Peer-to-Peer Relay Network Segmentation and Connection Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
In traditional client-server networks, communication between clients is indirect through a central server, whereas in peer-to-peer networks, direct connections between members allow for efficient data distribution without a centralized server, but there is a need for methods to manage and optimize these connections for efficient data relay and network resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
Implementing peer-to-peer relay networks where each peer system connects to a limited number of other peers, with predefined relay rules to propagate data efficiently, allowing for data relay across multiple peer systems without relying on a central server, and managing connections and redundancy to maintain network stability and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each peer connects to every other peer in a peer-to-peer network, then direct data transmission between members is achieved, but the number of connections per peer becomes N-1 which increases network complexity and resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the peer-to-peer network into multiple relay networks, where each relay network has a limited number of peers. Instead of every peer connecting to every other peer across the entire network, peers connect only to others within their segment (relay network). This segmentation reduces the connection complexity from O(N) to O(sqrt(N)) or better, while maintaining direct peer-to-peer data transmission within each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces relay peers as intermediaries that facilitate connections between peers in different relay networks. When a peer needs to communicate with a peer in another relay network, the data is routed through relay peers that act as mediators. This intermediary mechanism enables indirect peer-to-peer communication without requiring direct connections between all peers, thus reducing network complexity while maintaining communication efficiency.
2Ease of operation
If a centralized server is used for address discovery and connection management, then network establishment is simplified, but the server becomes a single point of failure and increases network traffic through the central node
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the connection management function from a centralized server and distributes it across multiple relay peers. Each relay peer independently manages connections within its own relay network, and relay peers exchange connection information directly with each other. This extraction eliminates the single point of failure represented by a centralized server while maintaining the ease of network establishment through distributed peer-to-peer coordination.
3Productivity
If peer systems have unlimited connections to propagate data, then data distribution speed increases, but network bandwidth consumption and system resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic connection limits for relay peers, where each peer is configured with a maximum number of connections it can maintain in each relay network. This dynamic constraint prevents any single peer from becoming overwhelmed with connections while still allowing sufficient connectivity for efficient data propagation. The connection limit parameter can be adjusted based on system resources and network conditions, optimizing the balance between data distribution speed and resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for implementing peer-to-peer relay. In one implementation, a network environment supporting multiple peer-to-peer relay networks includes: a first peer-to-peer relay network including N1 peer systems; and a second peer-to-peer relay network including N2 peer systems; wherein each peer system in said first peer-to-peer relay network is connected to a number of other peer systems in said first peer-to-peer relay network that is less than or equal to a first connection limit, said first connection limit is greater than or equal to 2, said first connection limit is less than or equal to N1-2, each peer system in said first peer-to-peer relay network is configured to relay data to peer systems connected to that peer system according to a first set of one or more relay rules, each peer system in said second peer-to-peer relay network is connected to a number of other peer systems in said second peer-to-peer relay network that is less than or equal to a second connection limit, said second connection limit is greater than or equal to 2, said second connection limit is less than or equal to N2-2, each peer system in said second peer-to-peer relay network is configured to relay data to peer systems connected to that peer system according to a second set of one or more relay rules, and at least one peer system in said first peer-to-peer relay network is also in said second peer-to-peer relay network.