Method and Apparatus for Packet traversal of A Network Address Translation Device

• US 20100220721A1
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Erbes, Ken, Standridge, Aaron, Depallens, Philippe, Zimmerman, Remy
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2517 using port numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2578 without involvement of the NAT server

Abstract

A characterization method for a network address translation (NAT) device by an internal computer behind the NAT device includes creating a plurality of sockets; binding the plurality of sockets, respectively, to a plurality of ports; transmitting a plurality of STUN requests in user datagram protocol (UDP) packets to a plurality of STUN servers, wherein each STUN request is associated with one of the sockets; determining that the NAT device does support UDP packets if responses are not received from the STUN servers; and determining a set of NAT characteristics of the NAT device if a response is received from each of the STUN servers.

Claims

1. A characterization method for a network address translation (NAT) device by an internal computer behind the NAT device, the method comprising:

creating a plurality of sockets;

binding the plurality of sockets, respectively, to a plurality of ports;

transmitting a plurality of STUN requests in user datagram protocol (UDP) packets to a plurality of STUN servers, wherein each STUN request is associated with one of the sockets;

determining that the NAT device does support UDP packets if responses are not received from the STUN servers; and

determining a set of NAT characteristics of the NAT device if a response is received from each of the STUN servers.