KR101230048B1 - The data concentrator and ip address conversion method of the data concentrator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A data concentration unit and an IP address conversion method thereof are provided to perform IP address conversion to offer smooth communication between two terminals using an IPv6(Internet Protocol version 6) address and an IPv4 address, respectively. CONSTITUTION: An IPv6/IPv4 address conversion control unit(11) stores a source port number of received IPv6 data and a source address after linking a specific port number. The IPv6/IPv4 address conversion control unit replaces the source port number of the received IPv6 data to the specific port number. The IPv6/IPv4 address conversion control unit generates an IPv4 destination address by removing a virtual IPv6 prefix from a destination address. The IPv6/IPv4 address conversion control unit replaces the source address with a pre-assigned IPv4 address in a data concentration unit. The IPv6/IPv4 address conversion control unit transmits the replaced address to a meter server. [Reference numerals] (11) IPv6/IPv4 address conversion control unit; (12) IPv6 prefix generation unit; (13) Storage unit; (14) Terminal communication unit; (15) Server communication unit; (20) Metering terminal; (30) Metering server

Description

{THE DATA CONCENTRATOR AND IP ADDRESS CONVERSION METHOD OF THE DATA CONCENTRATOR}

The present invention relates to a data concentrator and a method for converting an IP address of a data concentrator, and more particularly, to a data concentrator for enabling transparent communication between a meter terminal using an IPv6 address and a meter server using an IPv4 address; An IP address translation method of a data concentrator.

Existing Internet or network communication networks have IPv4 addressing system. However, due to the shortage of IPv4 addresses, international organizations that assign IP addresses have officially declared suspension of IPv4 addresses due to exhaustion of IPv4 addresses. In the future, countries and organizations that will be assigned IP addresses will be assigned IPv6 addresses. Increasingly, networks using IPv6 addresses will increase, and the demand is increasing not only for PC-based, but also for smartphone-based mobile networks, sensor networks, and smart grids.

The remote meter reading system is a system that notifies real time usage of electricity, gas, water, etc. to each building and house by wireless or wire, and it confirms the usage amount of electricity, gas and water when using the remote meter reading system. We will not have to go to the meter checker for the meter reading.

Such a remote meter reading system is composed of a meter reading terminal, a data concentrator and a remote meter reading server, which is also formed as an IP network. In this case, the number of meter reading terminals is immense, and the number of remaining IPv4 addresses cannot satisfy the number. Therefore, it is highly likely that the meter reading terminal is assigned an IPv6 address. The assignment of IPv6 addresses to meter reading terminals is not a problem. On the administrative side, assigning an IPv6 address is more effective than assigning an IPv4 address. Therefore, it is preferable to form an IPv6 network between the meter reading terminal and the data concentrator. However, it is not easy to establish a network with an IPv6 address between the data concentrator and the remote metering server. The reason is that the remote meter reading server is not connected to the data concentrator and one local network, but is connected to different networks through several routers or gateways. At this time, in order for meter reading terminal and remote meter reading server to communicate with IPv6 address, it must be replaced with IPv6 network between data concentrator and remote meter reading server. However, while replacing the existing IPv4 network with an IPv6 network, there is a significant cost and time to build an IPv6 network.

The present invention is to solve the above problems of the prior art, a data concentrator for performing IP address translation to ensure smooth communication between both ends between the meter reading terminal using the IPv6 address and the meter reading server using the IPv4 address and An object of the present invention is to provide a method for converting an IP address of a data concentrator.

The data concentrator of the present invention for achieving the above object is a data concentrator for transmitting meter reading information received from a meter reading terminal using an IPv6 address to a meter reading server using an IPv4 address, the data being transmitted from the meter reading terminal. An IPv6 prefix generation unit configured to generate a virtual IPv6 prefix added before the destination address and an IPv6 prefix added before the source address to the meter reading terminal; A storage unit for storing each meter reading terminal by matching a source port number and a source address of IPv6 data transmitted from the meter reading terminal with a specific port number; And if the virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the IPv6 prefix generation unit is present in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal, the storage unit corresponds to a source port number and a source address of the received IPv6 data with a specific port number. After storing to the source port number of the received IPv6 data to the specific port number, and removes the virtual IPv6 prefix from the destination address to generate an IPv4 destination address, the source address is the data concentrator It may include an IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit for transmitting to the meter reading server in place of the IPv4 address pre-assigned to.

