Creating a public identity for an entity on a network

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 8,090,843
App. No.: 13/087,937
Granted: Jan 3, 2012
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A system is disclosed for establishing a public identity for an entity on a private network. In one embodiment, a first entity can initiate a request to create a binding of a public address to a private address for itself. The existence of this public address for the first entity can be made known so that other entities can use the public address to communicate with the first entity. The present invention allows entities outside of a private network to initiate communication with an entity inside a private network.

Claims (58)

1. A method for communicating between a first entity and a second entity, the method comprising:

requesting to a gateway, by the first entity in a private network, a public internet protocol (“IP”) address for the first entity;

receiving, by the first entity, a public IP address of the first entity;

receiving, at the first entity, an initial IP packet from the second entity having a public IP address, wherein the initial IP packet includes:

a destination address including the public IP address of the first entity, and

a source address including the public IP address of the second entity;

generating, at the first entity, a responsive IP packet, wherein the responsive IP packet includes:

a destination address including the public IP address of the second entity, and

a source address including the public IP address of the first entity; and

transmitting, from the first entity, the responsive IP packet to the second entity.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second entity comprises a private entity in a private network different from the private network of the first entity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the responsive IP packet does not include a private address of the first entity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial IP packet does not include a private address of the first entity.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the private network of the first entity has no subnet; and

wherein the initial IP packet includes a media access control address for the first entity.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first entity is in a subnet of the private network; and

wherein the public IP address of the first entity includes a prefix associated with the subnet.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said receiving, at the first entity, an initial IP packet from the second entity further comprises receiving the initial IP packet from a router associated with the subnet; and

wherein the initial IP packet has been routed by the router according to a subnet mask of all ones.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors included in a first entity in a private network and programmed to:

request to a gateway a public internet protocol (“IP”) address for the first entity;

receive a public IP address of the first entity;

receive an initial IP packet from a second entity having a public IP address, wherein the initial IP packet includes:

a destination address including the public IP address of the first entity, and

a source address including the public IP address of the second entity;

generate a responsive IP packet, wherein the responsive IP packet includes:

a destination address including the public IP address of the second entity, and

a source address including the public IP address of the first entity; and

transmit the responsive IP packet to the second entity.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second entity comprises a private entity in a private network different from the private network of the first entity.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the responsive IP packet does not include a private address of the first entity.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the initial IP packet does not include a private address of the first entity.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the private network of the first entity has no subnet; and

wherein the initial IP packet includes a media access control address for the first entity.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first entity is in a subnet of the private network; and

wherein the public IP address of the first entity includes a prefix associated with the subnet.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to receive the initial IP packet from a router associated with the subnet; and

wherein the initial IP packet has been routed by the router according to a subnet mask of all ones.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable mediums storing software instructions that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

requesting to a gateway, by a first entity in a private network, a public internet protocol (“IP”) address for the first entity;