US 7,890,657 B2 · System and method for correct routing and enforcement policy in a network having address or port translation

Abstract

The present invention incorporates an intermediary proxy rules device that has access to information regarding network address and port bindings or network address and port translations. This intermediary function communicates translated address information to other devices on the network, such as the policy and charging rule function and policy and charging enforcement function. The full communication and coordination of this information coordinates correct translation address information and other necessary information to these PCRF and PCEF devices, which eliminates many of the problems associated with the session set-up and maintenance with other networks.

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Drawings

Claims21

Dependent claims

A system for supporting the transmission of multimedia communications, comprising:

a session initiation protocol (SIP) proxy for interfacing with a user equipment device, said SIP proxy including a network address translation device for translating an actual address of the user equipment device in an information packet into a translated address which is used to support media communications for transmission to the user equipment device;
a media proxy that receives media communications addressed to the translated address for the user equipment device, said media communications being provided to a policy control and charging enforcement function (PCEF) device for forwarding and policy enforcement of the media communication;
a proxy rules and charging function (PCRF) proxy for communicating a correlation between the user equipment device's actual address and the user equipment device's translated address to the PCEF device wherein, the PCEF device uses the translated address for proper forwarding and policy enforcement of media communications to be transmitted to the user equipment device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description3,131 words

Summary2,151 words

#A method for correctly applying policy within a multimedia communications network in the presence of network address or port translation.

#Present-day Internet communications represent the synthesis of technical developments begun in the 1960s. During that time period, the Defense Department developed a communication system to support communication between different United States military computer networks, and later a similar system was used to support communication between different research computer networks at United States universities.

#The Internet

Brief description of the drawings2 figures

#The objects and features of the invention will become more readily understood from the following detailed description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like elements and in which:

#FIG. 1 is a prior art schematic diagram of a communication network; and,

#FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication network;

Detailed description919 words

#FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment for an IP multimedia communication where the user equipment (UE) 100 is coupled to the session border controller (SBC) 125 by the SIP communication link 112. The SBC 125 has an SIP Proxy ALG 117 and a Media Proxy 120.

#The SIP Proxy ALG 117 includes a network address translation device, and the SIP Proxy ALG 117 is coupled by link 146 to the Proxy Call Session Control Function (PCSCF) 135 for a network that supports the multimedia communications support servers and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS Core) 155. The PCSCF 135 is coupled to the IMS Core 155 by communication link 145. Translated addresses are provided to the PCSCF 135 by the session border controller [125], and these translated addresses are used by PCSCF 135 to communicate to other devices.

#The user equipment (UE) 100 is also coupled to the Policy Control and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) 160 via link 161, and the Policy Control and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) 160 is coupled to the Policy Control and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) 175 through a Diameter Rx/Gx communication link 171. The PCEF 160 recognizes the mobile node's actual source address, but the PCEF 160 is not provided with a correlation of the mobile node's actual source address versus the translated address for the mobile node as translated by the SBC 125.

Facts

Application

12/157,677Filed 12 Jun 2008

Published

US 2009/0313385 A117 Dec 2009

Granted

15 Feb 2011

Term ends

29 Dec 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 200 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification6 codes

H04L 61/2591
Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses: identification of devices behind NAT devices
H04L 12/14
Details: charging, metering or billing arrangements specially adapted for data communications, e.g. authentication, authorisation and accounting…
H04L 12/1403
Charging, metering or billing arrangements specially adapted for data communications, e.g. authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA]…:…
H04L 65/1016
Architectures or entities: iP multimedia subsystem [IMS]

Timeline

12 Jun 2008Application filedUS 12/157,677
12 Jun 2008Assigned to Nortel Networks, Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
17 Dec 2009PublishedUS 2009/0313385 A1
2 Jun 2010Assigned to Genband US LLCchange of name
18 Jun 2010Assigned to One Equity Partners III, L.P., AS Collateral Agentpatent security agreement
25 Aug 2010Assigned to Genband US LLCassignment of assignor's interest
9 Nov 2010Assigned to Comerica Banksecurity agreement
15 Feb 2011GrantedUS 7,890,657 B2
2 Dec 2011Assigned to Comerica Bank (A Texas Banking Association), AS Agent; Attn: National Documentation Servicesamended and restated intellectual property security agreement
10 Jan 2014Assigned to Genband US LLCrelease of security interest
6 Jul 2016Assigned to Silicon Valley Bank, AS Administrative Agentpatent security agreement
7 Jul 2016Assigned to Genband US LLCrelease and reassignment of patents
3 Jan 2017Assigned to Silicon Valley Bank, AS Administrative Agentcorrective assignment to correct patent no. 6381239 previously recorded at reel: 039269 frame: 0234. assignor(s) hereby confirms the patent security agreement.
29 Dec 2017Assigned to Genband US LLCtermination and release of patent security agreement
2 Jan 2018Assigned to Silicon Valley Bank, AS Administrative Agentsecurity interest
3 Mar 2020Assigned to Citizens Bank, N.A., AS Administrative Agentsecurity interest
6 Dec 2021Assigned to Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (F/K/A Genband US LLC and Sonus Networks, Inc.)termination and release of patent security agreement at r/f 044978/0801
24 Jun 2024Assigned to Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (F/K/A Genband US LLC and Sonus Networks, Inc.)release of security interest
5 Sep 2024Assigned to Hps Investment Partners, LLC, AS Administrative Agentshort-form patents security agreement
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
29 Dec 2028Term endsEstimated, includes 200 days of adjustment

System and method for correct routing and enforcement policy in a network having address or port translation

Life of this patent

System and method for correct routing and enforcement policy in a network having address or port translation

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims21

Description3,131 words

Drawings

Classification6 codes

Life of this patent

Description3,131 words