Client-Side Duplicate Message Identification in Computer Telephony
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computer telephony systems with duplicated servers for resilience face challenges in determining which server is running the best service and are limited by the need for servers to share the same IP address, leading to sub-standard service and complex switching mechanisms vulnerable to failure.
Innovation Solution
The system allows clients to receive redundant messages from duplicate servers, which are tagged using call or message identity information, enabling the client to identify and handle duplicates, thereby eliminating the need for active/standby server management and private networks, and allowing servers to operate independently across different IP address spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If servers share the same IP address using virtual IP address working, then service continuity is improved during failure, but system complexity increases and switching mechanisms become vulnerable to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the IP address functionality by introducing a separate IP address translation component that decouples the client's communication from the actual server IP addresses. This allows multiple servers to have distinct IP addresses while presenting a unified interface to clients, eliminating the need for complex switching mechanisms between servers sharing a single IP address.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an IP address translation intermediary that sits between the client and multiple servers. This mediator translates client requests to the appropriate server IP addresses based on current server status, eliminating the need for servers to directly share IP addresses or implement complex switching logic themselves.
2Reliability
If servers are located in the same network using virtual IP address working, then service continuity is improved, but system adaptability decreases due to network topology limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The IP address translation component serves multiple functions: it enables servers in different networks to communicate with clients, provides load balancing capabilities, and maintains service continuity regardless of server location. This universal approach eliminates the restriction that servers must be in the same network while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If active/standby server management is implemented, then service continuity is improved, but processing load increases due to arbitration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Each server independently monitors its own status and can autonomously determine when to accept or reject requests based on the translation component's routing decisions. This eliminates the need for complex inter-server arbitration mechanisms, reducing processing overhead while maintaining service continuity through the translation layer's load distribution.
Data Source
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AI summary
The system comprises a client and a set of servers for processing calls in a communications system; the servers providing call status messages to the client; in which each call status message comprises an identifier associated with the call to which the message relates. The client is arranged to handle duplicate copies of call status messages as follows. The client receives a copy of each call status message from each of the servers and identifies duplicate copies of each message received by reading the identifier in the received messages.