Arrangement for traversing an IPv4 network by IPv6 mobile routers

A method in an IPv6 mobile router, the method including:

• attaching to a public IPv4 network using a public IPv4 gateway address and an IPv6 network using an IPv6 address;
• receiving from the public IPv4 network an IPv4 packet having a destination address specifying the public IPv4 gateway address, a destination port field specifying a prescribed public gateway port, a source address field specifying a pubic IPv4 address and a source port field specifying a public port;
• recovering an IPv6 packet from the IPv4 packet in response to detecting the prescribed public gateway port in the destination port field;
• modifying a detected IPv6 tag address in a source address field of the IPv6 packet into a modified IPv6 tag address in response to detecting a prescribed protocol identifer for an IPv6 gateway to transfer the IPv6 packet from the IPv4 network to the IPv6 network, the modifying including replacing the prescribed protocol identifer with a second protocol identifer, and inserting the pubic IPv4 address and the public port;
• updating the IPv6 packet into an updated IPv6 packet by inserting the modified IPv6 tag address into a detected reverse routing header of the IPv6 packet, and inserting a care-of address for the mobile router into the sorce address field;
• and
• outputting the updated IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

An IPv6 mobile router comprising:

• first means for generating an IPv6 tag address that includes a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway configured for transferring packets between an IPv4 network and an IPv6 network, and a public IPv4 gateway address for the IPv6 gateway;
• second means for generating an IPv6 packet having a source address field that specifies the IPv6 tag address, and a reverse routing header that specifies a home address;
• third means for encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet having an IPv4 header including a destination address field that specifies the public gateway IPv4 address, and a source address field specifying a mobile router IPv4 address, the mobile router IPv4 address used by the IPv6 mobile router for accessing the IPv6 gateway via the IPv4 network;
• and
• means for outputting the IPv4 packet to the IPv6 gateway via the IPv4 network, for transfer of the IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

An IPv6 mobile router including:

• first means for attaching to a public IPv4 network using a public IPv4 gateway address, the first means configured for receiving from the public IPv4 network an IPv4 packet having a destination address specifying the public IPv4 gateway address, a destination port field specifying a prescribed public gateway port, a source address field specifying a pubic IPv4 address and a source port field specifying a public port;
• second means for recovering an IPv6 packet from the IPv4 packet in response to detecting the prescribed public gateway port in the destination port field;
• third means for modifying a detected IPv6 tag address in a source address field of the IPv6 packet into a modified IPv6 tag address in response to detecting a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway to transfer the IPv6 packet from the IPv4 network to the IPv6 network, the third means configured for replacing the prescribed protocol identifier with a second protocol identifier, and inserting the pubic IPv4 address and the public port;
• the third means configured for updating the IPv6 packet into an updated IPv6 packet by inserting the modified IPv6 tag address into a detected reverse routing header of the IPv6 packet, and inserting a care-of address for the mobile router into the sorce address field;
• and
• means for outputting the updated IPv6 packet onto an IPv6 network.

A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for outputting an IPv6 packet by a mobile router, the sequences of instructions including instructions for:

• first generating an IPv6 tag address that includes a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway configured for transferring packets between an IPv4 network and an IPv6 network, and a public IPv4 gateway address for the IPv6 gateway;
• second generating an IPv6 packet having a source address field that specifies the IPv6 tag address, and a reverse routing header that specifies a home address;
• encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet having an IPv4 header including a destination address field that specifies the public gateway IPv4 address and a source address field specifying a mobile router IPv4 address, the mobile router IPv4 address used by the IPv6 mobile router for accessing the IPv6 gateway via the IPv4 network;
• and
• outputting the IPv4 packet to the IPv6 gateway via the IPv4 network, for transfer of the IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for outputting an IPv6 packet by a mobile router, the sequences of instructions including instructions for:

• attaching to a public IPv4 network using a public IPv4 gateway address and an IPv6 network using an IPv6 address;
• receiving from the public IPv4 network an IPv4 packet having a destination address specifying the public IPv4 gateway address, a destination port field specifying a prescribed public gateway port, a source address field specifying a pubic IPv4 address and a source port field specifying a public port;
• recovering an IPv6 packet from the IPv4 packet in response to detecting the prescribed public gateway port in the destination port field;
• modifying a detected IPv6 tag address in a source address field of the IPv6 packet into a modified IPv6 tag address in response to detecting a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway to transfer the IPv6 packet from the IPv4 network to the IPv6 network, the modifying including replacing the prescribed protocol identifier with a second protocol identifier, and inserting the pubic IPv4 address and the public port;
• updating the IPv6 packet into an updated IPv6 packet by inserting the modified IPv6 tag address into a detected reverse routing header of the IPv6 packet, and inserting a care-of address for the mobile router into the sorce address field;
• and
• outputting the updated IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.