Terminal device, system, connection management server, and computer readable medium

• US 8,874,911 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kudo, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Korsak, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US12/713,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 380/277, 726/3
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2546 Arrangements for avoiding unnecessary translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A second terminal device is used in a system including a connection management server, a first terminal device, and the second terminal device. The second terminal device includes: a local address obtaining unit configured to obtain a first local IP address and first authentication information of the first terminal device from the connection management server, if a first global IP address matches a second global IP address; a determination unit configured to determine, by using of the obtained first authentication information, whether a first particular terminal device with which the second terminal device can communicate by use of the first local IP address is the first terminal device; and a target data communication unit configured to communicate first data with the first terminal device by using the first local IP address, if the first particular terminal device is determined to be the first terminal device.

Claims

1. A connection management server used in a system that comprises the connection management server, a first terminal device and a second terminal device, said connection management server comprising:

a control unit;

a memory having a program stored thereon that, when executed by the control unit, causes the connection management server to;

hold a first global IP address, a first local IP address, and first authentication information of the first terminal device in association with one another in a server-side storage unit;

receive a connection request that is transmitted by the second terminal device to the first terminal device as a destination and that includes a second global IP address of the second terminal device;

determine whether the first global IP address of the first terminal device held in the server-side storage unit matches the second global IP address of the second terminal device included in the connection request; and

transmit the first local IP address and the first authentication information of the first terminal device held in the server-side storage unit to the second terminal device if the control unit determines that the first global IP address matches the second global IP address.

2. The connection management server according to claim 1, wherein the program, when executed by the control unit, further causes the connection management server to transfer the connection request to the first terminal device, when determining that the first global IP address does not match the second global IP address.

3. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program for a second terminal device used in a system that comprises a connection management server, a first terminal device, and the second terminal device, said computer program being stored on the computer readable medium, readable by a computer, and causing, when executed by the computer, the computer to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a first local IP address and first authentication information of the first terminal device from the connection management server in which the first local IP address and the first authentication information are registered, if a first global IP address of the first terminal device matches a second global IP address of the second terminal device;

determining, by using the obtained first authentication information, whether a first particular terminal device with which the second terminal device can communicate by use of the first local IP address is the first terminal device; and

communicating first data with the first terminal device by use of the first local IP address, if the first particular terminal device is determined to be the first terminal device.

4. A second terminal device used in a system that comprises a connection management server, a first terminal device, and the second terminal device, said second terminal device comprising:

a control unit;

a memory having a program stored thereon that, when executed by the control unit, performs operations comprising;

obtaining a first local IP address and first authentication information of the first terminal device from the connection management server in which the first local IP address and the first authentication information are registered, if a first global IP address of the first terminal device matches a second global IP address of the second terminal device;

determining, by using the obtained first authentication information, whether a first particular terminal device with which the second terminal device can communicate by use of the first local IP address is the first terminal device; and

communicating first data with the first terminal device by use of the first local IP address, if the first particular terminal device is determined to be the first terminal device.

5. The second terminal device according to claim 4, wherein the program, when executed by the control unit, further performs operations comprising:

obtaining a set of the first global IP address and a port number of the first terminal device,

wherein if the first particular terminal device is determined not to be the first terminal device, second data is communicated with the first terminal device by use of the set of the first global IP address and the port number.

6. The second terminal device according to claim 4, wherein the program, when executed by the control unit, further performs operations comprising:

transmitting first challenge data to the first particular terminal device; and

receiving first response data transmitted by the first particular terminal device in response to the first challenge data, the first response data being generated by encrypting the first challenge data,

wherein the first authentication information includes a first public key of the first terminal device, and

wherein the determining operation includes decrypting the first response data using the first public key so as to generate first decrypted data, and if the first decrypted data matches the first challenge data, the determining operation determining that the particular first terminal device is the first terminal device.

7. The second terminal device according to claim 6, wherein if the first response data are not received in the receiving operation, the determining operation determining that the particular first terminal device is not the first terminal device.

8. The second terminal device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a storage control unit configured to hold the first local IP address in a storage unit,

wherein when second data are to be communicated with the first terminal device after completion of the communication of the first data, the communicating operation communicates the second data with the first terminal device by using again the first local IP address held in the storage unit.

9. The second terminal device according to claim 8,

wherein the storage control unit further holds the first authentication information in the storage unit,

wherein when the second data are to be communicated with the first terminal device after the completion of the communication of the first data, the determining operation determines, by use of the first authentication information held in the storage unit, whether a particular second terminal device with which the second terminal device can communicate by use of the first local IP address held in the storage unit is the first terminal device, and

wherein if the determining operation determines that the particular second terminal device is the first terminal device, the communicating operation communicates the second data with the first terminal device by using again the first local IP address held in the storage unit.

10. The second terminal device according to claim 4, wherein the program, when executed by the control unit, further performs operations comprising:

transmitting a second public key of the second terminal device to the first terminal device if the determining operation determines that the particular first terminal device is the first terminal device; and

receiving second challenge data that is transmitted by the first terminal device to the second local IP address of the second terminal device as a destination;

encrypting the second challenge data using a secret key of the second terminal device so as to generate second response data; and

transmitting the second response data to the first terminal device,

wherein if second decrypted data matches the second challenge data, the communicating operation communicates second data with the first terminal device by use of the second local IP address, wherein the second decrypted data is generated by the first terminal device by decrypting the second response data by use of the second public key.

11. A system comprising:

a connection management server;

a first terminal device; and

the second terminal device according to claim 4.