Client Connectivity via Control Server Mediation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods are cumbersome and difficult for users to share content like digital pictures and video clips with other Internet users, as most clients behind firewalls or with dynamic IP addresses are passive and invisible on the Internet, lacking direct connectivity.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses a control server to connect clients via unique URIs, allowing direct communication between clients by mediating connections through TCP or UDP hole punching, eliminating the need for known IP addresses and simplifying content sharing by leveraging existing web browsers and infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clients use fixed IP addresses for direct connectivity, then connectivity reliability is improved, but most clients behind firewalls with dynamic IP addresses become invisible and passive, losing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The control server acts as an intermediary that receives connection requests from clients, resolves the connection establishment process, and forwards requests to the target client. This mediator approach allows clients behind firewalls with dynamic IP addresses to connect without exposing their true addresses, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a new dimensional layer by using URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) instead of traditional IP addresses for client identification. This URI-based addressing system operates in a different dimension than conventional IP networking, enabling clients to be identified and connected through human-readable names rather than numeric addresses, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining connectivity reliability.
2Ease of operation
If clients are made visible and reachable on the Internet, then ease of operation is improved, but clients behind firewalls lose protection and security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The control server serves as a security intermediary that sits between the Internet and clients behind firewalls. It receives connection requests, validates them, and establishes connections through the firewall rather than requiring clients to be directly visible on the Internet. This approach maintains client security while enabling ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by having clients register with the control server in advance and establishing connection protocols before actual data transfer. This preliminary setup allows secure connection establishment without requiring clients to be permanently visible or exposed on the Internet, thus maintaining security while improving connectivity ease.
3Ease of operation
If a central server mediates all client connections, then ease of operation is improved, but server load and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the connection mediation function from a monolithic central server and distributes it to individual clients through client controllers. Each client controller handles connection requests locally, reducing the burden on the central server while maintaining ease of operation. This extraction approach reduces system complexity by distributing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The control server is segmented into multiple functional components including the main control server and distributed client controllers. This segmentation allows the system to handle connection requests more efficiently by processing them at multiple levels, reducing the complexity burden on any single component while maintaining ease of operation.
4Adaptability or versatility
If clients share content through web servers, then content accessibility is improved, but the process becomes tedious and difficult for users
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables clients to share content directly with each other without requiring manual upload to web servers. Clients use their own devices and networks to transfer content, making the process self-service oriented. This eliminates the tedious task of uploading to servers while maintaining broad content sharing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the content sharing function directly into the client-to-client communication mechanism, eliminating the need for separate web server upload processes. By combining content transfer and connection establishment into a unified process, the system maintains versatility while dramatically improving ease of operation.
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A method and a system (5) for identifying and connecting clients (1a-1d) connected to the same network (2) comprising a control server (6), performing the steps of connecting a first client (1a-1d) running a web browser application (4a-4d) to the control server (6) and registering client specific connection information associated with the first client, receiving from the web browser application (4a-4d) a request for an unique URI defined by the control server (6) and associated with a second client (1a-1d), requesting the control server (6) to mediate a connection to the second client (1a-1d) associated with the unique URI and receiving data from the second client (1a-1d) on the direct connection and forwarding the data to the web browser application (4a-4d) for displaying the received data in a graphical user interface.