IPv4 ADDRESSING OVER NON-IPv4 SYSTEMS

Abstract

A system includes an access node having an associated identifier. The access node is configured to insert the identifier into a network connection request. The system includes an IP edge service node connected to the access node and configured to receive the network connection request. The IP edge service node is further configured to store the inserted identifier and to insert the identifier into an Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address request transmitted according to dynamic host configuration protocol version 6 (DHCPv6) through an established network connection based on the network connection request. The system further includes a server configured to receive the IPv6 address request and assign an IPv6 address based on the IPv6 address request.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and   a processor in communication with the memory, the processor configured to:   store an identifier to establish a non-Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) network connection with a customer-premises equipment (CPE) device;   receive an IPv4 address request from the CPE device, the IPv4 address request being a request to configure the CPE device to establish an IPv4 network connection with the CPE device;   insert the identifier used to establish the non-IPv4 network connection into the IPv4 address request, the identifier being inserted into the IPv4 address request to configure the CPE device to establish the IPv4 network connection with the CPE device; and   receive an assigned IPv4 address from a DHCPv4 server and transmit the assigned IPv4 address via the non-IPv4 network connection to the CPE device.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the IPv4 address request encapsulated in a non-IPv4 data packet. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the IPv4 address request encapsulated in a non-IPv4 data packet from a non-IPv4 tunnel established from establishment of the non-IPv4 network connection. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to recall the identifier for insertion into the IPv4 address request in response to receipt of the IPv4 address request. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a non-IPv4 network connection request to establish the non-IPv4 network connection, the non-IPv4 network connection request including the identifier. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-IPv4 network connection comprises a non-IPv4 tunnel through which the assigned IPv4 address is transmitted to the CPE device. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to insert the identifier into the IPv4 address request in accordance with a DHCPv4 relay option. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the non-IPv4 network connection request is an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) address request according to dynamic host configuration protocol version 6 (DHCPv6). 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 storing, with a memory, an identifier to establish a non-IPv4 network connection with a customer-premises equipment (CPE) device;   receiving, with a processor in communication with the memory, an IPv4 address request from the CPE device, the IPv4 address request being a request to configure the CPE device to establish an IPv4 network connection with the CPE device;   inserting, with the processor, the identifier used to establish the non-IPv4 network connection into the IPv4 address request, the identifier being inserted into the IPv4 address request to configure the CPE device to establish the IPv4 network connection with the CPE device;   receiving, with the processor, an assigned IPv4 address from a DHCPv4 server; and   transmitting, with the processor, the assigned IPv4 address via the non-IPv4 network connection to the CPE device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein receiving the IPv4 address request comprises receiving, with the processor, the IPv4 address request encapsulated in a non-IPv4 data packet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the IPv4 address request further comprises receiving, with the processor, the IPv4 address request from a non-IPv4 tunnel established from establishment of the non-IPv4 network connection. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: recalling, with the processor, the identifier for insertion into the IPv4 address request in response to receiving the IPv4 address request. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: receiving, with the processor, a non-IPv4 network connection request to establish the non-IPv4 network connection, the non-IPv4 network connection request including the identifier. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein transmitting the assigned IPv4 address via the non-IPv4 network connection to the CPE device comprises transmitting, with the processor, the IPv4 address request over a non-IPv4 tunnel to the CPE device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein inserting the identifier into the IPv4 address request comprises inserting, with the processor, the identifier into the IPv4 address request in accordance with a DHCPv4 relay option. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the non-IPv4 network connection request is an Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address request according to dynamic host configuration protocol version 6 (DHCPv6). 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions executable by a processor, the computer-readable medium comprising:
 instructions to store an identifier to establish a non-IPv4 network connection with a customer-premises equipment (CPE) device;   instructions to receive an IPv4 address request from the CPE device, the IPv4 address request being a request to configure the CPE device to establish an IPv4 network connection with the CPE device;   instructions to insert the identifier used to establish the non-IPv4 network connection into the IPv4 address request, the identifier being inserted into the IPv4 address request to configure the CPE device to establish the IPv4 network connection with the CPE device; and   instructions to receive an assigned IPv4 address from a DHCPv4 server and transmit the assigned IPv4 address via the non-IPv4 network connection to the CPE device.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions to receive the IPv4 address request comprises instructions to receive the IPv4 address request encapsulated in a non-IPv4 data packet from a non-IPv4 tunnel established from establishment of the non-IPv4 network connection. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising instructions to recall the identifier for insertion into the IPv4 address request in response to receipt of the IPv4 address request. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the non-IPv4 network connection request is an Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address request according to dynamic host configuration protocol version 6 (DHCPv6).