US 6,657,991 B1 · Method and system for provisioning network addresses in a data-over-cable system

Abstract

A method and system for provisioning network addresses in a data-over-cable system. Provisioning of network addresses allows multiple “always-on” network devices with multiple associated devices to be used on a data-over-cable system with a limited public network address pool. The “always-on” network devices provide services, such as, Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”), that typically require instant access to data-over-cable system. Network devices such as “always-on” cable modems may allocated private network addresses (e.g., Internet Protocol addresses) on the data-over-cable system. The private network addresses are not addressable outside the data-over-cable system. Other network devices associated with the cable modems, such as customer premise equipment, may be allocated public network addresses (e.g., Internet Protocol Addresses) on the data-over-cable system. The public network addresses are addressable outside the data-over-cable system. The network address provisioning is accomplished by selecting a private network address marker and a public network address marker for selected network devices and using an extended Address Resolution Protocol table to determine a device type. The private network address marker or public network address marker is added to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message field by a cable modem termination system. A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server uses the private or public address marker to allocate a private network address or a public network address on the data-over-cable system. The provisioning of network addresses allows two or more virtual networks to be created on the data-over-cable system, and may reduce a number of public network addresses required for a data-over-cable system.

Claims44

Dependent claims

In a data system with a plurality of network devices, a method for using network address provisioning, comprising the following steps:

receiving a first message with a first configuration protocol on a second network device from a network device to request a network address for the network device on the data system;
determining whether the network device is to receive a private network address on the data system with a network address table associated with the second network device, and if so,
obtaining a private network address marker on the second network device, wherein the private network address marker indicates that a private network address is to be selected for the network device, and wherein the private network address is not addressable outside of the data system, and
setting a first network address field in the first message with the private network address marker;
and if the network device is not to receive the private network address,
obtaining a public network address marker on the second network device, wherein the public network address marker indicates that a public network address is to be selected for the network device, and wherein the public network address is addressable outside of the data system, and
setting the first network address field in the first message with the public network address marker;
and
forwarding the first message to a network address server associated with the data system, wherein the first network address field in the first message is used by the network address server to allocate a network address on the data system.

6 more elements

In a data system with a plurality of network devices, a method for providing network addresses from multiple address pools, comprising the following steps:

receiving a first message with a first configuration protocol on a network address server from a second network device to request a network address for a network device on the data system;
determining whether the network device is to receive a private network address on the data system by comparing a network address marker in a first network address field in the first message with a plurality of network addresses from a plurality of network address scopes associated with the network address server, and if the network device is to receive the private network address,
allocating the private network address from a private network address pool, wherein the private network address is not addressable outside of the data system, and
setting a second network address field in a second message for the first configuration protocol with the private network address;
and if the network device is not to receive the private network address,
allocating a public network address from a public network address pool, wherein the public network address is addressable outside of the data system, and
setting the second network address field in the second message for the first configuration protocol with the public network address;
and
sending the second message to the second network device, wherein the second network device forwards the second message back to the network device, and wherein the network device uses a network address in the second network address field in the second message for identification.

6 more elements

In a data-over-cable system with a plurality of network devices, a method for using network address provisioning, comprising the following steps:

receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message on a cable modem termination system from a network device to request an Internet Protocol address for the network device on the data-over-cable system;
determining whether the network device is to receive a private Internet Protocol address on the data-over-cable system with an extended Address Resolution Protocol table associated with the cable modem termination system, and if so,
obtaining a private Internet Protocol address marker on the cable modem termination system, wherein the private Internet Protocol address marker indicates that the private Internet Protocol address is to be selected for the network device, and wherein the private Internet Protocol address is not addressable-outside of the data-over-cable system, and
setting a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol giaddr-field in the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message with the private Internet Protocol address marker;
and if the network device is not to receive the private Internet Protocol address,
obtaining a public Internet Protocol address marker on the cable modem termination system, wherein the public Internet Protocol address marker indicates that a public Internet Protocol address is to be selected for the network device, and wherein the public Internet Protocol address is addressable outside of the data-over-cable system, and
setting the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol giaddr-field in the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message with the public Internet Protocol address marker;
and
forwarding the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message to a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server associated with the data-over-cable system, wherein the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol giaddr-field in the Dynamic Host Configuration protocol message field of the first message is used by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server to allocate the Internet Protocol address on the data-over-cable system.

6 more elements

In a data-over-cable system with a plurality of network devices, a method for providing network addresses from multiple address pools, comprising the following steps:

receiving a first Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message on a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server from a cable modem termination system to request an Internet Protocol address for a network device on the data-over-cable system;
determining whether the network device is to receive a private Internet Protocol address on the data-over-cable system by comparing an Internet Protocol address marker in a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol giaddr-field in the first Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message with a plurality of Internet Protocol addresses from a plurality of Internet Protocol address scopes associated with the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server, and if the network device is to receive the private Internet Protocol address,
allocating the private Internet Protocol address from a private Internet Protocol address pool, wherein the private Internet Protocol address is not addressable outside of the data-over-cable system, and
setting a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol yiaddr-field in a second Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message with the private Internet Protocol address;
and if the network device is not to receive the private Internet Protocol address,
allocating a public Internet Protocol address from a public Internet Protocol address pool, wherein the public Internet Protocol address is addressable outside of the system, and
setting the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol yiaddr-field in the second Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message with the public Internet Protocol address;
and
sending the second Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message to the cable modem termination system, wherein the cable modem termination system forwards the second Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message back to the network device, and wherein the network device uses an Internet Protocol address in the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol yiaddr-field in the second Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol message for identification.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for provisioning network addresses in a data-over-cable system

Life of this patent

Method and system for provisioning network addresses in a data-over-cable system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims44