# US 2020/0396160 A1 · Server-Based Local Address Assignment Protocol > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0396160 A1 - Document ID: US20200396160A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/006,554 - Filed: 2020-08-28 - Published: 2020-12-17 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-06 - Assignees: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Donald E. Eastlake, III; Yan Zhuang; Yizhou Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200396160A1 ## CPC - H04L 45/74: Address processing for routing - H04L 61/5038: for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN] - H04L 65/611: for multicast or broadcast (systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06) - H04L 61/5053: Lease time; Renewal aspects - H04L 61/5092: by self-assignment, e.g. picking addresses at random and testing if they are already in use - H04L 2101/00: Indexing scheme associated with group H04L61/00 - H04L 2101/622: Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract An apparatus comprises: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: perform a random number generation; generate a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network; and generate, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address. A method comprises: performing a random number generation; generating a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network; generating, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address; and transmitting the initial message. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for local address assignment, comprising: an endpoint client configured to: generate a host identifier (HID) based on a random number generation and independent of router input or server input, the HID being substantially unique within a local network; and transmit an initial message, the initial message including the HID and a request for a media access control (MAC) address for a local address; and a proxy in communication with the endpoint client, the proxy configured to: receive the initial message, the initial message accompanied by port information; forward the initial message; receive a response message in response to the initial message, the response message including a locally unique client MAC address; and forward the response message to the endpoint client. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the response message including a length of time during which the endpoint client can use the MAC address. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the response message including the port information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the endpoint client is further configured to: receive a plurality of response messages; and select the response message from among the response messages and select a corresponding server. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, the endpoint client is further configured to transmit a confirmation message to the proxy after receiving the response message. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, the confirmation message including a destination MAC (DMAC) field, a source MAC (SMAC) field, an EtherType field, a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field, and an HID field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the DMAC field comprises a multicast address, the SMAC field comprises the MAC address, the EtherType field comprises two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol, the S-LAAP type field comprises a value indicating that the confirmation message is a confirmation message type, and the HID field comprises the HID. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the initial message comprises a destination MAC (DMAC) field, a source MAC (SMAC) field, an EtherType field, a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field, and an HID field. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the DMAC field comprises a multicast address, the SMAC field comprises a first value indicating that the local address is unknown, the EtherType field comprises two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol, the S-LAAP type field comprises a second value indicating that the initial message is an initial message type, and the HID field comprises the HID. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the endpoint client is in the local network. ### Claim 11 A method for local address assignment, comprising: generating, by an endpoint client, a host identifier (HID) based on a random number generation and independent of router input or server input, the HID being substantially unique within a local network; transmitting, by the endpoint client, an initial message, the initial message including the HID and a request for a media access control (MAC) address for a local address; receiving, by a proxy, the initial message, the initial message accompanied by port information; forwarding, by the proxy, the initial message; receiving, by the proxy, a response message in response to the initial message, the response message including a locally unique client MAC address; and forwarding, by the proxy, the response message to the endpoint client. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, the response message including a length of time during which the endpoint client can use the MAC address. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, the response message including the port information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: receiving, by the endpoint client, a plurality of response messages; and selecting, by the endpoint client, the response message from among the response messages and selecting a corresponding server if the endpoint client receives more than one response message. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising the endpoint client transmitting a confirmation message to the proxy after receiving the response message. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, the confirmation message including a destination MAC (DMAC) field, a source MAC (SMAC) field, an EtherType field, a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field, and an HID field. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the DMAC field comprises a multicast address, the SMAC field comprises the MAC address, the EtherType field comprises two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol, the S-LAAP type field comprises a value indicating that the confirmation message is a confirmation message type, and the HID field comprises the HID. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the initial message comprises a destination MAC (DMAC) field, a source MAC (SMAC) field, an EtherType field, a server local address assignment protocol (S-LAAP) type field, and an HID field. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the DMAC field comprises a multicast address, the SMAC field comprises a first value indicating that the local address is unknown, the EtherType field comprises two octets indicating an S-LAAP protocol, the S-LAAP type field comprises a second value indicating that the initial message is an initial message type, and the HID field comprises the HID. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the endpoint client is in the local network.