Patent ID: 8468259

Claim:
Apparatus to enable a middlebox control node to send middlebox control messages to a middlebox in a communications network, the communications network comprising a first address realm, a second address realm and a first middlebox connected between the first address realm and the second address realm, the apparatus comprising: a middlebox identity providing device including a processor configured to participate in initiation of a communication session between a first entity in the first address realm and a second entity in the second address realm, and in response to initiation of the communication session between the first entity and the second entity, the processor is further configured to cause a middlebox identifying message to be sent to a middlebox control node outside the first and second address realms, the middlebox identifying message identifying the first middlebox to the middlebox control node, thereby enabling the middlebox control node to send middlebox control messages associated with the communication session to the first middlebox, wherein said middlebox identity providing device is arranged to be located in a control signal path from said one of the entities to the middlebox control node.