Router NAT Gateway Connection Server Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Network Address Translation (NAT) gateways hinder peer-to-peer communication by hiding internal hosts, making it difficult for external entities to initiate connections, and the lack of standardization among NAT devices complicates interoperability for peer-to-peer applications.

Innovation Solution

A system involving a router and multiple connection servers that report recent connections, allowing the router to attempt communication with the client device through the connection server with the most recent connection history, while ensuring the integrity of the gateway and updating connection data to prevent subsequent connections with the same server.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If NAT gateway is used to share global routable IP address, then multiple terminations can intercommunicate using private IP addresses, but external entities cannot initiate communications to individual host devices behind the gateway

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAbility of multiple terminations to share global IP addressVSAvoidAbility of external entities to initiate connections to internal hosts

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by having connection servers track and report connection history before external connection attempts. The router proactively queries connection servers for recent connection data, establishing connection information in advance so that when an external entity needs to connect, the system already has the necessary routing information to forward the connection request to the correct internal host.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces connection servers as intermediaries between the NAT gateway and external entities. These connection servers maintain connection history and work with the router to enable external connection initiation. The intermediary layer translates external connection requests into internal host-specific connections by utilizing the tracked connection history, thus bridging the gap created by NAT address hiding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If NAT gateway hides individual hosts for security, then internal network security is improved, but peer-to-peer communication reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveNetwork security through host hidingVSAvoidPeer-to-peer communication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where connection servers continuously report connection history to the router. This feedback loop ensures that the router has up-to-date information about which internal hosts are currently connected and accessible. The feedback enables the system to maintain security through NAT while reliably establishing peer-to-peer connections by using the most recent connection information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Connection information is gathered and stored in advance through the connection history tracking mechanism. Before peer-to-peer communication is needed, the router has already queried and obtained connection history from connection servers, preparing the routing information necessary for reliable connection establishment while maintaining security through the NAT gateway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If connection history is tracked across multiple connection servers, then communication reliability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveCommunication establishment reliabilityVSAvoidSystem architecture complexity with multiple connection servers

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the connection tracking function across multiple independent connection servers rather than requiring a single centralized system. Each connection server independently tracks connections it handles, and the router coordinates by querying these segmented servers. This segmentation distributes the complexity while improving reliability through redundancy and load distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple connection servers perform the same universal function of tracking and reporting connection history. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve reliability through redundancy while managing complexity by having identical, standardized components rather than complex inter-dependent systems. The router provides a universal interface to query any connection server, simplifying the coordination layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9699139B2Communications system

Publication Date: 2017.07.04 BRITISH TELECOM PLC

AI summary

A client device (6) may be connected to a network (2) through a private network and one of several connection servers (10, 11, 12, 13) associated with a router (1). In such a configuration a server (5) external to the private network cannot provide a complete routing address for data to be transmitted to the device (6), as it does not have visibility of the control processors (10, 11, 12, 13). To allow such connection to be made, when a connection request for a target client device (6) is transmitted from an external server (5) to the router (1), the router retrieves connection history of the target device (6) from each of the connection servers, and the router 1 then attempts communication with the client device 6 through the connection server (10) reporting the most recent connection.