Private network gateways interconnecting private networks via an access network

A network comprising:

• an IPv6 network configured for routing IPv6 packets, the IPv6 network including a locator resource configured for identifying network nodes, having registered with the locator resource, by respective IPv6 addresses;
• and
• a plurality of gateways configured for providing communications for respective private IPv4 networks to the IPv6 network, each gateway having a corresponding assigned IPv6 prefix and configured for dynamically assigning to each IPv4 node in the corresponding private IPv4 network a corresponding private IPv4 address within a prescribed IPv4 address domain;
• each gateway comprising an address resource configured for determining the IPv6 address for a remote IPv4 node, located within a second one of the private IPv4 networks via a second one of the gateways, based on sending a query to the locator resource, the address resource including a network address translation-protocol translation (NAT-PT) resource configured for creating a NAT-PT state entry for enabling one of the IPv4 nodes in said each private IPv4 network to communicate with the remote IPv4 node via the IPv6 network, the NAT-PT resource adding within the NAT-PT state entry:
• (a) the private IPv4 address assigned to the one IPv4 node in said each private IPv4 network,
• (b) a generated IPv6 address having the corresponding assigned IPv6 address prefix prepended to the private IPv4 address assigned to the one IPv4 node and used for identification of the one IPv4 node via the IPv6 network,
• (c) the IPv6 address for identifying the remote IPv4 node via the IPv6 network, and
• (d) a determined unique private IPv4 address for identifying the remote IPv4 node within said each private IPv4 network;
• wherein said each gateway and the second gateway are configured for establishing a communications between the one IPv4 node and the remote IPv4 node based on the second gateway creating a corresponding NAT-PT state entry specifying the IPv6 addresses of the one IPv4 node and the remote IPv4 node, and IPv4 addresses uniquely identifying the respective one IPv4 node and the remote IPv4 node within the second IPv4 private network.

A gateway configured for providing communications for a first private IPv4 network to an IPv6 network, the gateway comprising:

• an IPv4 interface configured for receiving a first IPv4 packet from a first IPv4 node in the private IPv4 network, the first IPv4 packet having a source address field specifying a first private IPv4 address having been dynamically assigned to the first IPv4 node, and a request for initiating a communication with a second IPv4 node identified in the request and outside the first private IPv4 network;
• and
• an address resource configured for sending the request into the IPv6 network for locating the second IPv4 node, the address resource including a network address translation-protocol translation (NAT-PT) resource configured for creating a NAT-PT state entry for the first IPv4 node that specifies the first private IPv4 address and a first IPv6 address created for the first IPv4 node based on prepending the first private IPv4 address with a prescribed IPv6 prefix assigned to the gateway;
• wherein the address resource is configured, in response to obtaining from the IPv6 network a response that specifies the first IPv6 address and a second IPv6 address for the second IPv4 node identified in the request, for adding to the NAT-PT state entry the second IPv6 address for identifying the second IPv4 node via the IPv6 network, and a determined unique private IPv4 address for identifying the second IPv4 node within the first private IPv4 network;
• the address resource configured for establishing communications between the first IPv4 node and the second IPv4 node via the first private IPv4 network and the IPv6 network, based on translation of the first private IPv4 address and the unique private IPv4 address specified in a data packet received from the first IPv4 node, into the respective first IPv6 address and the second IPv6 address for transmission of the data packet to the second IPv4 node via the IPv6 network as an IPv6 packet;
• wherein the address resource includes an address resolution resource configured for sending the request to a prescribed locator resource in the IPv6 network, wherein the address resource, in response to the IPv4 interface having received a registration request from the first IPv4 node for registration, is configured for modifying the registration request to identify the first IPv4 node based on the first IPv6 address, and outputting the registration request to the prescribed locator resource via the IPv6 network following modification of the registration request to specify the host name of the first IPv4 node and the first IPv6 address.