When the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit receives an IPv4 response message from the meter reading server, if the destination port number of the IPv4 response message matches any one of the specific port numbers stored in the storage unit, the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation controller returns to the meter reading terminal. The destination port number and the destination address of the IPv6 data to be transmitted use a port number and address corresponding to the specific port number stored in the storage unit, and the source address of the IPv6 data indicates the virtual IPv6 prefix to the source address of the IPv4 response message. In addition, it can be transmitted to the meter reading terminal.

The IPv6 prefix generator may transmit the virtual IPv6 prefix and the IPv6 prefix added before the source address of the meter terminal to the meter terminal when the boot completion signal is received from the meter terminal.

In addition, the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit transmits the received data to an adjacent data concentrator or router if the virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the IPv6 prefix generation unit is not present in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal. Can be.

On the other hand, the present invention, in the IP address conversion method of the data concentrator for transmitting the meter information received from the meter terminal using the IPv6 address to the meter server using the IPv4 address, the destination address of the data transmitted from the meter terminal Generating a virtual IPv6 prefix added in front and an IPv6 prefix added in front of a source address and transmitting the generated IPv6 prefix to the meter reading terminal; If the virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the data concentrator is present in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal, storing the source port number and the source address of the received IPv6 data in correspondence with a specific port number; And replacing the source port number of the received IPv6 data with the specific port number, generating the IPv4 destination address by removing the virtual IPv6 prefix from the destination address, wherein the source address is previously assigned to the data concentrator. And transmitting to the meter reading server by substituting an IPv4 address.

Further, when the data concentrator receives an IPv4 response message from the meter reading server, if the destination port number of the IPv4 response message matches any one of a specific port number stored in the data concentrator, IPv6 to be transmitted to the meter reading terminal is transmitted. The destination port number and the destination address of the data use the port number and address corresponding to the stored specific port number, and the source address of the IPv6 data adds the virtual IPv6 prefix to the source address of the IPv4 response message to the meter reading terminal. Can be sent to.

In addition, when the data concentrator receives the boot completion signal from the meter reading terminal, the data concentrator may transmit the virtual IPv6 prefix and the IPv6 prefix added before the source address of the meter reading terminal to the meter reading terminal.

In addition, the data concentrator may transmit the received data to an adjacent data concentrator or router if there is no virtual IPv6 prefix generated and transmitted by the data concentrator in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal.

According to the IP concentrator method of the data concentrator and the data concentrator according to the present invention, the data concentrator automatically converts an address between an IPv6 address and an IPv4 address, thereby using a meter reading terminal using an IPv6 address and an IPv4 address. Transparent communication is possible between meter servers.

In addition, the data concentrator operates a plurality of IPv4 address pools and allocates one IPv4 address for each incoming data from each IPv6 metering terminal and sends it to the IPv4 metering server. By using the scheme of transmitting the same IPv4 address and specific port number to the IPv4 metering server for the data coming from the metering terminal, it is possible to prevent the waste of IPv4 address due to the allocation of multiple IPv4 addresses.

1 is a block diagram of a data concentrator according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is an exemplary view showing a state of converting the address of the data received from the meter reading terminal using the IPv6 address and transmitting to the meter reading server using the IPv4 address.
3 is an exemplary view showing a state of converting an address of a response message received from a meter reading server using an IPv4 address and transmitting the address to a meter reading terminal using an IPv6 address.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of converting an IP address in a data concentrator according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail an embodiment according to the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of a data concentrator according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the data concentrator 10 includes an IPv6 / IPv4 address translation controller 11, an IPv6 prefix generation unit 12, a storage unit 13, a terminal communication unit 14, and a server communication unit 15. do. Meters (not shown) are installed for each generation to measure usage information of at least one of electricity, gas, and water. The meter is provided with a meter reading terminal 20 for transmitting the measured usage information to the data concentrator 10. The meter reading terminal 20 may be in a network using an IPv6 address system. Electric companies, gas companies, water companies have a metering server 30 that performs meter reading of electricity, gas, water and manages meter reading information. The meter reading server 30 may be in a network using an IPv4 address system.

