Patent ID: 8457014

Claim:
A method for configuring a direct tunnel in an Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) network-based Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) service providing system having at least two terminals, and a control server interworking with the terminals over an IPv4 network, the direct tunnel being configured at a random request terminal for IPv6 communication service with a counterpart terminal, the method comprising: configuring a control tunnel with the control server and registering the request terminal to the control server; registering the counterpart terminal and learning a status of the counterpart terminal in real-time; determining a tunnel type for direct tunnel configuration with the counterpart terminal by using terminal information obtained through the learning; sending a direct tunnel request message to the counterpart terminal by using terminal information obtained through the learning; configuring a direct tunnel with the counterpart terminal when a direct tunnel response message is received from the counterpart terminal; checking whether IPv6 data transmission is available through the configured direct tunnel; and wherein the determining of the tunnel type for the direct tunnel configuration with the counterpart terminal comprises: checking whether the request terminal is attached to a network address translator by using terminal information obtained through the learning; checking whether the counterpart terminal is attached to a network address translator if the request terminal is not attached to the network address translator; determining that the direct tunnel configuration is made on a public network if the counterpart terminal is attached to the network address translator, and determining the tunnel type as an IPv6-IPv4 type; and determining that the direct tunnel configuration is made between a public network and a private network if the counterpart terminal is not attached to a network address translator, and determining the tunnel type as an IPv4-UDP-IPv4 type.