Method and apparatus for processing internet protocol transmissions
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsNikolai K.N. Leung, Ramin Rezaiifar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for data packet communications in a communication system. Packets are received at a gateway having an Internet Protocol (IP) destination address and Network Access Identifier (NAI). The gateway maps the received NAI to a local network, such as supported by a Network Address Translator (NAT). The gateway then converts the destination address to a NAT address of the local network. The gateway also adds a port number that allows the NAT to identify the target recipient. The mapping within the gateway is created and maintained as Mobile Stations send registration requests upon arrival within a local network. In one embodiment, the registration request is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) registration.
Claims20
In a wireless communication system supporting Internet Protocol communications, a method comprising:
- receiving an IP packet having a destination IP address and a Network Access Identifier (NAI);
- determining a Network Address Translator (NAT) corresponding to the NAI;
- determining a port number associated with the NAT and the NAI, the NAT having an NAT IP address;
- converting the destination IP address and the NAI to the NAT IP address and the port number;
- and
- directing the IP packet to the NAT IP address.
A wireless communication apparatus supporting Internet Protocol communications, comprising:
- means for receiving an IP packet having a destination IP address and a Network Access Identifier (NAI);
- means for determining a Network Address Translator (NAT) corresponding to the NAI;
- means for determining a port number associated with the NAT and the NAI, the NAT having an NAT IP address;
- means for converting the destination IP address and the NAI to the NAT IP address and the port number;
- and
- means for directing the IP packet to the NAT IP address.
A gateway in a wireless communication system supporting Internet Protocol (IP) communications, comprising:
- Network Access Identifier (NAI) processing unit, adapted to identify a first mobile station by a NAI associated with the first mobile station;
- and
- translation map coupled to the NAI processing unit, adapted to store a mapping of the NAI to a Network Address Translator (NAT) and a port number to identify the first mobile station.
An apparatus in a wireless communication system supporting Internet Protocol (IP) communications, comprising:
- means for identifying a first user based on a Network Access Identifier (NAI);
- and
- means for mapping the NAI of the first user to a Network Address Translator (NAT) within which the first user is located, and a port number within the NAT that identifies the first user.
In a wireless communication system supporting Internet Protocol (IP) communications, a method for communicating an IP packet to a target recipient, the method comprising:
- forming a destination address for the IP packet to the target recipient, the target recipient within a Network Address Translator (NAT) zone, the NAT zone served by a gateway, the address comprising a Network Access Identifier (NAI) of the target recipient and a gateway identifier of a gateway on a transmission path to the target recipient;
- and
- translating the destination address to an updated destination address comprising an IP address of the NAT and a port number of the target recipient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.