termination device may have an addressing domain entirely separate and independent from the addressing domain used within the network, the benefit of which is to free up external addressing space that would normally be used if the external addressing domain were used internally.

Claims

1. A communication network, comprising a plurality of interconnected modules adapted to direct packets of data through the network, wherein each module is identified according to identification numbers contained within a first addressing domain of a first model layer independent and separate from a second addressing domain of a second model layer used to identify modules which forward and receive the packets of data outside the network.

2. The communication network as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second model layers are set out within the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model of the International Standards Organization (ISO) describing a plurality of layers for moving data between networked termination devices.

3. The communication network as recited in claim 1, wherein the first model layer is a layer below the second model layer as set out in the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model of the International Standards Organization (ISO).

4. The communication network as recited in claim 1, wherein the first model layer is within a physical layer, or lower, of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model of the International Standards Organization (ISO).

5. The communication network as recited in claim 1, wherein the second model layer is within a physical layer, or higher, of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model of the International Standards Organization (ISO).

6. The communication network as recited in claim 1, wherein said modules comprise a router, switch or gateway.

7. The communication network as recited in claim 1, wherein said network is one of a plurality of networks interconnected via pathways of an internet.

8. The communication network as recited in claim 1, wherein the identification numbers within the first addressing domain is bifurcated into several groupings of bits, wherein a first grouping of bits identifies a first module for receiving the packets of data prior to a second grouping of bits identifying a second module for receiving the packets of data from the first module.

9. The communication network as recited in claim 8, wherein the first module is grouped within a first hierarchical level with a plurality of first modules having respective dissimilar bits within the first grouping of bits.

10. The communication network as recited in claim 9, wherein a decoder within the first module is adapted to compare an address of the packets of data with the first grouping of bits if said address originates from a module within a hierarchical level dissimilar from the first hierarchical level.

11. The communication network as recited in claim 10, wherein the hierarchical level is above or below the first hierarchical level.

13. The communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one intermediate module comprises a first set of intermediate modules within a first hierarchical level of modules coupled to receive the data before a second set of modules within a second hierarchical level of modules receives the data, and wherein said first addressing domain identifies each of the first and second set of modules with a unique identification number such that each said identification number is bifurcated into a first and second field of bits which identify respective said first and second set of modules.

14. The communication system as recited in claim 13, wherein said first set of intermediate modules and said second set of intermediate modules include first decoders and second decoders, respectively, and wherein the first decoders are coupled to compare an address of said data within said first field of bits, and the second decoders are coupled to compare an address of said data within said second field of bits after the first decoder has compared the address with said first field.

15. The communication system as recited in claim 14, wherein said first decoders compare the address of said data with said first field to determine routing of said data to said second set of intermediate modules.

16. The communication system as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

a first termination device coupled to the entry end module for sending said data into the communication network; and

a second termination device coupled to the exit end module for receiving said data from the communication network.

17. The communication system as recited in claim 16, wherein said first and second termination devices comprise a router, a computer, a switch or a gateway, and if said termination device is a router or a gateway then said communication network is an intranet within an internet.

18. The communication system as recited in claim 12, wherein said at least one intermediate module comprises a plurality of intermediate modules interconnected to form at least two subnetworks interposed between the entry end module and the exit end module.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said forwarding comprises decoding a first grouping of bits within the destination address before decoding a second grouping of bits within the destination address, said first and second grouping of bits are arranged to identify a pathway through the intermediate modules, beginning with a first group of intermediate modules corresponding to the first grouping of bits and followed with a second group of intermediate modules corresponding to the second grouping of bits.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said mapping comprises:

removing the source address and destination address from the packet of data at the exit end module; and

while maintaining an upper layer addressing protocol associated with the packet of data, forwarding the packet of data from the exit end module to a termination device addressed by the upper layer addressing protocol.

22. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the addressing protocol of the termination device is at a higher model layer than the addressing protocol of the the intermediate modules used exclusively to direct the packet of data across the communication network.

23. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein said higher model layer addressing protocol is set forth in the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model as Ethernet addressing and/or Internet Protocol (IP) addressing.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a pair of end modules, one of which is an entry end module and the other of which is an exit end module;

at least one intermediate module coupled between the pair of end modules;

a first addressing domain for identifying each of the end modules and the intermediate module; and

a second addressing domain, separate and independent from the first addressing domain, for identifying each of the end modules exclusive of identifying the intermediate module.

19. A method for sending a packet of data across a communication network having intermediate modules interposed between an entry end module and an exit end module, comprising:

wrapping the packet of data at the entry end module with a source address of the entry end module and a destination address of the exit end module;

forwarding the packet of data through the intermediate modules to the exit end module; and

mapping the address of the exit end module to an address of a termination device located external to, yet operably coupled with, the communication network, wherein the exit end module has an identification number independent of the termination device, and therefore the exit end module and the termination device are addressable from independent and separate addressing domains or protocols linked only by said mapping.