Method and equipment for determining the virtual address of a terminal

Method and equipment for determining virtual address of terminal equipment

The present invention relates to a method for determining an address that can be allocated to a terminal device unit connected to a virtual network through a terminal device interface and a network connection unit on the user side, and a device suitable for this method.

The most famous virtual network in which virtual addresses are currently used is the Internet or IP network. In an IP network (English: IP NETWORK), that is to say, in a network using the TCP/IP protocol, each network device up to the terminal equipment unit needs a unique virtual address, that is, an Internet protocol address or IP address. The IP address formed by the website address and the machine address is composed of four numbers (eight binary numbers) separated by a dot in IP version 4 (Ipv4), such as 75.214.64.2. In later IP versions, more eight-bit binary numbers are used as IP addresses. IP addresses can be manually generated and fixedly assigned to network devices in the network, including terminal equipment units. The IP address of the network device is required to be able to transfer information to the network device purposefully via the Internet protocol. However, manually configuring an IP network is very expensive and is only suitable for small and rarely changed sub-networks.

Therefore, in order to automate the assignment of IP addresses, network operators generally use the so-called BOOTSTRAP-protocol BOOTP or the dynamic Host-configuration protocol (English: DYNAMIC HOST CONFIGURATION PROTOCOL) DHCP. BOOTP is a TCP/IP protocol that can be used by a network device to determine its IP address or other network information, such as server address and gateway information. When starting the network device, UDP packets (English: USER DATA PROTOCOL, an unreliable protocol in the TCP/IP protocol suite) are used to transmit BOOT-REQUST requests to the BOOTP server, and the BOOT-RESPONSE message is sent back by the BOOT-RESPONSE server. The required IP address. Before the dedicated IP address is known, the BOOT-REQUST message and the BOOT-RESPONSE message adopt the IP broadcast function (IP ROADCAST) that can be used to send messages. Such a method is described in detail in, for example, US 6,115,545.

DHCP is also a software for automatically assigning IP addresses to network devices registered in the TCP/IP network. DHCP software generally runs in a server and such a DHCP server is described, for example, in US 5,884,024.

The BOOTP server or the DHCP server needs the hardware address of the network device to allocate the IP address, and the hardware address requests the message from the network interface of the network device with the IP address, for example, the BOOT-REQUEST is transmitted to the corresponding server.

In the ETHERNET standard network, the hardware address (MAC address) of the Ethernet card formed by the network connection unit of the user-side network unit on the network interface in the bus structure data network is used as each IP address request and IP address response (BOOT) -REQUEST, BOOT-RESPONSE) uniquely assignable label.

In the telecommunications network that is part of the IP network, most of the hardware addresses of the user-side network interface of the network device are used as uniquely assignable for each IP address request and IP address response (BOOT-REQUEST, BOOT-RESPONSE) Label. Here, such a quasi-hardware address does not need to be allocated to the terminal equipment on the user side, but can be allocated to the user connection terminal or the user side network connection unit on the basis of additional effective telecommunication network switching technology. If such network connection units on the user side each connect multiple terminal equipment units through their own telecommunication interfaces, then these terminal equipment units each need an IP address.

The role of the network connection unit of the user-side telecommunications network that connects the IP network to the user connection end of the telecommunications network is to multiplex different communication technologies on the user side on a single telecommunications network connection end and stream data from the network. Demultiplex to the channel it belongs to. Such a well-known network connection unit is often referred to as IAD according to the English vocabulary ITREGRATED ACCESS DEVICE. Although the telecommunication network connection terminal connected to the IAD can be an analog telephone connection terminal, it can also be an ISDN connection terminal, a DSL connection terminal or a TI connection terminal. Here, the IAD can also be part of the telecommunications exchange extension, providing multiple ISDN-SO bus connection terminals or POTS user connection units on the user side. This kind of telecommunications branch exchange is also called TK equipment or PBX (English: Private Branch Exchanger). The most frequent use of the current IAD unit is to multiplex voice and data through the DSL connection. DSL (English: DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER LINE) stands for a digital user connection terminal. It is not activated by switching technology like ISDN connection, but is continuously connected and connected through a central network device, that is, the user connection line accesses multiple channels. DSLAM (English: DSL ACCESS MULTIPLEXER), providing voice information and data information. From a certain local digital user connection line DSL, most of these are part of the DSLAM of the surrounding network nodes, and a dedicated user connection data group (English: Port data) is often stored in the DSLAM for each user connection line and can be accessed by The network manager configuration of the center.

To centrally manage network devices such as DSLAM or IDA in an IP network, network operators can use SNMP through IP, for example. SNMP stands for SIMPLENETWORK MANAGEMENT PROTOCAL in English. This involves a widely used network monitoring and control protocol. In order to manage network devices, the network operator must assign a static IP address that can be used to exchange network management messages for the network management interface to which it belongs. In addition, the IP router and network management system in the IP network of the network operator must also be able to recognize this IP address. For this reason, the network operator adopts one of BOOTP or DHCP protocols in the above-mentioned manner. The unique identifier used to determine the IP address in the BOOTP server or the DHCP server is usually the hardware address of the network device. The corresponding IP address is also called the management IP address because it can be used for network management.

When equipping the network device, the network operator must enter the required information in the BOOTP server with the hardware address of the Internet interface of the corresponding network device of the network device used and the IP address to be assigned to it. To this end, on the users side, the secondary user must be connected to the IAD unit via a telecommunications terminal equipment interface such as a DSL connection, ISDN S0 bus or POTS user connection unit, or a terminal equipment unit required by the user before equipment Manually enter the accurate hardware address of the terminal equipment unit, or after the user has equipped the terminal equipment unit, the user must register the hardware address at the network operator through the phone or post office. The IP terminal equipment unit is often placed on the user side via ISDN such as The telecommunications interface such as the SO bus or the POTS user connection unit is connected to the IP network through the IAD unit and, for example, a telecommunications network. (POTS stands for ordinary telecommunications system and refers to analog line telecommunications or data transmission based on analog line modem standards such as V.90). In this case, registering the hardware address of the terminal equipment unit by the user is the only solution currently available. The two registration possibilities mentioned above are both very laborious, requiring coordination between the user and the network operator, and failures often occur and after the user installs the terminal equipment unit, it may unsatisfactorily lead to delays in service provision capabilities. In addition, the user must register each terminal device connected through such an S0 bus connection terminal or such a POTS user connection unit with the central IP network manager. Such a terminal equipment unit may be, for example, an H.323 video phone with a communication interface adapted to the user's connection line. This can also include computers, faxes or IP phones with various corresponding communication interfaces.

The task of the present invention is to propose an advantageous method for allocating virtual addresses to terminal units connected to an IP network via a terminal device interface and a network connection unit, and a device suitable for this.

The first method of the present invention for determining a virtual address unique to a user-side terminal device unit connected to a user-side network connection unit of a virtual network through a terminal device connection has the following method steps:-network connection unit utilization The unique identifier of the network connection unit sends an address request message for assigning a virtual address to the network management unit to request the virtual address of the network connection unit,-the network management unit uses the identifier to assign the virtual address to the network connection unit,- The network management unit sends to the network connection unit the virtual address and the unique second identifier of the connection end of the subordinate terminal device,-the network connection unit sends to the network management unit an address request report with the unique second identification of the connection end of the subordinate terminal device Text, to assign a virtual address;-the network management unit uses the second identifier to assign a second virtual address to the connection end of the subordinate terminal device,-the network management unit sends the second virtual address of the connection end of the subordinate terminal device to the network connection unit ,-Transmit the second virtual address of the subordinate terminal device connection end to the terminal device unit as the virtual address of the terminal device unit.

The second method of the present invention for determining a virtual address unique to a user-side terminal device unit connected to a user-side network connection unit of a virtual network through a terminal device connection has the following method steps: The network management unit sends an address request message with a unique identifier of the network connection unit to assign a virtual address to request the virtual address of the network connection unit,-the network management unit assigns a virtual address to the network connection unit using the first identifier assigned to it Address,-the network management unit sends the virtual address of the network connection unit and the unique second identification of the connection end of the subordinate terminal device to the network connection unit,-transmits the unique identification of the connection end of the subordinate terminal device to the terminal device unit of the user side ,-The user-side terminal equipment unit sends to the network management unit an address request message with the unique second acquaintance of the connected terminal of the subordinate terminal device to assign a virtual address;-the network management unit uses the second identifier to the subordinate terminal The device connection end assigns a second virtual address,-the network management unit sends the second virtual address of the subordinate terminal device connection end to the user-side network connection unit,-uses the second virtual address of the subordinate terminal device connection end as the terminal device unit The virtual address is adopted.

