Using tunneling to enhance remote LAN connectivity

• US 20040267874A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hevizi, Laszlo, Westberg, Lars, Ayadurai, Vicknesan
• Granted Patent: US 9,160,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

The address translation capabilities of packet-switched mobile networks are exploited to achieve bidirectional LAN communications therethrough. A multi-dash user VPN can be provided by encapsulating a multi-user LAN communication protocol for traversal of a packet-switched network. By encapsulating a commonly available multi-user LAN communication protocol, for example ethernet, remote LAN connectivity can be extended without requiring any host reconfiguration.

Claims

1. An apparatus for packet-switched communications, comprising:

a first input for receiving from a local area network original data packets which implement a communication protocol that permits a plurality of users to conduct a plurality of respectively corresponding communication sessions on the local area network simultaneously;

a tunneling apparatus coupled to said input for encapsulating said original data packets to produce respectively corresponding encapsulated data packets; and

an output coupled to said tunneling apparatus for outputting said encapsulated data packets for transport through a packet-switched network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, including a further input for receiving further encapsulated data packets from the packet-switched network, said tunnel apparatus coupled to said further input for de-encapsulating said further encapsulated data packets to obtain therefrom further original data packets which implement said communication protocol, and including a further output coupled to said tunnel apparatus for outputting said further original data packets to the local area network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said communication protocol is a layer-2 protocol.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said layer-2 protocol is ethernet.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said encapsulating is IP/UDP encapsulating.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said encapsulating is IP/UDP encapsulating.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packet-switched network includes a fixed packet-switched network.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the packet-switched network includes a further packet-switched network coupled to the fixed packet-switched network, the further packet-switched network including an interface for permitting wireless access to the further packet-switched network.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said communication protocol is a layer-2 protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said layer-2 protocol is ethernet.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packet-switched network includes an interface for permitting wireless access to the packet-switched network.

12. An apparatus for packet-switched communications, comprising:

a first packet-switched network including an interface for permitting wireless access thereto;

a second packet-switched network coupled to said first packet-switched network;

a tunneling apparatus coupled to said first and second packet-switched networks for encapsulating original data packets to produce encapsulated data packets and for de-encapsulating encapsulated data packets to produce original data packets, wherein said original data packets support communication between first and second communication devices; and

said first and second packet-switched networks cooperable with said tunneling apparatus for transporting said encapsulated data packets through said first and second packet-switched networks.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said original data packets implement a communication protocol utilized by a local area network to support communication among multiple users connected to the local area network.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said original data packets are ethernet frames.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said first packet-switched network includes a cellular packet-switched network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said second packet-switched network includes an IP network.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said tunneling apparatus is for prepending IP/UDP tunneling headers to said ethernet frames.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said tunneling apparatus is for prepending IP/UDP tunnel headers to said original data packets.

19. An apparatus for packet-switched communications, comprising:

an input for receiving from a packet-switched network encapsulated data packets that have been used to transport original data packets through the packet-switched network, wherein said original data packets implement a communication protocol that permits a plurality of users to conduct a plurality of respectively corresponding communication sessions on the local area network simultaneously;

a tunneling apparatus coupled to said input for de-encapsulating said encapsulated data packets to obtain the respectively corresponding original data packets; and

an output coupled to said tunneling apparatus for outputting said original data packets to the local area network.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said communication protocol is a layer-2 protocol.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said layer-2 protocol is ethernet.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said encapsulating is IP/UDP encapsulating.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said encapsulating is IP/UDP encapsulating.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the packet-switched network includes a fixed packet-switched network.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the packet-switched network includes a further packet-switched network coupled to the fixed packet-switched network, the further packet-switched network including an interface for permitting wireless access to the further packet-switched network.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the packet-switched network includes an interface for permitting wireless access to the packet-switched network.

27. An apparatus for packet-switched communications, comprising:

a first packet-switched network including a wireless interface for permitting a first local area network to access said first packet-switched network;

a second packet-switched network coupled to said first packet-switched network, said second packet-switched network having an interface for permitting communication with a second local area network; and

a data transport path for permitting said first and second local area networks to communicate with one another via said first and second packet-switched networks, said data transport path including a portion of said first packet-switched network and a portion of said second packet-switched network.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said data transport path implements a tunnel for transporting encapsulated packets, each encapsulated packet including a tunnel header and a payload, each said payload including a data packet that supports communication on the first and second local area networks.

29. A method of packet-switched communication, comprising:

receiving from a local area network original data packets which implement a communication protocol that permits a plurality of users to conduct a plurality of respectively corresponding communication sessions on local area network simultaneously;

encapsulating the original data packets to produce respectively corresponding encapsulated data packets; and

transporting the encapsulated data packets through a packet-switched network.

30. An apparatus for packet-switched communications, comprising:

an input for receiving tunnel packets from a first packet-switched network, each of said tunnel packets including a tunnel header and a payload, each said tunnel header defining a tunnel through which said payloads are transported, each said payload including substantive information for communication from a source communication device to a destination communication device, each said payload further including identification information for identifying the source communication device and the destination communication device, each said tunnel header including first information indicative of an identity of a first tunnel apparatus which produced said tunnel header and second information indicative of an identity of a second tunnel apparatus which is to receive the corresponding tunnel packet;

a translator coupled to said input for modifying one of said first and second information in said tunnel headers to produce respectively corresponding modified tunnel packets; and

an output coupled to said translator for outputting said modified tunnel packets for transport through a second packet-switched network.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said first information includes a private address, said translator for replacing said private address with a public address that identifies said translator.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said private address is assigned by the first packet-switched network.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the first packet-switched network includes an interface for permitting wireless access thereto.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein each said tunnel header includes third information which identifies a communication session to which the substantive information of the corresponding payload belongs, said translator including logic coupled to said input for associating said third information with said private address.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said private address is a private IP address, and wherein said third information includes a UDP port number.

36. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said second information includes a public address which identifies said translator, said translator for replacing said public address with a private address that identifies the second tunnel apparatus.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein each said tunnel header includes third information which identifies a communication session to which the substantive information of the corresponding payload belongs, said translator including logic coupled to said input for producing said private address based on said third information.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said private address is a private IP address, and wherein said third information includes a UDP port number.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein said private address is assigned by the second packet-switched network.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the second packet-switched network includes an interface for permitting wireless access thereto.

41. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein one of the first and second packet-switched networks includes an interface for permitting wireless access thereto.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the one packet-switched network is a GPRS network, and wherein said translator is a network address translator (NAT) provided in the GPRS network.

43. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein each said payload includes an ethernet frame.

44. A method for packet-switched communication, comprising:

receiving tunnel packets from a first packet-switched network, each of said tunnel packets including a tunnel header and a payload, each said tunnel header defining a tunnel through which said payloads are transported, each said payload including substantive information for communication from a source communication device to a destination communication device, each said payload further including identification information for identifying the source communication device and the destination communication device, each said tunnel header including first information indicative of an identity of a first tunnel apparatus which produced said tunnel header and second information indicative of an identity of a second tunnel apparatus which is to receive the corresponding tunnel packet;

modifying one of said first and second information in said tunnel headers to produce respectively corresponding modified tunnel packets; and

transporting said modified tunnel packets through a second packet-switched network.