US 7,453,887 B2 · Arrangement for traversing an IPv4 network by IPv6 mobile nodes

Abstract

A source IPV6 mobile node is configured for forwarding an IPV6 packet via an IPV4 connection with a destination IPV6 router. The IPV4 packet includes IPV4 source and destination addresses, a UDP source port and UDP destination port, and a synthetic tag address in the IPV6 destination address field. The synthetic tag address, a valid (routable) IPV6 care of address, has an address prefix routed to the IPV6 router. The address prefix specifies a forwarding protocol, the IPV4 destination address for the IPV6 router, and a site-level aggregation identifier. An address suffix for the synthetic tag address specifies the IPV4 source address, the UDP source port and UDP destination port. Hence, the synthetic tag address enables the destination IPV6 router to send an IPV6 reply packet back to the source IPV6 mobile node via the IPV4 network.

Claims56

Dependent claims

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

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 an lPv4 gateway address for the lPv6 gateway;
second generating an IPv6 packet having a source address field that specifies the IPv6 tag address, and a header that specifies a home address assigned to the IPv6 mobile node;
encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet having an IPv4 header including a destination address field that specifies the IPv4 gateway address, a source address field specifying a mobile node IPv4 address for the IPv6 mobile node, and a transport header having a source port field specifying a prescribed transport level port for the IPv6 mobile node, and a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level port for the IPv6 gateway used for identifying transfer of the IPv6 packet between the IPv4 network and the IPv6 network;
and
outputting the IPv4 packet to the IPv6 gateway via the IPv4 network, for transfer of the IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

2 more elements

A method in an IPv6 router, the method including:

attaching to an IPv4 network using an IPv4 gateway address and an IPv6 network using an IPv6 address;
receiving from the IPv4 network an IPv4 packet having a destination address field specifying the IPv4 gateway address, a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level gateway port, a source address field specifying an IPv4 address and a source port field specifying a second transport level port;
recovering an IPv6 packet from the IPv4 packet in response to detecting the prescribed transport level gateway port in the destination port field;
detecting within a source address field of the IPv6 packet an IPv6 tag address starting with a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway to transfer the IPv6 packet between the IPV4 network and the IPv6 network, the IPv6 tag address further including a second IPv4 address distinct from the IPv4 address;
modifying the IPv6 tag address into a modified IPv6 tag address, in response to detecting the prescribed protocol identifier, by overwriting the second IPv4 address with the IPv4 address and inserting the second transport level port into the IPv6 tag address;
updating the IPv6 packet into an updated IPv6 packet by inserting the modified IPv6 tag address into the source address field of the IPv6 packet;
and
outputting the updated IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

5 more elements

An IPv6 mobile node comprising:

means 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 an IPv4 gateway address for the IPv6 gateway;
means for second generating an IPv6 packet having a source address field that specifies the IPv6 tag address, and a header that specifies a home address assigned to the IPv6 mobile node;
means for encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet having an IPv4 header including a destination address field that specifies the IPv4 gateway address, a source address field specifying a mobile node IPv4 address for the IPv6 mobile node, and a transport header having a source port field specifying a prescribed UBP transport level port for the IPv6 mobile node, and a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level port for the IPv6 gateway used for identifying transfer of the IPv6 packet between the IPv4 network and the IPv6 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.

2 more elements

An IPv4 router including:

means for attaching to an IPv4 network using an IPv4 gateway address and an IPv6 network using an IPv6 address;
means for receiving from the IPv4 network an IPv4 packet having a destination address field specifying the IPv4 gateway address, a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level gateway port, a source address field specifying an IPv4 address and a source port field specifying a second transport level port;
means for recovering an IPv6 packet from the IPv4 packet in response to detecting the prescribed transport level gateway port in the destination port field;
means for detecting within a source address field of the IPv6 packet an IPv6 tag address starting with a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway to transfer the IPv6 packet between the IPv4 network and the IPv6 network, the IPv6 tag address further including a second IPV4 address distinct from the IPv4 address;
means for modifying the IPv6 tag address into a modified IPv6 tag address, in response to detecting the prescribed protocol identifier, by overwriting the second IPv4 address with the IPv4 address and inserting the second transport level port into the IPv6 tag address;
means for updating the IPv6 packet into an updated IPv6 packet by inserting the modified IPV6 tag address into the source address field of the IPv6 packet;
and
means for outputting the updated IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