The network connection unit uses an address request message with its own identification to request the network management unit to assign its own virtual address from the virtual address. Because the network connection unit is not a terminal device, its virtual address is only needed for network management purposes. If the virtual network is an IP network, such an IP address is also called a management IP address. The network management unit also uses the virtual address of such a network connection unit to send a unique identifier of the connection end of the network terminal device to the network connection unit to assign the virtual address. Because the identifier is assigned to the terminal device connection terminal and not subordinate to the terminal device unit, it can be used in the central network management unit, regardless of the specific terminal device unit, for the network connection unit, the terminal device connection terminal, and the terminal device unit. Configure the sub-network of the user side. In an extension of the present invention, in particular, such a user-side sub-network can be provided with multiple terminal device connections, and the network connection unit can be sent with its own virtual address for each such terminal device connection. A unique hardware identifier, such as a quasi-media access control (MAC) address corresponding to the IEEE802 standard format.

An advantageous arrangement form of the network connection unit that can be used in the method of the present invention proposes a memory device for storing the second identifier of the connection end of the user's subordinate terminal device received by the network management unit for assigning virtual addresses. The second identifier stored in this way can then be transmitted from the network connection unit to the terminal device unit corresponding to the terminal device connection end, and the terminal device unit can adopt the dedicated second identifier. In this case, the above-mentioned terminal device unit according to the second method of the present invention may send an address request message with a unique identifier of the terminal device connection terminal to the network management unit to assign an IP address. Applicable terminal equipment units must allow the use of identifiers that are not fixedly entered, that is, to supplement the quasi MAC address afterwards.

Another advantageous arrangement form of the network connection unit that can be used in the method of the present invention proposes that, for each user's subordinate terminal device connection end, send a corresponding unique second identification of the terminal device connection end to the network management unit. The address request message to assign a virtual address.

The network connection terminal suitable for this has: a communication interface to connect to the virtual network through a user connection line of a telecommunication network; and an identification storage device to store its own first unique identification and a controller. The controller is used to use the stored first identifier to send an address request message through the communication interface, and to receive the first virtual address of the network connection unit and the terminal device connection terminal connected to the network connection unit on the user side and the unique second The identification, using the unique second identification of the terminal device connection end to send an address request message through the communication interface, receiving the second virtual address of the terminal device connection end and transmitting the virtual address to the terminal device unit connected to the terminal device connection end S second address.

Such a network connection unit preferably has a memory device for storing the virtual second address of the connection terminal of the telecommunications terminal device under the user side received from the network management unit. In this case, the virtual second address can be determined for all terminal device connection ends when the network connection unit is initialized, and as required, for example, in subsequent connections, it is transmitted to the terminal device connected to the terminal device connection end. . When the terminal device is replaced on the terminal device connection end, it is also possible to directly transmit the virtual second address assigned to the terminal device connection end to the later connected terminal device. If the old terminal equipment unit is still to be used, the virtual address allocated for the terminal equipment unit can be configured as a fixed virtual address of the terminal equipment unit on the user side.

The network management unit that is particularly suitable for assigning virtual addresses according to the method of the present invention has: a memory device for storing first and second identifiers that uniquely assign network elements, and for storing the first and second identifiers assigned by the first and second identifiers. One and a second virtual address, and are used to store the second identifier assigned by the first identifier. In addition, such a network management unit also has a controller for receiving an address request message containing such a first identification of the network device, and for determining the first virtual address allocated to the first identification and the first identification allocated to the first identification. And used to send the first virtual address and the second identifier to the corresponding network device.

In order to assign an IP address, the network management unit of the well-known IP network transmits the identifier contained in the request message and the requested IP address to the network device from which the IP address request message is obtained, and only transmits information related to the network management device. Information about network elements between the unit and the requesting network unit. On the contrary, the network management unit according to the present invention also transmits the identity of the unit subordinate to the user of the network device. For this reason, the current BOOT protocol must be extended with appropriate parameters in the response message of the NME in the case of the Internet protocol.

