Patent ID: 8751614

Claim:
A method implemented by a network element of an Internet service provider to track Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) addresses of devices in a home network, wherein the network element provides dynamic host configuration protocol version 6 (DHCPv6) service to the home network and a home network router on the home network assigns IPv6 address to the devices using a prefix provided by the DHCPv6 service, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a DHCPv6 request for a prefix delegation, by the network element, from the home network router including an indicator of support for IPv6 address assignment notice requests; sending a DHCPv6 message including an assigned prefix to the home network router, by the network element, the DHCPv6 message including a request for notification of IPv6 addresses assigned to the devices in the home network; receiving a first Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) message from the home network router, by the network element, the first ICMP message including a media access control (MAC) address and corresponding IPv6 address assigned for a configured device in the home network, the first ICMP message functioning as an IPv6 address assignment notice; and sending the home network router a second ICMP message by the network element, the second ICMP message to acknowledge recording the IPv6 address assigned for the configured device, the second ICMP message functioning as an IPv6 address recording acknowledgement message, enabling the network element to provide services and forward traffic directly to the configured device, in the home network.