System and method for routing information packets

• US 20060159065A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jennings, Cullen
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming

Abstract

A system and method allowing control of VoIP communications by configuring a Network Address Translator (NAT) is provided. In a first NAT configuration, such a port-restricted NAT, peer-to-peer Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications are permitted between a VoIP originator and a receiver. In a second NAT configuration, such as a symmetrical NAT, peer-to-peer communications are not possible without further cooperation of the NAT. In this manner, an entity that has control of the NAT, such as an ISP, is able to have a degree of control over traffic using network resources such as bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method for controlling traffic in a network, wherein an originator initiates a transfer of information with a receiver, wherein a network device coupled between the originator and the receiver has at least two modes of operation, the method comprising:

detecting that a predetermined network traffic condition has been met; and

changing the mode of the network device from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation the receiver communicates with the originator via a mechanism at the network device that is made known to the receiver at a time of initiation, and wherein in the second mode of operation no such mechanism is made known to the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device includes a network address translator, the method further comprising:

detecting that voice-over-internet protocol transmissions are occurring; and

changing the mode of the network address translator from the port-restricted configuration to a symmetrical configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a network traffic condition includes a level of bandwidth use.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a network traffic condition includes a level of device use.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a network traffic condition includes a level of type of traffic.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the type of traffic includes voice-over-internet protocol.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the type of traffic includes streaming media.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the type of traffic includes file downloads.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the file downloads include video.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting and changing are done by a first entity, wherein in the first mode of operation an increased amount of traffic is sent through resources under the control of the first entity and wherein in the second mode of operation an increased amount of traffic is sent through resources under control of a second entity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first entity includes an Internet service provider.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second entity includes a voice-over Internet Protocol provider.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) server is used.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein an rport parameter is specified in the Via header of an information packet.

15. A method for controlling the routing of information packets over a network, the network comprising a first entity, a second entity and a plurality of users, wherein the first entity configures a system used for communication between the plurality of users, the first entity, and the second entity, the information packets being sent through a plurality of ports in the system, the method comprising:

sending an initiation information packet for communication between a first user and a second user, the initiation information packet being sent by a first user to the second entity through a first port;

identifying the address of the second user for communication, based on the initiation information packet, the identification being carried out by the second entity; and

transmitting an information packet between the first user and the second user, based on the identified address, the information packet being sent by the second user to the first user through a second port on the system

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first entity includes an Internet service provider.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second entity includes a voice-over Internet Protocol provider.

18. A system for controlling routing of information packets over a network, the network comprising a first entity, a second entity, and a plurality of users, wherein the first entity configures the system, the system comprising:

a first port for communicating between a first user and the second entity;

a second port for communicating between the first user and a second user;

an activation module for activating the second port on the system, for routing the information packets; and

an address translating means for translating a private address of a user to a public address.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first entity includes an Internet service provider.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the second entity includes a voice-over Internet Protocol provider.

21. A system for controlling the routing of information packets over a network, the network comprising a first entity, a second entity and a plurality of users, wherein the first entity configures the system, the system comprising:

means for routing information packets between a first user and the second entity; and

means for routing information packets between the first user and the second user.

22. An apparatus for controlling traffic in a network, wherein an originator initiates a transfer of information with a receiver, wherein a network device coupled between the originator and the receiver has at least two modes of operation, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a machine-readable medium including instructions executable by the processor comprising

one or more instructions for detecting that a predetermined network traffic condition has been met; and

one or more instructions for changing the mode of the network device from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation the receiver communicates with the originator via a mechanism at the network device that is made known to the receiver at a time of initiation, and wherein in the second mode of operation no such mechanism is made known to the receiver.

23. A machine-readable medium including instructions executable by a processor for controlling traffic in a network, wherein an originator initiates a transfer of information with a receiver, wherein a network device coupled between the originator and the receiver has at least two modes of operation, the machine-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for detecting that a predetermined network traffic condition has been met; and

one or more instructions for changing the mode of the network device from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation, wherein in the first mode of operation the receiver communicates with the originator via a mechanism at the network device that is made known to the receiver at a time of initiation, and wherein in the second mode of operation no such mechanism is made known to the receiver.