Distributed Relay-Server Account Control for LAN Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques for communication between different local area networks (LANs) via a wide area network (WAN) impose a significant burden on servers due to centralized account control, leading to increased load and reduced flexibility in network management.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a relay-server on each LAN that registers local account information, exchanges it with an external server, and constructs direct communication sessions with other relay-servers to relay communication data at a higher application protocol level than TCP/IP, thereby distributing account control and reducing server load.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single external server collectively controls account information for all LANs, then communication between different LANs can be established, but the server load increases significantly and account control flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccount control flexibilityVSAvoidserver load
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the centralized account control function into distributed relay-servers, each serving a specific LAN. Each relay-server maintains local account information for its own LAN, eliminating the need for a single external server to store and manage all account information across multiple LANs. This segmentation reduces the quantity of account information held by any single server while maintaining the ability to facilitate communications between different LANs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local account information registration at each relay-server for its respective LAN. Each relay-server stores and manages account information locally rather than relying on centralized external server storage. This local quality approach allows each LAN to independently manage its own account information, improving adaptability and flexibility in account control while reducing the burden on external servers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If all account information is registered in an external server, then communication requests can be routed between LANs, but the complexity of account management and retrieval increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccount retrieval easeVSAvoidaccount control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments account information storage and management across multiple relay-servers, each responsible for its own LAN's account information. This eliminates the need for a single external server to handle all account retrieval operations, simplifying the account management process for each individual LAN while maintaining the ability to route communication requests between different LANs through direct relay-server communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses relay-servers as intermediaries that directly communicate with each other to exchange account information and route communication requests. Instead of requiring all account information to be stored and accessed through a single external server, relay-servers act as mediators that share necessary account information directly, reducing the complexity of account management while maintaining ease of operation for communication establishment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Quantity of substance

If account information is distributed across multiple relay-servers, then server load is reduced and flexibility improves, but the mechanism for exchanging and retrieving account information becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveserver loadVSAvoidaccount exchange mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes continuous communication sessions between relay-servers, allowing account information to be exchanged and maintained in real-time. This continuous action ensures that when a communication request needs to be routed between LANs, the necessary account information is already available through the established communication channels, eliminating the need for complex on-demand information retrieval mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary account information exchange between relay-servers before actual communication requests occur. By pre-establishing communication sessions and exchanging account information in advance, the system prepares the necessary data structures and routing information ahead of time, simplifying the account exchange mechanism during actual communication operations while reducing server load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP1901520B1Relay-server
Publication Date: 2014.06.25 MURATA MASCH LTD
  • EP1901520B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1901520B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1901520B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention aims at providing a technique capable of carrying out communications between communication terminals on different LANs while realizing reduction in burden in account control and suppression in load on a server. First and second relay-servers on first and second LANs issue a registration request to a SIP-server, respectively. A first communication terminal on the first LAN issues a registration request to the first relay-server while a second communication terminal on the second LAN issues a registration request to the second relay-server. The first and second relay-servers exchange account information about the registered communication terminals with each other. When the first communication terminal generates communication data addressed to the second communication terminal, the first relay-server selects the second relay-server as a relay based on the exchanged account information to relay the communication data. Then, the second relay-server relays the communication data to the second communication terminal.