Network interconnection apparatus, network interconnection method, name resolution apparatus and computer program

• US 20050058143A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Hidenori, Asai, Hideyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,295,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2571 for identification, e.g. for authentication or billing charging arrangements H04L12/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/59 using proxies for addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A power source of a LAN terminal at a home such as home server is turned on from the outside the home via the Internet. A home gateway apparatus receives such a start request by proxy and transmits a start instruction packet to corresponding equipment on the home LAN. Although there is a case where the protocols of an external network and the home LAN are different from each other, the home gateway apparatus performs a protocol conversion process for assimilating discrepancy between the protocols. Moreover, on the home LAN, the start instructionpacket to the corresponding equipment maybe issued by utilizing a magic packet technique.

Claims

1. A network interconnection apparatus for interconnecting an external network with an internal network, said network interconnection apparatus comprising:

first communication means for communicating on said external network;

second communication means for communicating on said internal network;

internal network management means for obtaining a configuration in said internal network and managing correspondence relations among a unique address of each terminal on said internal network, a terminal name easily identifiable by a user, and a private network address assigned in said internal network;

start request reception means for receiving by proxy a start request to a terminal on said internal network via said external network; and

start request transfer means for identifying said terminal of requested destination of said start request received by said start request reception means based on said correspondence relations and transferring said start request to said terminal of said requested destination via said internal network.

2. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said start request to said terminal on said internal network via said external network is transmitted by identifying a domain name of said network interconnection apparatus and a terminal name of said start request destination terminal.

3. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a global network address on said external network is dynamically assigned to said network interconnection apparatus,

a start request is transmitted to said network interconnection apparatus by using name resolution means disposed on said external network for managing a correspondence relation between said domain name and said global network address of said network interconnection apparatus.

4. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said start request transfer means comprises conversion means in order for assimilating discrepancy of protocols between said external network and said internal network.

5. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said start request transfer means transfers a start request to said requested destination terminal via said internal network using a magic packet.

6. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

authentication processing means for performing a predetermined authentication procedure to an access requesting source via said external network;

wherein, in response to a success of said authentication procedure, said start request reception means receives said start request by proxy and/or said start request transfer means transfers said start request to said requested destination terminal.

7. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

start state confirmation means for confirming a start state of each terminal on said internal network.

8. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

pre-processing means for performing a previous registration procedure on said internal network with respect to a terminal to be started in response to said start request from said external network among said terminal managed by said internal network management means;

wherein, only a case where said start request destination terminal is previously registered, said start request reception means receives said start request by proxy and/or said start request transfer means transfers said start requests to said requested destination terminal.

9. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

internal network information providing means for providing to a start requesting source via said external network, including;

start state presenting means of each terminal on said internal network;

start execution instruction means to said each terminal; and

start confirmation means to each terminal.

10. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said internal network information providing means provides said start state presenting means, said start execution instruction means, and said start confirmation means in a format of Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML).

11. The network interconnection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said internal network information providing means performs operations of start states presentation, start execution instruction, and start confirmation presentation, all utilizing terminal names which a user can easily identify.

12. A network interconnection method for interconnecting an external network with an internal network, said network interconnection method comprising the steps of:

An internal network management step of obtaining a configuration in said internal network and managing correspondence relations among a unique address of each terminal on said internal network, a terminal name easily identifiable by a user, and a private network address assigned in said internal network;

a start request reception step of receiving by proxy a start request to a terminal on said internal network via said external network; and

a start request transfer step of identifying said terminal of requested destination of said start request received by said start request reception step based on said correspondence relations and transferring said start request to said terminal of said requested destination via said internal network.

13. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, wherein said start request to said terminal on said internal network via said external network is transmitted by identifying a domain name of said network interconnection apparatus and a terminal name of said start request destination terminal.

14. The network interconnection method according to claim 12,

wherein a global network address on said external network is dynamically assigned to said network interconnection apparatus,

a start request is transmitted to said network interconnection apparatus by using name resolution means disposed on said external network for managing a correspondence relation between said domain name and said global network address of said network interconnection apparatus.

15. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, wherein said start request transfer step comprises a conversion step in order for assimilating discrepancy of protocols between said external network and said internal network.

16. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, wherein said start request transfer step transfers a start request to said requested destination terminal via said internal network using a magic packet.

17. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, further comprising:

an authentication processing step of performing a predetermined authentication procedure to an access requesting source via said external network;

wherein, in response to a success of said authentication procedure, said start request reception step receives said start request by proxy and/or said start request transfer step transfers said start request to said requested destination terminal.

18. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, further comprising:

a start state confirmation step of confirming a start state of each terminal on said internal network.

19. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, further comprising:

a pre-processing step of performing a previous registration procedure on said internal network with respect to a terminal to be started in response to said start request from said external network among said terminal managed by said internal network management step;

wherein, only a case where said start request destination terminal is previously registered, said start request reception step receives said start request by proxy and/or said start request transfer step transfers said start requests to said requested destination terminal.

20. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

an internal network information providing step of providing to a start requesting source via said external network, including;

start state presenting means of each terminal on said internal network;

start execution instruction means to said each terminal; and

start confirmation means to each terminal.

21. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, wherein said internal network information providing step provides said start state presenting means, said start execution instruction means, and said start confirmation means in a format of Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML).

22. The network interconnection method according to claim 12, wherein said internal network information providing step performs operations of start states presentation, start execution instruction, and start confirmation presentation, all utilizing terminal names which a user can easily identify.

23. A name resolution apparatus for solving a name problem with respect to a host apparatus, to which a network address is dynamically allocated, on a network space in which a corresponding relationship between a domain name of said host apparatus and a network address allocated to said host apparatus is managed by a DNS server, said name resolution apparatus comprising:

communication means for data communicating on said network;

domain name management means for managing said domain name of said host apparatus;

extraction means for extracting said domain name of said host apparatus in response to reception from said host apparatus of a network address dynamically allocated; and

registration means for registering a domain name and network address of said host apparatus to said DNS server.

24. The name resolution apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising:

authentication means for authenticating a host apparatus;

wherein said name resolution apparatus receives a network address from a host apparatus after an authentication process.

25. A computer program described in a computer readable format in order to execute a process for interconnecting an external network and an internal network on a computer system, said computer program comprising:

an internal network management step of obtaining a configuration in the internal network to manage correspondence relations among a unique address of each terminal on the internal network, terminal names to be easily identified by a user, and private network addresses assigned in the network;

a start request reception step of receiving start requests to the terminals on the internal network via the external network by proxy; and

a start request transfer step of identifying the terminals of requested destinations of the start requests received at the start request reception step on a basis of the correspondence relations to transfer the start requests to the terminals of the requested destinations via the internal network.