US Patent 7454519 Method for automatically allocating address prefixes

As routers (15) are added to an existing network (41), links serviced by such routers that lack a pre-existing corresponding address prefix may occur. The router (15) can contact a prefix server (14) and engage in a process to automatically receive a new address prefix from the prefix server (14) to use with such links. In one embodiment, the prefix server (14) can automatically assign such address prefixes to form or maintain an aggregation of routes to facilitate the efficient operation of routers within the network and overall network growth.