Application Layer Address Conversion for IPv6-IPv4 Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face difficulties in maintaining communication between devices operating on IPv6 and IPv4 networks, particularly with HTTP protocols, as they primarily convert IP addresses at the network layer (Layer 3) and fail to address address information on the application layer (Layer 7), leading to issues when IPv6 terminals try to access IPv4 HTTP servers using literal IP addresses.
Innovation Solution
An information conversion apparatus and method that includes an analyzer to identify URLs expressed as literal network addresses in Layer 7 messages and an address converter to convert these addresses between IPv6 and IPv4 formats, enabling communication between devices on different networks by relaying through a relay device with an application gateway function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If IP address conversion is performed only at Layer 3 (network layer), then communication between IPv6 nodes and IPv4 nodes can be realized at the network level, but address information in IP payloads at Layer 7 (application layer) cannot be converted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends address conversion from the traditional Layer 3 (network layer) to Layer 7 (application layer) by adding a new dimension of operation. The application gateway intercepts HTTP requests and responses, parses URLs within the application layer data, and performs address conversion on literal IP addresses embedded in URLs. This multi-layer approach ensures that both network layer routing and application layer address references are correctly translated between IPv4 and IPv6, resolving the contradiction between network-level connectivity and application-level compatibility.
2Ease of operation
If a translator converts addresses only in IP headers, then Layer 3 communication is enabled, but HTTP communications with literal IP addresses in URLs fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an application gateway as an intermediary component between the IPv6 terminal and IPv4 HTTP server. This gateway intercepts HTTP requests containing URLs with literal IPv4 addresses, converts these addresses to their corresponding IPv6 addresses, and forwards the modified requests to the server. The gateway also performs reverse conversion for responses. This intermediary approach maintains the simplicity of existing HTTP clients while ensuring reliable communication by handling address conversion transparently in the application layer.
3Device complexity
If IPv6 terminals directly access IPv4 servers using literal IPv4 addresses in URLs, then simple URL formatting is maintained, but communication fails due to address format incompatibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service address conversion where the application gateway automatically detects and converts literal IP addresses in URLs without requiring modifications to IPv6 terminals or browsers. The gateway monitors HTTP traffic, identifies URLs containing IPv4 addresses, performs automatic conversion to IPv6 addresses, and forwards requests accordingly. This self-service mechanism maintains terminal simplicity while ensuring communication reliability, as the conversion happens transparently in the gateway without user awareness or terminal complexity increases.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus including an information conversion apparatus provided to a relay device for relaying between a server to which a first network address is allocated and a client terminal to which a second network address is allocated, the information conversion apparatus including: an analyzer which analyzes a message corresponding to Layer 7 of an OSI basic reference model of a received packet and determines whether a URL expressed as a literal network address is included; and an address converter which mutually converts, when a URL expressed as a literal network address is included, the literal network address in the URL between the first network address and the second network address.