Method and Apparatus Allowing Remote Access in Data Networks

• Main Authors: BERKVENS WINFRIED ANTONIUS HENRICUS, VERBERKT MARK HENRICUS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.06.2008
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A method is provided for providing a possibility of starting a communication session from a public or global data network, such as the Internet, to a private or local data network, such as a residential home network, via a gateway device ( 18 ) connecting the public and the private network. The gateway device comprises a Network Address Translation (NAT) functionality, concealing for the public network the addressing realm of the private network, but also customarily blocking the starting of sessions from the public network. According to the method provided, a client device ( 10 ) connected to the public network can provide the possibility of starting a session to a server device ( 14 ) connected to the private network by performing an explicit remote access request directed toward the server device, involving the exchange of remote access request messages ( 20, 22 ) between the client, gateway, and server devices. At the server device, the request triggers a related remote access response directed at the client device, similarly involving the exchange of remote access response messages ( 24, 26 ) between the devices. As a result of these message exchanges, an appropriate NAT address binding can be established at the gateway device, allowing the subsequent starting of a session by the client device.