ANAT Encoding Interworking for IP Version Incompatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

There are incompatibility issues between Internet Protocol version 4 (IPV4) and version 6 (IPV6) in Session Description Protocol (SDP) negotiations, particularly when trying to establish media streams between devices that support different IP versions, leading to connection failures, especially between ANAT-compatible and legacy devices that do not support ANAT.

Innovation Solution

A communication endpoint registers its IP version tolerance with a SIP REGISTER message and responds with a 4XX SIP response to incompatible SDP offers, modifying the SIP INVITE message to use compatible IP addressing, ensuring interoperability between ANAT-compatible and legacy devices by removing or modifying ANAT protocol elements and IP addresses to match the endpoint's capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If SDP negotiations use ANAT protocol elements for IP version compatibility, then interoperability between IPV4 and IPV6 devices is improved, but compatibility with legacy devices that do not support ANAT deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIP version compatibilityVSAvoidconnection success rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a message modification entity that acts as an intermediary between the INVITE sender and the communication endpoint. This intermediary automatically modifies SDP messages by removing or replacing ANAT protocol elements based on the endpoint's capabilities, enabling seamless interoperability between ANAT-compatible and legacy devices without requiring endpoint updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If SDP messages contain ANAT protocol elements for IP version negotiation, then media stream establishment between different IP versions is enabled, but connection failures occur with legacy devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedia stream compatibilityVSAvoidconnection establishment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the communication endpoint's capabilities during the registration phase (SIP REGISTER message). Based on this advance knowledge, the message modification entity proactively modifies SDP messages before they reach the endpoint, preventing connection failures before they occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from SIP REGISTER messages to determine endpoint capabilities regarding ANAT support and IP version tolerance. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic adaptation of SDP messages to match the endpoint's capabilities, ensuring successful connection establishment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Adaptability or versatility

If communication endpoints are updated to support ANAT protocol, then IP version interoperability is improved, but device complexity and update requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol compatibilityVSAvoidendpoint capability requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The message modification entity serves as an external intermediary that handles ANAT protocol complexity, allowing legacy endpoints to benefit from IP version compatibility without requiring any updates or increased complexity at the endpoint level

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The message modification entity provides universal compatibility by handling multiple scenarios (ANAT support detection, IP version matching, SDP message modification) through a single system component, eliminating the need for each endpoint to implement multiple capability sets

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10904299B2Alternative network address type (ANAT) encoding and media interworking

Publication Date: 2021.01.26 AVAYA INC

AI summary

To deal with ANAT/IP version incompatibility, a communication endpoint registers with a communication system using a SIP REGISTER message. For example, the communication endpoint registers when it boots up. The SIP REGISTER message indicates that the communication endpoint: does not support the Alternative Network Address Type (ANAT) protocol or is one of IPV4 intolerant or IPV6 intolerant. When a SIP INVITE message is received with a Session Description Protocol (SDP) offer that comprises the ANAT protocol or an IP address that is opposite of the IP version intolerance of the communication endpoint, a 4XX SIP response message is sent to the sender of the SIP INVITE to indicate the incompatibility. In response, to receiving the 4XX SIP response message, the SIP INVITE is modified to be compatible with the capabilities of the communication endpoint.