Conferencing Server Public IP Token Multiplexing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conferencing servers deployed in private networks face challenges when accessed from the public Internet, requiring media relay servers like TURN servers for media session establishment, which increases complexity and delays call setup times due to the need for relay candidate gathering and allocation, leading to fragility in media relay deployments and increased latency.
Innovation Solution
A conferencing server is directly accessible on the public Internet, eliminating the need for media relay servers by using a public IP address and multiplexing tokens for candidate selection and connectivity checks, reducing the reliance on relay candidates and simplifying deployment and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conferencing server is deployed in a private network and accessed from the public Internet, then security and network management are improved, but media relay servers (TURN servers) are required for media session establishment, increasing device complexity and deployment difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a signaling server as an intermediary that facilitates direct peer-to-peer media connections between endpoints behind NATs. The signaling server exchanges connectivity information (IP addresses, ports, protocols) between endpoints and enables them to establish direct media sessions without requiring TURN relay servers, thus reducing deployment complexity while maintaining security through the signaling server's coordination role
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the media relay function from the conferencing server infrastructure by enabling endpoints to establish direct peer-to-peer connections. Instead of routing all media through TURN servers, the system allows endpoints to communicate directly once connectivity information is exchanged through the signaling server, eliminating the need for media relay servers in many scenarios
2Adaptability or versatility
If media relay servers are used for media session establishment, then connectivity through NATs is improved, but call setup time increases due to relay candidate gathering and allocation
Solution Approach 1:
The signaling server performs preliminary action by exchanging connectivity information between endpoints before media sessions are established. The server collects and shares IP addresses, ports, and protocol information during the signaling phase, allowing endpoints to attempt direct connections immediately without waiting for TURN server candidate gathering and allocation, thus reducing call setup time
3Adaptability or versatility
If TURN servers are deployed for media relay, then media session establishment through NATs is enabled, but the deployment becomes fragile and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The signaling server serves as a mediator that coordinates direct peer-to-peer connections between endpoints, reducing reliance on TURN servers. By facilitating direct connectivity through information exchange, the system simplifies deployment architecture and reduces the fragility associated with complex TURN server configurations while maintaining NAT traversal capability
Data Source
AI summary
In a device including a processor and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory includes executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to control the device to perform functions of connecting to a plurality of remote devices, using a network address and a port number that are usable for a plurality of remote devices to access the device; providing a plurality of tokens to a plurality of remote devices, respectively, each token being unique and associated with a different one of the plurality of remote devices; receiving from a first remote device, a first data packet including first media data and a first token associated with the first remote device; and identifying, based on the received first token, the first remote device as a source of the received first data packet.