The IPv6 prefix generation unit 12 generates the virtual IPv6 prefix added before the destination address of the data transmitted from the meter reading terminal 20 using the IPv6 address and the IPv6 prefix added before the source address, thereby reading the meter reading terminal 20 To send). When the meter reading terminal 20 using the IPv6 address transmits data including the metering information to the metering server 30 using the IPv4 address, the meter reading terminal 20 generates the IPv6 data. At this time, the destination address should be determined. Since the meter reading server 30, which is a destination, uses an IPv4 address, an IPv4 address that cannot be recognized by the meter reading terminal 20 cannot be used as a destination address. The IPv6 meter terminal 20 receives the virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the data concentrator 10 and uses it to generate the address of the meter server 30 as a destination. For example, when the virtual IPv6 prefix is 3333 :: / 96 and the address of the meter reading server 30 as the destination is 10.10.10.1, the meter reading terminal 20 using the IPv6 address may read the meter reading server (using the IPv4 address). Set the address of 30) to 3333 :: 0a0a: 0a01. As described above, when the IPv6 metering terminal 20 transmits data to an IPv4 address, the IPv6 prefix needs to know an IPv6 address that can be recognized, but the IPv4 metering server 30 does not have an IPv6 address. Accordingly, the data concentrator 10 provides a virtual IPv6 prefix to the meter reading terminal 20 so that the IPv4 metering server 30 is recognized as being an IPv6 device.

An IPv4 address consists of 32 bits (4 bytes) and an IPv6 address consists of 128 bits (16 bytes). The 32-bit IPv4 address is added to the virtual IPv6 prefix 3333 :: provided from the data concentrator 10 and used as the destination address of the meter reading server 30. The above 0a0a: 0a01 is 32bits, which is a hexadecimal representation of a decimal address such as 10.10.10.1. And the meaning of :: in 3333 :: means that it is set to 0 unconditionally. For example, 3333 :: 0a0a: 0a01 means 3333: 0000: 0000: 0000: 0000: 0000: 0a0a: 0a01. It is divided into 8 fields and consists of 2 bytes (16 bits) per field.

On the other hand, the meter reading terminal 20 receives from the data concentrator 10 the IPv6 prefix added before the source address in addition to the virtual IPv6 prefix described above. For example, the meter reading terminal 20 transmits a boot completion signal to the data concentrator 10 when the booting is completed, or requests an IPv6 prefix together with the boot completion signal. When the boot completion signal is received from the meter reading terminal 20 or the IPv6 prefix request is received together with the boot completion signal, the IPv6 prefix generation unit 12 uses the virtual IPv6 prefix and the source of the meter reading terminal 20 to be used as a destination address. An IPv6 prefix added before the address may be transmitted to the meter reading terminal 20. The meter reading terminal 20 receives the prefix to be used to generate its IPv6 source address from the data concentrator 10. Meter reading terminals 20 using the same network receive the same IPv6 prefix. Of course, the value of the IPv6 prefix is different among the meter reading terminals using different networks. As such, even if the administrator does not directly set the IPv6 address in the meter reading terminal 20, the IPv6 prefix may be assigned from the data concentrator 10 to set its own IPv6 source address of the meter reading terminal 20. Specifically, the source address of each of the meter reading terminals 20 can be generated using the IPv6 prefix received from the data concentrator 10 and its own Mac address.

The storage unit 13 stores the source port number and the source address of the IPv6 data transmitted from the meter reading terminal 20 in correspondence with a specific port number for each meter reading terminal 20.

