Network address translating router for mobile networking
AssigneeConnectify, Inc.
InventorsAlex Gizis, Brian Lutz, Brian Prodoehl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Network Address Translating (“NAT”) Router, particularly designed for mobile use, and for managing one or more local area networks, having private internet protocol (“IP”) address ranges, along with multiple “upstream” networks, and for efficiently routing communications traffic to and from the upstream networks, is disclosed. The inventive router allocates multiple network connections of varying quality, to automatically optimize the effective connection speed in a mobile client network with optional personal “hotspot” sub-networks. The inventive NAT router is also capable of managing IP address allocation on local networks to substantially avoid conflicts with other networks encountered in normal use.
Claims18
A computer hosted network address translating router, comprising:
- (a) a network address translating router;
- (b) a host computer communicatively connected to said network address translating router;
- (c) a plurality of local network adapters, each said local network adapter communicatively connected to said network address translating router;
- (d) a plurality of client devices, each said client device communicatively connected to a first subset of said local network adapters;
- (e) at least one remote network, each said remote network communicatively connected to a second subset of said local network adapters;
- and
- (f) at least one remote server, each said remote server communicatively connected to said at least one remote network;
- wherein said network address translating router manages network traffic to and from said at least one remote network and said at least one remote server by reassigning network connections, without restarting the networking connections, if said network connections fail, become unavailable, or degrade in performance.
A method for a computer hosted network address translating router to select internet protocol (“IP”) address ranges, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining the last used IP address;
- (b) comparing said last used IP address against a listing of IP addresses not to be used;
- (c) comparing said last used IP address against a listing of historically used upstream IP addresses;
- (d) if said last used IP address is not on said listing of IP addresses not to be used or said listing of historically used upstream IP addresses, then said network address translating router uses said last used IP address;
- (e) if either said last used IP address is on said listing of IP addresses not to be used or said listing of historically used upstream IP addresses, then randomly selecting a new IP address;
- and
- (f) comparing said randomly selected new IP address against said listing of IP addresses not to be used;
- (g) comparing said randomly selected new IP address against a listing of historically used upstream IP addresses;
- (h) if said randomly selected new IP address is not on said listing of IP addresses not to be used or said listing of historically used upstream IP addresses, then said network address translating router uses said new IP address;
- and
- (i) if either said randomly selected new IP address is on said listing of IP addresses not to be used or said listing of historically used upstream IP addresses, then returning to step (d) and again random selecting a new IP address.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.