A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon sequences of computer executable instructions for a gateway coupling a first private IPv4 network to an IPv6 network, the sequences of instructions including instructions for:

• receiving by the gateway a first IPv4 packet from a first IPv4 node in the first private IPv4 network, the first IPv4 packet having a source address field specifying a first private IPv4 address having been dynamically assigned to the first IPv4 node, and a request for initiating a communication with a second IPv4 node identified in the request and outside the first private IPv4 network;
• sending by the gateway the request into the IPv6 network for locating the second IPv4 node, including creating a first IPv6 address for the first IPv4 node based on prepending the first private IPv4 address with a prescribed IPv6 prefix assigned to the gateway;
• obtaining by the gateway from the IPv6 network a response that specifies the first IPv6 address, and a second IPv6 address for reaching the second IPv4 node identified in the request via the IPv6 network;
• creating by the gateway a network address translation-protocol translation (NAT-PT) state entry for enabling communication between the first IPv4 node and the second IPv4 node, the NAT-PT state entry specifying the first private IPv4 address for identifying the first IPv4 node in the first private IPv4 network, the first IPv6 address for identifying the first IPv4 node via the IPv6 network, the second IPv6 address for identifying the second IPv4 node via the IPv6 network, and a determined unique private IPv4 address for identifying the second IPv4 node within the first private IPv4 network;
• and
• establishing communications by the gateway between the first IPv4 node and the second IPv4 node via the first private IPv4 network and the IPv6 network, based on translation of the first private IPv4 address and the unique private IPv4 address specified in a data packet received from the first IPv4 node, into the respective first IPv6 address and the second IPv6 address for transmission of the data packet to the second IPv4 node via the IPv6 network as an IPv6 packet;
• wherein the sending includes sending the request to a prescribed locator resource in the IPv6 network, the medium further including instructions for:
• receiving by the gateway a registration request from the first IPv4 node for registration in the prescribed locator resource;
• modifying by the gateway the registration request to identify the first IPv4 node based on the first IPv6 address;
• and
• outputting by the gateway to the prescribed locator resource, via the IPv6 network, the registration request following the modifying, the registration request specifying a host name of the first IPv4 node and the first IPv6 address.

A gateway coupled to a first private IPv4 network and an IPv6 network, the gateway comprising:

• means for receiving a first IPv4 packet from a first IPv4 node in the first private IPv4 network, the first IPv4 packet having a source address field specifying a first private IPv4 address having been dynamically assigned to the first IPv4 node, and a request for initiating a communication with a second IPv4 node identified in the request and outside the first private IPv4 network;
• and
• means for sending the request into the IPv6 network for locating the second IPv4 node, including creating a first IPv6 address for the first IPv4 node based on prepending the first private IPv4 address with a prescribed IPv6 prefix assigned to the gateway;
• the means for sending further configured for obtaining from the IPv6 network a response that specifies the first IPv6 address, and a second IPv6 address for reaching the second IPv4 node identified in the request via the IPv6 network;
• the means for sending further configured for creating a network address translation-protocol translation (NAT-PT) state entry for enabling communication between the first IPv4 node and the second IPv4 node, the NAT-PT state entry specifying the first private IPv4 address for identifying the first IPv4 node in the first private IPv4 network, the first IPv6 address for identifying the first IPv4 node via the IPv6 network, the second IPv6 address for identifying the second IPv4 node via the IPv6 network, and a determined unique private IPv4 address for identifying the second IPv4 node within the first private IPv4 network;
• the means for sending further configured for establishing communications between the first IPv4 node and the second IPv4 node via the first private IPv4 network and the IPv6 network, based on translation of the first private IPv4 address and the unique private IPv4 address specified in a data packet received from the first IPv4 node, into the respective first IPv6 address and the second IPv6 address for transmission of the data packet to the second IPv4 node via the IPv6 network as an IPv6 packet;
• wherein the means for sending further is configured for:
• sending the request to a prescribed locator resource in the IPv6 network,
• in response to the means for receiving having received a registration request from the first IPv4 node for registration in the prescribed locator resource, modifying the registration request to identify the first IPv4 node based on the first IPv6 address;
• and
• outputting to the prescribed locator resource, via the IPv6 network, the registration request specifying a host name of the first IPv4 node and the first IPv6 address.