If the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit 11 has a virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the IPv6 prefix generation unit 12 in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal 20, the source port number and source of the received IPv6 data After storing the address in the storage unit 13 in correspondence with the specific port number, replace the source port number of the received IPv6 data with the specific port number, remove the virtual IPv6 prefix from the destination address, and generate an IPv4 destination address. The source address is replaced with the IPv4 address previously assigned to the data concentrator 10 and transmitted to the meter reading server 30.

As such, the IPv6 data received from the meter reading terminal 20 is converted into IPv4 data in the data concentrator 10 and then transmitted to the meter reading server 30 using the IPv4 address. The meter reading server 30 transmits a response message to the data concentrator 10.

When the data concentrator 10 receives the response message using the IPv4 address from the meter reading server 30, the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit 11 is a port in which the destination port number of the IPv4 response message is stored in the storage unit 13 Determine which one matches the number. If it matches a specific port number among them, the destination port number and destination address of the IPv6 data to be transmitted to the meter reading terminal 20 are replaced with the port number and address corresponding to the specific port number stored in the storage unit 13, and the The source address is transmitted to the meter reading terminal 20 by adding a virtual IPv6 prefix to the source address of the meter reading server 30. A detailed embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

In addition, if the data concentrator 10 does not have a virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the IPv6 prefix generation unit 12 in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal 20, the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit 11 receives the reception. Instead of transmitting one data to the meter reading server 30 through the IP address conversion process as described above, the data may be transmitted to an adjacent data concentrator or router.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary view illustrating a method of converting an address of data received from a meter reading terminal using an IPv6 address and transmitting the address to a meter reading server using an IPv4 address, and FIG. 3 is a response received from a meter reading server using an IPv4 address. This is an exemplary view showing how the address of the message is converted and transmitted to the meter reading terminal using the IPv6 address.

Referring to FIG. 2, after the data including the metering information transmitted from the metering terminal 20 included in the IPv6 network 1 is converted by the data concentrator 10, the metering server included in the IPv4 network 2 ( 30) shows the process being sent. Of course, after performing the above-described process, the meter reading terminal 20 receives and stores a virtual IPv6 prefix and an IPv6 prefix for generating its own IPv6 source address from the data concentrator 10. . In the example of FIG. 2, it is assumed that the virtual IPv6 prefix is 3333 :: / 96, and the IPv6 prefix for generating the source address of the meter terminal 20 is 2222 ::.

The data concentrator 10 may store the mapping table 16 in the storage unit 13. The mapping table 16 stores a virtual IPv6 prefix of 3333 :: / 96 and a source port number and a source address of IPv6 data transmitted from the meter reading terminal 20 in correspondence with a specific port number. To this end, the data concentrator 10 may generate a plurality of unique port numbers. In addition, the storage unit 13 may store 2222 ::, an IPv6 prefix for generating a source address of the meter reading terminal 20. FIG.

The data 17 transmitted from the meter terminal 20 to the data concentrator 10 is 3000 (source port), 4000 (destination port), 2222 :: 1 (IPv6 source address), and 3333 :: 10.10.10.1 (IPv6). Destination address).

Upon receiving this data 17, the data concentrator 10 checks whether the destination IPv6 prefix is generated by the destination address. Since the destination address of the data 17 received from the metering terminal 20 has a virtual IPv6 prefix 3333 :: generated by the data concentrator 10, 3000 (source port) and 2222 :: 1 (IPv6 source address) ) Is mapped to the specific port number 6000 generated by the data concentrator 10 and stored in the storage unit 13 in the form of a mapping table 16.

Then, the data concentrator 10 performs the task of generating the IPv4 data 18 to transmit the received IPv6 data 17 to the meter reading server 30. First, replace 3000 (source port) with 6000 (specific port), remove the virtual IPv6 prefix 3333 :: from 3333 :: 10.10.10.1 (destination address), and 2222 :: 1 (IPv6 source address) It replaces with 20.20.20.1 which is the IPv4 address previously stored in the storage part 13 of the data concentrator 10. FIG. The destination port never changes to 4000. When the IPv4 data 18 thus converted is passed to the network interface, the destination address is transmitted to the meter reading server 30.

