Method of operating internet protocol address and subnet system using the same

Abstract

A method of operating an Internet protocol (IP) address allocates, creates, and processes an interface identifier (ID) of an IP address area. In the allocation, the IP address area includes a subnet prefix area and an Interface ID area, and certain bits of the Interface ID area are used as an index area of a subnet gateway. The allocation is implemented in order from the higher layer to the lower layer so that the Interface ID area is sequentially allocated from the higher bits for the index areas of the respective layers. The combination of the certain bits of the allocated Interface ID and the subnet prefix area of the IP address area is used as the subnet ID of the subnet layers. The lowest subnet gateway allocates the Interface ID to terminating equipment to access the IP network based on a format of the IP address.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for allocating an Internet Protocol (IP) address, comprising:
 in the IP address comprising a subnet prefix area and an Interface ID area, allocating an n number of bits of the Interface ID area as an index area of a lowest level subnet gateway; and   allocating an Interface ID address to a terminal device linked at the lowest level subnet gateway by using a termination identifier and the n number of bits,   wherein the termination identifier is a value selected from a portion of the Interface ID area, n is a positive integer, and the Interface ID address allocated to the terminal device is unique to the terminal device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 allocating a first portion of the n number of bits for identifying a lower level subnet gateway,   wherein the lowest level subnet gateway and the lower level subnet gateway are arranged hierarchically.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 allocating the first portion of the n number of bits and a second portion of the n number of bits for identifying a first next lower level subnet gateway.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 allocating the first portion of the n number of bits, the second portion of the n number of bits, and a third portion of the n number of bits for identifying a second next lower level subnet gateway.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the IP address further comprises remaining bits that are not associated with the subnet prefix area and the n number of bits. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a sum of the first portion of the n number of bits and the second portion of the n number of bits is less than the n number of bits. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a sum of the first portion of the n number of bits, the second portion of the n number of bits, and the third portion of the n number of bits is less than the n number of bits. 
     
     
         8 . A method for allocating an IP (Internet Protocol) address, comprising:
 (a) in an IP address comprising a subnet prefix area and an Interface ID area, allocating certain bits of the Interface ID area as an index area of a lowest subnet gateway;   (b) allocating portions of the certain bits to subnet gateways arranged in a hierarchical structure; and   (c) allocating an Interface ID address to a terminal device linked to the lowest subnet gateway, by using a termination identifier and the certain bits,   wherein the termination identifier is a value selected from a portion of the Interface ID area and the terminal device is accessible to an IP network according to a format of the IP address.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the IP address further comprises remaining bits that are not associated with the subnet prefix area and the certain of bits, and the Interface ID address is unique to the terminal device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 allocating the first portion of the n number of bits and a second portion of the n number of bits for identifying a first next lower level subnet gateway.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 allocating the first portion of the n number of bits, the second portion of the n number of bits, and a third portion of the n number of bits for identifying a second next lower level subnet gateway.