Communication terminal, communication method, communication system, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9509608-B2
Application number	US-201214241138-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2012
Priority date	Sep 1, 2011
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A communication terminal communicating with a network including a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method, the communication terminal comprises: a request unit that requests an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network; a communication unit that establishes a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and a processing unit that processes a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A communication terminal, which communicates with a network including a plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses that forward a received packet, and a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method for controlling the plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses, the communication terminal comprising:
a communication device;
a memory storing instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
request an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network;
establish, using the communication device, a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and
process a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel,

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to perform at least one of the following:
notify whether the communication terminal holds the address;
insert into the address request information indicating whether the communication terminal holds the address; or
refrain from requesting the address when the communication terminal holds the address.

2. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to acquire an address of the control apparatus from a response to a request for establishing a connection to a network.

3. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release the address according to a predetermined condition.

4. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release the address when the communication terminal moves from a first network to a second network.

5. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release the address when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

6. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine whether to release the address based on a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

7. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release at least one processing rule set by the control apparatus based on a predetermined condition.

8. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor releases a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to a first network when the communication terminal moves from the first network to a second network.

9. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to release a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to the network when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

10. The communication terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine whether to release the processing rule based on a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

11. A communication method, in which a communication terminal is used that communicates with a network including a plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses that forward a received packet, and a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method for controlling the plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses, the method comprising:
requesting an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network;
establishing a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and
processing a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel,
wherein the method further includes at least one of the following:
notifying, by the communication terminal, whether the communication terminal holds the address;
inserting, by the communication terminal, into the address request information indicating whether the communication terminal holds the address; or
refraining, by the communication terminal, from requesting the address when the communication terminal holds the address.

12. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal acquires an address of the control apparatus from a response to a request for establishing a connection to a network.

13. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases the address based on a predetermined condition.

14. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases the address when the communication terminal moves from a first network to a second network.

15. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases the address when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

16. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal determines whether to release the address based on a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

17. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases at least one processing rule set by the control apparatus based on a predetermined condition.

18. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to a first network when the communication terminal moves from the first network to a second network.

19. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal releases a processing rule set by a control apparatus that belongs to the network when the communication terminal disconnects a connection to the network.

20. The communication method according to claim 11 , wherein the communication terminal determines whether to release the processing rule according to a cause for disconnecting a connection to the network.

21. A communication system comprising:
a network including a plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses that forward a received packet, a control apparatus that generates a processing rule defining a packet processing method for controlling the plurality of packet forwarding apparatuses; and
a communication terminal that communicates with the network, the communication terminal comprising:
a communication device;
a memory storing instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the instructions to:
request an address of the control apparatus when requesting for establishing a connection to the network;
establish, using the communication device, a communication channel to the control apparatus based on an address acquired by the address request; and
process a packet based on a processing rule transmitted by the control apparatus via the communication channel,

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to perform at least one of the following:
notify whether the communication terminal holds the address;
insert into the address request information indicating whether the communication terminal holds the address; or
refrain from requesting the address when the com

Assignees

• Akiyoshi Ippei
• Mizukoshi Yasuhiro
• Itoh Nobuhiko
• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Akiyoshi Ippei
• Mizukoshi Yasuhiro
• Itoh Nobuhiko

Classifications

• H04L45/745 Primary

  Address table lookup; Address filtering · CPC title

• H04L41/00 Primary

  Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks · CPC title

• H04L61/25

  of the same type · CPC title

• H04W8/26

  Network addressing or numbering for mobility support · CPC title

• H04L45/38

  Flow based routing · CPC title