The unique identifier of the network connection unit is, for example, the hardware address or MAC address of the network connection unit. If the network connection unit of the virtual network is a network connection unit connected to the virtual network through the user connection end of the telecommunications network, the unique identifier of the network connection unit can also be the user assigned to the network connection unit as described above. The quasi-hardware address of the connection end. The quasi-hardware address of such a user connection terminal may be stored in the network surrounding area of the telecommunication network when the user connection terminal is configured, and transmitted to the network connection unit through the user connection line when the network connection unit is initialized. The advantage of such a process is that the first virtual address of the network connection unit can be configured independently of the machine.

A particularly advantageous arrangement of the method according to the present invention is that each terminal device connection terminal is provided with a quasi-hardware address assigned to it as a unique identifier for one or more terminal device connection terminals. If the terminal equipment connection end can be addressed independently of the virtual address, that is, for example, when it relates to a circuit-switched telecommunications terminal equipment connection end, the arrangement can be adopted. This kind of quasi-hardware address is attached to the first virtual address of the network connection unit and stored in the network management unit subordinately for the allocation of the virtual address, so as to be appended to the address request message containing the network connection units identifier. The first virtual address of the network connection unit is transmitted to the network connection unit. In this case, the virtual addresses required by all users can be determined when configuring the network connection unit in the virtual network. The hardware address of each terminal device is not required. The total number and addressing of the telecommunication terminal equipment connection ends of the network connection unit on the user side remain unchanged when the user side sub-network is put into operation and usually remain constant for a relatively long period of time.

If the network connection unit has multiple terminal device connection terminals under the user side to connect to the terminal device unit of the virtual network, an extension of the method according to the present invention sends the uniqueness of the terminal device connection terminal from the network management unit to the network connection unit Identify to assign a virtual address. Then, for each terminal device connection terminal, an address request message with a unique identifier of the corresponding terminal device connection terminal is sent to the network management unit.

Of course, the above-mentioned arrangement and method are particularly suitable for determining the IP addresses that can be assigned to the terminal equipment unit connected to the IP network on the user side, for example, through the telecommunication terminal equipment interface and the network connection unit.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be illustrated in detail by means of particularly preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, and is not limited to the case with a network connection unit connected to an IP network through a user connection terminal of a telecommunication network and an IP network and a case with telecommunication terminal equipment. The situation of the sub-network of the connected end. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of the components of an Internet Protocol network in which the method of the present invention can be used; Figures 2a and 2b show a schematic block diagram of the system according to the present invention with reference to the situation shown in Figure 1 The process of an advantageous embodiment of the method; Fig. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an Internet Protocol network according to Fig. 1 with a particularly advantageous embodiment of the network connection part according to the invention and with a network as assigned IP address A particularly advantageous embodiment of the management unit is a boot protocol server.

Fig. 1 shows a network management system NMS of an Internet protocol network, which has an element management unit EM, a fault management unit EM, and a network management system input unit NMS-E operated by an operator. The element management unit EM also contains a boot protocol server BOOTP-S as a network management unit for assigning IP addresses in addition to subordinate units that are not specifically shown. The network management system NMS is connected to the Internet Protocol data network through a LAN connection. The latter is represented in the figure by three Internet routers IPR1, IPR2, and IPR3 and the network transition Internet Protocol router IPER. The routers IPR1, IPR2, IPR3 and IPER in the network range exchange information on the basis of the Internet Protocol IP.

The network transition Internet Protocol router IPER, which is also called EDGE router according to the English expression EDGE DEVICE, is equipped with an ATM card not shown in the figure, and thus makes it through the transition from the Internet Protocol network to the asynchronous transfer mode ATM-based information Switched telecommunications network. In the illustrated embodiment, the network transition Internet Protocol router IPER is connected to an ATM network based on ATM/SDH. A user connection line access multiplexer is attached to the periphery of the ATM, and the network transitions to the Internet protocol. The router IPER contains the boot protocol transfer function BOOTP-R, which is responsible for routing protocol messages to the network element DSLAM, network connection unit LAD, network management system NMS, and so on. Because the network transition Internet Protocol router IPER takes over the function of Internet protocol relay, it is also called the relay router IPER.

