Proxy Server Branching for IMS Response Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IP networks face challenges in efficiently determining which client devices of a recipient have received a request, particularly due to resource-intensive aggregation and delayed response processes in existing methods, which can lead to incomplete information about all connected terminals' capabilities and their status in IMS networks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where a proxy server in an IP network implements a bifurcation procedure to transmit requests to all client devices of a second user, intercepting responses and immediately forwarding them to the first user with information on the total number of devices reached and responses received, allowing for quicker identification of received requests and terminal capabilities without waiting for all responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the proxy server waits for all responses from client devices before forwarding them to the first user, then complete information about all terminals is obtained, but the response time increases and resources are consumed during the waiting period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by forwarding responses to the first user as they arrive rather than waiting for all responses. The proxy server sends each received response immediately, providing partial information progressively, which reduces the overall response time while still gathering information from multiple client devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by sending an indication of the total number of client devices with the first received response. This allows the first user to preliminarily understand the scope of the inquiry and plan subsequent actions, reducing uncertainty and enabling faster decision-making.
2Loss of information
If the proxy server aggregates all responses before forwarding to the first user, then complete capability information is obtained, but resource consumption increases during the aggregation process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces resource consumption by performing partial aggregation - forwarding each response as it arrives with the count of total devices and received responses, rather than accumulating and processing all responses before forwarding. This distributes the processing load over time and reduces peak memory usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the response forwarding process into individual response transmissions rather than a single bulk transmission. Each response is processed and forwarded independently, reducing the computational burden on the proxy server at any given moment and enabling more efficient resource utilization.
3Loss of information
If the system monitors all client device responses to determine which devices received the request, then complete status information is obtained, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the proxy server as an intermediary that simplifies the tracking complexity. Instead of requiring the first user or each client device to track responses independently, the proxy server centralizes the counting and tracking function, managing the complexity of monitoring which devices received and responded to the request.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by including in each forwarded response an indication of how many total client devices received the request and how many responses have been received so far. This feedback mechanism provides the first user with real-time status information without requiring complex external tracking systems.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of communication between a first user of an IP (Internet protocol) network and a second user of said IP network. Said method, when said second user has a plurality of client devices connected to the IP network, includes the following steps: a) a client device of said first user sends (E1, E'1) a request (OPTIONS, SUBSCRIBE) to said second user; b) a proxy server of the second user implements a so-called "branching" procedure that involves sending (E3, E'3) said request to all said client devices of the second user; c) at least one of the client devices of the second user sends a response (E4, E'4) to the request from the first user; and d) each of said responses is intercepted (E5, E'5) by said proxy server. Said method is characterized in that it also includes a step during which the proxy server sends (E6, E'6) each of said responses to the first user, without waiting for other possible responses, after having inserted at least the following information therein: an explicit or implicit indication of the total number of client devices of the second user to whom the request was sent during said step b), and an explicit or implicit indication of the number of responses sent thus far by one or more client devices of the second user. The invention is of use in IMS networks.