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US 8,892,724 B1Granted
Assigning a type of address based on expected port utilization
AssigneeSprint Spectrum L.P.
InventorsLyle T. Bertz, John E. Belser
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Abstract
An address assignment device may support assigning either a public address or a private address to a client device. In order to increase the number of client devices that can share a public address via network address translation, the client device may be assigned a public address when the client device's expected port utilization is at or above a port utilization threshold. However, the client device may be assigned a private address when the client device's expected port utilization is below the port utilization threshold.
Claims16
A method, performed by an access gateway device that assigns addresses to client devices for the client devices to use while communicating via the access gateway device, the method comprising:
- the access gateway device receiving a first address request message sent on behalf of a first client device;
- and
- in response to receiving the first address request message, the access gateway device (i) determining a first expected transport-layer port utilization of the first client device, wherein the first expected transport-layer port utilization comprises a number of transport-layer ports that the first client device is expected to concurrently use while served by the access gateway device, (ii) based on the first expected transport-layer port utilization meeting a transport-layer port utilization threshold, assigning an address of a first type to the first client device, and (iii) transmitting a first address assignment message to the first client device, wherein the first address assignment message provides the address of the first type to the first client device
- the access gateway device receiving a second address request message sent on behalf of a second client device;
- in response to receiving the second address request message, the access gateway device (i) determining a second expected transport-layer port utilization of the second client device, (ii) based on the second expected transport-layer port utilization not meeting the transport-layer port utilization threshold, assigning an address of a second type to the second client device, and (iii) transmitting a second address assignment message to the second client device, wherein the second address assignment message provides the address of the second type to the second client device, wherein the first type comprises a public address and the second type comprises a private address;
- and
- the access gateway device (i) transmitting communications from the second client device through a network address translator (NAT) that translates the address of the second type to a shared public address, and (ii) refraining from transmitting communications from the first client device through the NAT.
4 more elements
A method, performed by an address assignment device that assigns addresses to client devices for the client devices to use while communicating, the method comprising:
- the address assignment device receiving an address request message, wherein a sender of the address request message seeks an address assignment for a client device;
- in response to receiving the address request message, the address assignment device determining an expected transport-layer port utilization of the client device, wherein the expected transport-layer port utilization is based on a concurrent transport-layer port utilization of the client device;
- if the expected transport-layer port utilization meets a transport-layer port utilization threshold, the address assignment device assigning an address of a first type to the client device;
- if the expected transport-layer port utilization does not meet the transport-layer port utilization threshold, the address assignment device assigning an address of a second type to the client device, wherein the first type comprises a public address and the second type comprises a private address;
- and
- the address assignment device transmitting an address assignment message to the sender of the address request message, wherein the address assignment message provides the assigned address to the client device;
- if the assigned address is of the second type, transmitting communications from the client device through a network address translator (NAT) that translates the address of the second type to a shared public address;
- and
- if the assigned address is of the first type, refraining from transmitting communications from the client device through the NAT.
6 more elements
An address assignment device that assigns addresses to client devices for the client devices to use while communicating, the address assignment device comprising:
- a processor;
- a data storage;
- and
- program instructions, stored in the data storage and executable by the processor, to (i) receive an address request message, wherein a sender of the address request message seeks an address assignment for a client device, (ii) in response to receiving the address request message, determine an expected transport-layer port utilization of the client device, wherein the expected transport-layer port utilization is based on a concurrent transport-layer port utilization of the client device, (iii) if the expected transport-layer port utilization meets a port utilization threshold, assign an address of a first type to the client device, (iv) if the expected transport-layer port utilization does not meet the transport-layer port utilization threshold, assign an address of a second type to the client device, wherein the first type comprises a public address and the second type comprises a private address, and (v) transmit an address assignment message to the client device, wherein the address assignment message provides the assigned address to the sender of the address request message, (vi) if the assigned address is of the second type, transmit communications from the client device through a network address translator (NAT) that translates the address of the second type to a shared public address, and (vii) if the assigned address is of the first type, refrain from transmitting communications from the client device through the NAT.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.