The user connection line access multiplexer DSLAM has a user connection line port TAL-PRT, and the user connection line TAL is led out from the user connection line port. In the figure, only one user connection line TAL is shown, which is connected to the network connection unit IAD of the user side sub-network TA. Between the network transition Internet Protocol router IPER and the network connection unit IAD, if it is the same for any other one, the network connection unit not shown in the figure is equipped with a permanent virtual ATM connection, that is, the so-called ATM-PVC. Through this virtual ATM connection, the Internet Protocol router IPER can be transferred from the network to the network connection unit IAD to transmit the information and control commands of the network management system MMS on the basis of the above-mentioned protocol SNMP. The network transition Internet Protocol router IPER only has the technical function of exchange in terms of the management channel between the network management system NMS and the network connection unit IAD.

In addition to the network connection unit IAD, the user-side sub-network TA shown in Figure 1 also consists of three terminal equipment units EA0, EA1, and EA2, which are connected to each other via an S0 interface S0-1, S0-2, and S0-3. The network connection unit IAD is connected.

Figures 2a and 2b show some of the components of figure 1 and the method steps of a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention. The specific maps 2a and 2b are shown as functional units: network management system input unit NMS-E; element management unit EM with boot protocol server BOOTP-S and internet protocol address nnn; guide for network transition protocol router with internet protocol address mmm Protocol transfer function BOOTP-R; user connection line access multiplexer DSLAM with user connection line port TAL-PRT; user connection line TAL and network connection unit IAD. In addition, FIG. 2b also shows a terminal equipment unit EA0 and an S0 interface S0-0 connecting the terminal equipment unit EA0 and the network connection unit IAD.

In step 1, the network connection unit IAD sends an IP address request message BOOT-REQUEST with the hardware address a:b:c as the unique identifier of the network connection unit IAD to the boot protocol relay function BOOTP-R by means of the broadcast function.

In step 2, the boot protocol transfer function BOOTP-R sends the IP address with hardware address a:b:c and its own Internet to the Internet protocol address mmm of the network management system NMS, especially to the boot protocol server BOOTP-S The IP address request packet BOOT-REQUEST of the protocol address mmm.

In step 3, the boot protocol server BOOTP-S configures the Internet Protocol address xxx and the quasi-hardware addresses d:e:0, d:e:1 and d: according to the hardware address a:b:c of the earlier network connection unit IAD. e: 2 is divided into unique identifiers of the connection terminals S0-0, S0-1 and S03 of the telecommunication terminal equipment.

In step 4, the Internet Protocol address xxx with the hardware address a:b:c, together with the quasi-hardware addresses d:e:0, d:e:1 and d:e:2 and additional service information are responded with the boot protocol The message BOOT-REPLY is transmitted to the Internet protocol address mmm of the BOOTP-R relay function of the boot protocol. In step 5, the boot protocol transfer function BOOTP-R sends this received message to the network connection unit IAD via the virtual ATM connection AAL5 PVC by means of broadcast transmission.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the network connection unit IAD requests an IP address for each terminal equipment unit EA0, EA1, and EA2, and then transfers the IP address to the respective terminal equipment unit. Figure 2b shows this process for the terminal equipment unit EA0. Of course, in another embodiment of the method of the present invention that is not explicitly shown, after step 5 of the process shown in FIG. 2a, the telecommunications terminals allocated to them can be transmitted to the terminal equipment units EA0, EA1, and EA2. The quasi-hardware addresses d:e:0, d:e:1 and d:e:2 of the device connection terminals S0-0, S0-1 and S03, and each terminal device unit EA0, EA1 and EA2 can be connected to the front of the network Steps 1 to 5 described by the connection unit send out an IP address request message BOOT-REQUEST under the condition of using the corresponding quasi-hardware addresses d:e:0, d:e:1, and d:e:2.

In step 6, the network connection unit IAD uses the broadcast function to send the quasi-hardware addresses d:e:0, d:e:1 and d:e:2 to the boot protocol relay function BOOTP-R as the telecommunication terminal equipment connection terminal S0 The request message BOOT-REQUEST of the IP address uniquely identified by -0, and thus is the request message BOOT-REQUEST of the IP address of the terminal equipment unit EA0, and carries its own Internet protocol address xxx.

