Cloud LAN Party Service Manager for Cross-ISP Multiplayer Gaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote gaming environments typically limit multi-player interactions to users within the same local area network (LAN) based on their internet service provider, data center proximity, and hardware capabilities, preventing interactions between users who cannot share these characteristics, and require additional costs from third-party servers for cross-provider interactions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a cloud local area network (C-LAN) managed by a Cloud Local Area Network Party Service (CLAPS) manager, which configures service access points and assigns identifiers to facilitate communication between client devices across different internet service providers and data centers, allowing multi-player interactions without the need for third-party servers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users from different ISPs and data centers want to interact in multi-player environment, then communication capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase due to requiring third-party servers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud service provider's network infrastructure as an intermediary to establish virtual LAN connections between users from different ISPs and data centers. The C-LAN manager acts as a software mediator that configures service access points and establishes network paths through the cloud provider's existing infrastructure, avoiding the need for separate third-party servers while enabling cross-ISP multi-player interactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the cloud service provider's network infrastructure multi-functional by enabling it to serve both as the primary network transport for remote gaming and as a virtual LAN fabric for multi-player interactions. The same network infrastructure that delivers game streams also carries multi-player communication traffic, eliminating the need for dedicated third-party server infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If third-party servers are used to enable cross-ISP multi-player interactions, then communication capability is improved, but subscription cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the cloud service provider to serve its own customers' multi-player needs using its existing infrastructure. The C-LAN manager, owned and operated by the cloud service provider, configures service access points and establishes virtual LAN connections using the provider's own network resources, eliminating the need to pay external third-party servers and thus avoiding additional subscription fees for customers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If service access points are configured for cloud local area network, then multi-player communication is enabled, but system reliability may be affected by access point failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements redundancy and failover mechanisms in the service access point configuration. Multiple service access points can be configured for each user device, and the C-LAN manager can dynamically switch between them if one fails. This beforehand cushioning ensures that gameplay continuity is maintained even when individual service access points experience failures.
4Device complexity
If users are limited to same ISP and data center for LAN formation, then system complexity is reduced, but user base for multi-player interactions is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a virtualization dimension to the network architecture by creating virtual LANs that operate over the cloud service provider's physical infrastructure. This allows users from different physical locations, ISPs, and data centers to be grouped into the same logical network segment, effectively adding a new dimension (virtual network layer) that transcends physical network boundaries while leveraging existing infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method for implementing a cloud local area network (C-LAN) for providing a multi-player environment for servicing content to a plurality of client devices including determining a location of a blade for each client device of the plurality of client devices, configuring a service access point for each client device of the plurality of client devices, and initializing the C-LAN using the service access points for each client device of the plurality of client devices, wherein at least two client devices of the plurality of client devices cannot be associated with a same local area network based on their respective internet service providers.