Referring to FIG. 3, the response message transmitted from the meter reading server 30 included in the IPv4 network 2 is converted by the data concentrator 10 and then transmitted to the meter reading terminal 20 included in the IPv6 network 1. It shows the process of becoming.

The metering server 30 exchanges 6000 (source port) and 4000 (destination port) in the received IPv4 data 18 before sending a response message, and 20.20.20.1 (source address) and 10.10.10.1 (destination address). Replace it. In this way, an IPv4 response message including 4000 (source port), 6000 (destination port), 10.10.10.1 (source address), and 20.20.20.1 (destination address) is generated and transmitted to the data concentrator 10.

When the data concentrator 10 receives the IPv4 response message from the meter reading server 30, the data concentrator 10 converts the IPv6 data into the meter reading terminal 20 in the following manner. First, a specific port number stored in the mapping table 16 of the storage unit 13 in the process of converting the IPv6 data received from the meter terminal 20 into IPv4 data by the destination port number 6000 of the received IPv4 response message. Search for a match.

As a result of searching the mapping table 16, 6000 was found, so that the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit 11 receives the destination port number of the IPv6 data to be transmitted to the meter reading terminal 20 from the stored 3000 (source port number) corresponding to the specific port 6000. ), And the destination address uses the 2222 :: 1 (source address) stored for the particular port 6000. Add 3333 :: (virtual IPv6 prefix) that the data concentrator 10 has to 10.10.10.1 (source address). Of course, the source port number 4000 is used as it is. The response message converted into the IPv6 data format is transmitted to the meter reading terminal 20.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an IP address translation method of a data concentrator according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, when the data concentrator 10 receives a boot completion signal from the meter reading terminal 20, the data concentrator 10 may include a virtual IPv6 prefix and a meter reading terminal added before a destination address of data transmitted from the meter reading terminal 20. 20) generate an IPv6 prefix added in front of its source address and transmit it to the meter reading terminal 20 (40).

When the data concentrator 10 receives data including metering information from the meter reading terminal 20, the data concentrator 10 searches whether a virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the data concentrator 10 exists in the destination address of the received data. As a result of the search, if there is a virtual IPv6 prefix, the source port number and the source address of the received IPv6 data are mapped to the specific port number generated by the data concentrator 10 to form the mapping table 16 in the storage unit 13. Save as (50).

The data concentrator 10 replaces the source port number of the received IPv6 data with a specific port number, removes the virtual IPv6 prefix from the destination address, and generates an IPv4 type destination address, and the source address is the data concentrator 10 ) Is transmitted to the meter reading server 30 by substituting the previously assigned IPv4 address.

When the data concentrator 10 receives the IPv4 response message from the meter reading server 30, it searches for whether the destination port number of the response message matches any one of the specific port numbers in the mapping table 16 of the storage unit 13. do. As a result of the search, if it matches, the destination port number and destination address of the IPv6 data to be transmitted to the meter reading terminal 20 are replaced with the port number and address in the mapping table 16, and the source address of the IPv6 data is replaced with the source address of the IPv4 response message. The virtual concentrator 10 adds the virtual IPv6 prefix and transmits it to the meter reading terminal 20 (70).

Other specific methods have been described in detail in FIG. 1 to FIG.

According to the present invention, the data concentrator automatically translates an address between an IPv6 address and an IPv4 address, thereby enabling transparent communication between the meter reading terminal using the IPv6 address and the meter reading server using the IPv4 address.

In addition, the data concentrator operates a plurality of IPv4 address pools and allocates one IPv4 address for each incoming data from each IPv6 metering terminal and sends it to the IPv4 metering server. By using the scheme of transmitting the same IPv4 address and specific port number to the IPv4 metering server for the data coming from the metering terminal, it is possible to prevent the waste of IPv4 address due to the allocation of multiple IPv4 addresses.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described specific preferred embodiments, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims. Of course, it is obvious that such changes will fall within the scope of the claims.

