Proxy Server Session Continuity via State Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing system of failback proxy servers in streaming media systems wastes resources by mirroring the primary proxy server, leading to inefficient use of processing and network resources, as data is continually retrieved but rarely sent to the client, causing interruptions in streaming media sessions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where the primary proxy server determines an impending interruption and sends session information and a progress indicator to a second proxy server, allowing the session to be transferred and resumed without mirroring, using RTSP extensions like PROXY_TRANSFER and CONTINUE requests to maintain session continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a failback proxy server mirrors the primary proxy server to ensure session continuity, then session resumption capability is improved, but processing resources and network resources are wasted due to continuous data retrieval and queuing that rarely reaches the client
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of session continuity from the mirroring mechanism. Instead of fully mirroring the primary proxy server's data retrieval and queuing operations, the failback proxy server only retrieves session state information (progress indicators, session metadata) from the primary proxy server. This extraction approach maintains session resumption capability while eliminating the waste of continuously retrieving and queuing actual media data that would never be transmitted to the client during failback scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the failback proxy server pre-retrieve and store session state information from the primary proxy server before a failure occurs. The progress indicator and session metadata are fetched in advance and stored in the failback server's memory. When a failure occurs, the session can be resumed immediately using this pre-retrieved state information without needing to mirror the primary server's continuous data operations, thus maintaining reliability while reducing resource consumption.
2Reliability
If the failback proxy server continuously retrieves and queues data from the content server, then session resumption is enabled, but network resources are inefficiently used as the data is rarely sent to the client
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary session state information (progress indicators, session metadata, timing information) from the primary proxy server, rather than retrieving and queuing the actual media data content. This selective extraction enables session resumption while dramatically improving network resource efficiency by avoiding the transmission and storage of large volumes of media data that would never be delivered to the client in a failback scenario.
3Reliability
If the primary proxy server mirrors all operations to the failback proxy server, then session continuity is ensured, but processing overhead increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and transfers only the essential session state information from the primary proxy server to the failback proxy server, rather than mirroring all processing operations. The failback server receives progress indicators, session metadata, and timing information, but does not replicate the primary server's data retrieval, buffering, and processing operations. This significantly reduces processing overhead while maintaining session continuity capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal session state transfer mechanism that allows the failback proxy server to assume the role of the primary proxy server for session management purposes. The failback server uses the transferred session state information to universally handle client requests, send continuation requests to the content server, and manage the streaming session without needing to mirror the primary server's specific processing operations, thus reducing processing overhead while maintaining functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a method and system for providing streaming media to a client device. Specifically, in a streaming media session that is initially ongoing between a content server and a client device via a first proxy server: (i) the first proxy server may determine that an interruption in the streaming media session is going to occur and responsively (a) send a transfer request to the client device and (b) send session information to a second proxy server, the session information comprising information identifying the streaming media session and a progress indicator that indicates a current status of the streaming media session, and (ii) after the transfer request and the session information is sent, continuing the streaming media session via the second proxy server. The second proxy server uses the progress indicator as a basis to continue the streaming media session with the client device.