Patent ID: 8406229
Filing Date: 2013-03-26
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for enabling a first endpoint to traverse a network address translation (NAT) device associated with a second endpoint in a peer-to-peer communications system, wherein the NAT device includes a pinhole maintained between the NAT device and a server, the method comprising: determining whether a message sent to the second endpoint from an external source will only pass through the NAT device if the second endpoint has first sent a message to the external source; if the determining indicates that the second endpoint must first send a message, sending a first message to a stateless reflector for reflection to the second endpoint, wherein the first message includes a first message header identifying the stateless reflector as the message destination and the first endpoint as the message source and a second message header identifying the second endpoint as the message destination and the server as the message source; modifying the first message header by the stateless reflector, wherein the modifying uses the second message header and inserts the second endpoint as the message destination and the server as the message source; and sending the modified first message to the second endpoint via the pinhole in the NAT device, wherein the stateless reflector reflects the first message using only information from the first message header and the second message header contained in the first message.