IP Address Allocation

A new node will be assigned randomly one of the lowest free addresses
contained in the FAT, which means that the IP address is assigned in an
increasing order from a randomly chosen IP Address Block. We impose to
the new joining node to obtain its IP address from at least K nodes. We
use for this purpose the threshold signature described above and the new
concept of ‘On-line Joint IP address and Public Key Certificate’. Each
allocated IP address in the network is bound to node’s identity by means
of this certificate which must be signed by the On-line CA.

After having received a signed IP Address, the new node must broadcast
a signed registration message to all nodes to be able to participate actively
in the network. Any assigned IP address which is not registered yet is
removed from the FAT and kept in the PAT, either by the K signer nodes
after having assigned this address or by all nodes after having received a
registration message for a higher IP address in the same IP Address Block.
If the registration message is received the IP address is removed from the
PAT and put in the RAT.

Figure 1. Functional Blocks of TCSAP and DPKI modules