Real-Time Network Connectivity Evaluation Protocol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to reliably evaluate network connectivity for real-time applications between mobile wireless devices and secondary computing devices, leading to potential failures in establishing connections due to differing communication paths and network configurations.
Innovation Solution
The method involves a primary device sending connection requests to secondary devices through a wide area network, with secondary devices evaluating connectivity using UDP packets to determine if an IP connection can be established, ensuring that only devices capable of supporting real-time connections receive notifications and establish connections through a local area network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If connectivity evaluation is performed using the same communication path as connection requests, then network reliability is improved, but communication path flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication evaluation process into two distinct phases: notification delivery through the cloud-based service (first communication path) and connectivity evaluation through direct device-to-device paths (second communication path). This segmentation allows each path to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between reliability and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces connectivity evaluation packets as intermediary test messages that mediate between the notification system and the actual real-time connection. These packets traverse different paths than the notification itself, allowing the system to evaluate multiple communication routes without compromising the reliability of the notification delivery mechanism.
2Reliability
If connectivity evaluation is performed before sending connection notifications, then false connections are reduced, but notification delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary connectivity evaluation by sending evaluation packets immediately upon receiving a connection request, before notifying secondary devices. This preliminary action ensures that only devices with viable connectivity paths receive notifications, eliminating false connections while minimizing delay through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The connectivity evaluation process continues in the background while notification preparation occurs. The system maintains continuous evaluation of multiple potential connection paths simultaneously, ensuring that notification delivery can proceed immediately once a viable path is identified, thus reducing perceived delay while maintaining accuracy.
3Productivity
If all secondary devices receive connection notifications, then connection opportunities are maximized, but network resource waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary connectivity evaluation before sending notifications to secondary devices. By evaluating connectivity in advance using UDP packets and assessing response quality, the system identifies only those devices with viable connection paths, ensuring notification resources are allocated efficiently without wasting network bandwidth on devices incapable of establishing real-time connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality thresholds and evaluation criteria to different secondary devices based on their individual network characteristics. Rather than uniformly notifying all devices, the system tailors notification delivery to each device's demonstrated connectivity quality, optimizing the balance between connection opportunities and resource consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods to evaluate connectivity between a primary device and a secondary device to support a connection for a real-time application to a remote device are disclosed. The primary device receives a connection request from the remote device and sends invitations to one or more secondary devices to connect with the remote device, the invitations sent through a first communication path. A secondary device that receives the invitation sends a connectivity evaluation packet to the primary device through a second communication path. When a connectivity response is received from the primary device through the second communication path and a user accepts the invitation, the secondary device sends an invitation response to the primary device and subsequently establishes a connection to the primary device through the second communication path. In some embodiments, the first communication path includes a cloud-based server that provides a guaranteed delivery message service.