5 more elements

A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for outputting an IPv4 packet by an IPv6 mobile node, 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 an 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 header that specifies a home address assigned to the IPv6 mobile node;
encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet having an IPv4 header including a destination address field that specifies the IPv4 gateway address, a source address field specifying a mobile node IPv4 address for the IPv6 mobile node, and a transport header having a source port field specifying a prescribed transport level port for the IPv6 mobile node, and a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level port for the IPv6 gateway used for identifying transfer of the IPv6 packet between the IPv4 network and the IPv6 network;
and
outputting the IPv4 packet to the IPv6 gateway via the IPv4 network, for transfer of the IPV6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

2 more elements

A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for receiving an IPv4 packet by an IPv6 router, the sequences of instructions including instructions for:

attaching to an IPv4 network using an IPv4 gateway address and an IPv6 network using an IPv6 address;
receiving from the IPv4 network an IPv4 packet having a destination address field specifying the IPv4 gateway address, a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level gateway port, a source address field specifying an IPv4 address and a source port field specifying a second transport level port;
recovering an IPv6 packet from the IPv4 packet in response to detecting the prescribed transport level gateway port in the destination port field;
detecting within a source address field of the IPv6 packet an IPv6 tag address starting with a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway to transfer the IPv6 packet between the IPV4 network and the IPv6 network, the IPv6 tag address further including a second IPv4 address distinct from the IPv4 address;
modifying the IPv6 tag address into a modified IPv6 tag address, in response to detecting the prescribed protocol identifier, by overwriting the second IPv4 address with the IPv4 address and inserting the second transport level port into the IPv6 tag address;
updating the IPv6 packet into an updated IPv6 packet by inserting the modified IPv6 tag address into the source address field of the IPv6 packet;
and
outputting the updated IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

5 more elements

An IPv6 mobile node comprising:

an IPv6 portion configured for generating an IPv6 packet having a source address field that specifies an IPv6 tag address, and a header that specifies a home address assigned to the IPv6 mobile node, the IPv6 tag address including (1) a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway configured for transferring packets between an IPv4 network and an IPv4 network, and (2) an IPv4 gateway address for the IPv6 gateway;
an encapsulation resource configured for encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 packet having an IPv4 header including a destination address field that specifies the IPv4 gateway address, a source address field specifying a mobile node IPv4 address for the IPv6 mobile node, and a transport header having a source port field specifying a prescribed transport level port for the IPv6 mobile node, and a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level port for the IPv6 gateway used for identifying transfer of the IPv6 packet between the IPv4 network and the IPv6 network;
and
an IPv4 interface configured for outputting the IPv4 packet to the IPv6 gateway via the IPV4 network, for transfer of the IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

1 more element

An IPv6 router including:

an IPv4 interface configured for attaching to an IPv4 network using an IPv4 gateway address and receiving from the IPv4 network an IPv4 packet having a destination address field specifying the IPv4 gateway address, a destination port field specifying a prescribed transport level gateway port, a source address field specifying an IPv4 address and a source port field specifying a second transport level port;
a decapsulation resource configured for recovering an IPv6 packet from the IPv4 packet in response to detecting the prescribed transport level gateway port in the destination port field;
and
an IPv6 portion configured for:
(1) detecting within a source address field of the IPv6 packet an IPv6 tag address starting with a prescribed protocol identifier for an IPv6 gateway to transfer the IPv6 packet between the IPV4 network and the IPv6 network, the IPv6 tag address further including a second IPv4 address distinct from the IPv4 address, (2) modifying the IPv6 tag address into a modified IPv6 tag address, in response to detecting the prescribed protocol identifier, by overwriting the second IPv4 address with the IPv4 address and inserting the second transport level port into the IPv6 tag address;
(3) updating the IPv6 packet into an updated IPv6 packet by inserting the modified IPv6 tag address into the source address field of the IPv6 packet;
and (4) outputting the updated IPv6 packet onto the IPv6 network.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Arrangement for traversing an IPv4 network by IPv6 mobile nodes

Life of this patent

Arrangement for traversing an IPv4 network by IPv6 mobile nodes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims56