Network Traffic Redirection via Centralized Proxy Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network systems for redirecting Internet traffic through mobile broadband modems face limitations due to the requirement for external IP addresses and excessive computational power, leading to restricted scalability and energy inefficiency, as well as security challenges and increased energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A virtual subnet structure is created, connecting a server with an external IP address to child routers, allowing the server to manage traffic redirection and offload processes, reducing the need for external IP addresses and optimizing energy efficiency by distributing computational load to higher-level nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a software proxy server is run on a router with excessive computational power to handle traffic redirection, then traffic redirection capability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the traffic redirection function by separating the proxy server functionality from the router hardware. Instead of running a full proxy server on each router, the patent uses a lightweight protocol where routers only forward packets to a centralized proxy server, dramatically reducing the computational and energy requirements at each node while maintaining traffic redirection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized proxy server as an intermediary that handles the computationally intensive traffic redirection tasks. Routers act as simple intermediaries that only perform basic packet forwarding, while the centralized server performs the actual proxy functions, thereby reducing energy consumption at distributed nodes while maintaining productivity.
2Ease of operation
If an external IP address is assigned to each router to enable direct Internet access, then network connectivity is improved, but scalability is limited due to IP address exhaustion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the IP address resources by having multiple routers share a single external IP address through the centralized proxy server. Instead of each router needing its own external IP, all routers connect to the proxy server which provides the external IP for Internet communication, thereby enabling scalability beyond the limitations of individual IP address assignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized proxy server provides universal access to the Internet for multiple routers sharing the same external IP address. The server handles multiple concurrent connections and traffic redirection tasks, making the single external IP address serve multiple functions and enabling the network to scale without requiring unique IP addresses for each router.
3Productivity
If a powerful computing device is used as a router to run software proxy servers, then traffic handling capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex proxy server functionality from the router device and places it in a centralized server. The router is simplified to a basic networking device that only performs packet forwarding, while the centralized server handles all the complex traffic redirection and proxy operations, thereby reducing device complexity at each node while maintaining traffic handling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized proxy server acts as an intermediary that provides complex traffic handling services to simplified routers. This separation allows routers to be simple devices without requiring powerful computing capabilities, while the centralized server absorbs the complexity of handling multiple concurrent connections and traffic redirection tasks.
4Quantity of substance
If multiple outgoing connections are used to form unified connections, then bandwidth is improved, but control over transmitted traffic is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the centralized proxy server receives traffic from multiple routers, processes it according to predefined rules and policies, and redirects it through selected outgoing connections. This feedback loop allows the system to maintain control over traffic routing decisions while utilizing multiple connections for bandwidth aggregation, as the server can dynamically manage which connections to use based on current network conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A network traffic redirection system includes a server connected to a plurality of routers and a plurality of modems. The plurality of the routers are connected to the plurality of modems. The server, the plurality of the routers, and the plurality of the modems are connected to establish an internal subnet, wherein the server, the plurality of the routers, and the plurality of the modems have internal IP addresses. Each subset of the routers is connected to a corresponding subset of the modems, the server includes at least one software proxy server and at least one L2TP server. The server has an externally accessible IP address, while the routers have only internal IP addresses. The server and the plurality of the routers are connected using a tunnel allowing an operation of the internal subnet between the server and the routers.