If the network connection unit IAD can obtain the Internet Protocol address nnn of the boot protocol server BOOTP-S, it can also appropriately send the request to the boot protocol server BOOTP-S. The process described in step 6 requires fewer changes in the existing protocol. Also, the IP protocol address xxx of the sending network connection unit IAD is not necessary for the implementation of this method, but is optional. By transmitting this IP protocol address xxx, the broadcast function of guiding the protocol response message BOOT-REPLY to the network connection unit IAD used in step 5 of the flow according to FIG. 2a can be abandoned.

In step 7, the boot protocol transfer function BOOTP-R sends to the Internet protocol address nnn of the network management system NMS, especially the boot server BOOTP-S sends with a quasi-hardware address d:e:0, with its own Internet protocol The request message BOOT-REQUEST with the address mmm and optionally the IP address with the IP address xxx of the network connection unit IAD.

In FIG. 8, the server BOOTP-S is instructed to allocate the internet protocol address yy0 to the telecommunication terminal device connection terminal S0-0 and thus to the terminal unit EA0 for the hardware address d:e:0.

In step 9, put the Internet Protocol address yy0 together with the quasi-hardware address d:e:0, additional server information, and optionally the IP address of the IP address xxx of the network connection unit IAD in the BOOT-REPLY The transfer function of BOOT-R Internet Protocol address mmm transmission. In step 10, the boot protocol relay function BOOT-R sends the received message to the network connection unit IAD.

In step 11, the network connection unit IAD transmits the Internet protocol address yy0 to the terminal equipment unit EA0 through the telecommunication terminal equipment connection terminal S0-0.

Figure 3 shows a user-side sub-network TA. The sub-network TA contains a network connection unit IAD as shown in Figure 1 and three connected to the network connection unit IAD through an S0 interface S0-0, S0-1, and S0-2. Terminal equipment units EA0, EA1 and EA2. In the network connection unit IAD in FIG. 3, it is also shown that the user connection line TAL is connected to it, and there are three S0 interfaces S0-0, S0-1, The communication interface KIF of S0-2. In addition, the task of the communication interface KIF is to forward the received information and instructions to the S0 interfaces S0-0, S0-1, S0-2 and to the control unit MP on the user connection line TAL, and the control unit MP can handle these Information or instructions. The format conversion or signal separation process required for this is performed by the communication interface KIF. In the same way, the communication interface KIF control unit MP or the information or instructions received through each S0 interface S0-0, S0-1 and S0-2 should be multiplexed and transformed into their format, so that it can be connected to the user line The TAL upstream transmits to the telecommunication network ATM-NET, which is only schematically shown in FIG. 3. The control unit MP of the network connection unit IAD, which is usually implemented by a processor unit with corresponding program instructions, controls the communication interface KIF, and is in read connection with the hardware address memory storing the hardware addresses a:b:c therein. In addition, the control unit MP is in a write/read connection with the memory device IPM to store the IP addresses yy0, yy1 and (in the figure) the terminal equipment units EA0, EA1, and EA2 connected to the S0 interfaces S0-0, S0-1, and S0-2. Not shown) yy2. The storage device IPM can also be configured to store the quasi-hardware addresses d:e:0, d:e:1, and d:e:2 belonging to the S0 interfaces S0-0, S0-1, and S0-2 as needed. .

As mentioned above, the user side sub-network shown in FIG. 3 is connected to the telecommunication network ATM-NET through the user connection line TAL. This telecommunication network ATM-NET is integrated into the Internet protocol network IP-NET through the network transition Internet introduction router IPER shown as a connecting line, and the Internet protocol network IP-NET is composed of the network management system of the Internet protocol network IP-NET NMS control and management. Such a network management system NMS is implemented corresponding to the illustration and description in FIG. 1, but in FIG. 3, only the boot protocol server BOOTP-S is shown as the network management unit to which the user assigns an IP address. The boot protocol server BOOTP-S contains a control unit CONT for connection IP address management and a distributed storage identification HWA, such as hardware address a:b:c or quasi-hardware address d:e:0, d:e :1 or d:e:2, store the IP address such as xxx, yy0, yy2, store the subordinate hardware address SUB-HWA such as d:e:0, d:e:1 and d:e:2 and store them in the figure Information shown in dotted lines only, such as gateway information or server information.

If the present invention has described the Internet Protocol network and IP address scheme above, this is only understood as illustrative and not restrictive. A person of ordinary skill in the art can directly derive many implementations and modifications that fall within the protection scope of the claims from this description of the present invention.