1: IPv6 Network 2: IPv4 Network
10: Data Concentrator 11: IPv6 / IPv4 Address Translation Control
12: IPv6 prefix generation unit 13: storage unit
14: terminal communication unit 15: server communication unit
16: Mapping Table 17: IPv6 Data
18: IPv4 data 20: meter reading terminal
30: meter reading server

Claims (8)

In a data concentrator for transmitting meter information received from a meter reading terminal using an IPv6 address to a meter reading server using an IPv4 address,
It is added before the destination address of the data transmitted from the meter reading terminal, In order to recognize the meter reading server using the IPv4 address as an IPv6 device, a virtual IPv6 prefix used to generate the address of the meter reading server as a destination and an IPv6 prefix added before the source address of the meter reading terminal are generated. An IPv6 prefix generation unit for transmitting to the meter reading terminal;
A storage unit for storing each meter reading terminal by matching a source port number and a source address of IPv6 data transmitted from the meter reading terminal with a specific port number; And
If the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal has the virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the IPv6 prefix generator, the source port number and the source address of the received IPv6 data correspond to a specific port number to the storage unit. After storing, the source port number of the received IPv6 data is replaced with the specific port number, and the virtual IPv6 prefix is removed from the destination address to generate an IPv4 destination address, and the source address is stored in the data concentrator. And an IPv6 / IPv4 address translation controller which transmits to the meter reading server by substituting a pre-assigned IPv4 address.
The method of claim 1,
When the IPv6 / IPv4 address translation control unit receives an IPv4 response message from the metering server,
If the destination port number of the IPv4 response message matches any one of the specific port numbers stored in the storage unit, the destination port number and the destination address of the IPv6 data to be transmitted to the meter reading terminal correspond to the specific port number stored in the storage unit. And a port number and an address, and the source address of the IPv6 data is transmitted to the meter reading terminal by adding the virtual IPv6 prefix to the source address of the IPv4 response message.
The method of claim 1,
The IPv6 prefix generation unit, upon receiving a boot completion signal from the meter reading terminal, transmits the virtual IPv6 prefix and the IPv6 prefix added before the source address of the meter reading terminal to the meter reading terminal.
The method of claim 1,
The IPv6 / IPv4 address translation controller transmits the received data to an adjacent data concentrator or router if the virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the IPv6 prefix generator is not present in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal. Characterized by a data concentrator.
In the IP address conversion method of the data concentrator for transmitting the meter information received from the meter reading terminal using the IPv6 address to the meter reading server using the IPv4 address,
A virtual IPv6 prefix added to a destination address of data transmitted from the metering terminal and used to generate an address of a metering server as a destination so that the metering server using the IPv4 address can be recognized as an IPv6 device. Generating an IPv6 prefix added before the source address of the meter reading terminal and transmitting the IPv6 prefix to the meter reading terminal;
If the virtual IPv6 prefix generated by the data concentrator is present in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal, storing the source port number and the source address of the received IPv6 data in correspondence with a specific port number; And
Replace the source port number of the received IPv6 data with the specific port number, generate the IPv4 destination address by removing the virtual IPv6 prefix from the destination address, and the source address is pre-assigned to the data concentrator. And converting the IPv4 address into the meter reading server. The method of claim 5,
When the data concentrator receives an IPv4 response message from the meter reading server,
If the destination port number of the IPv4 response message matches any one of the specific port numbers stored in the data concentrator, the destination port number and the destination address of the IPv6 data to be sent to the meter reading terminal correspond to the stored specific port number. And an address, and the source address of the IPv6 data is transmitted to the meter reading terminal by adding the virtual IPv6 prefix to the source address of the IPv4 response message.
The method of claim 5,
When the data concentrator receives the boot completion signal from the meter reading terminal, the data concentrator IP address transmits the virtual IPv6 prefix and the IPv6 prefix added before the source address of the meter reading terminal to the meter reading terminal. Transformation method.
The method of claim 5,
The data concentrator transmits the received data to an adjacent data concentrator or router if there is no virtual IPv6 prefix generated and transmitted by the data concentrator in the destination address of the data received from the meter reading terminal. How to convert IP address of data concentrator.

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