Relay Servers Reduce Video Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current real-time video communication systems over mobile networks experience significant latency due to the need for each mobile device to connect to a common set of streaming servers via the Internet, which introduces inefficiencies in data routing.
Innovation Solution
Deploying in-network relay servers at the perimeter of service provider networks to route video content, allowing mobile devices to connect directly to these relay servers via UDP datagram sockets, thereby bypassing external firewalls and Internet routing, and using multiple relay servers to support communication across different service providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mobile devices connect to common streaming servers via the Internet, then real-time video communication can be established, but significant latency is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces in-network relay servers as intermediary components positioned within the service provider's network perimeter. These relay servers act as mediators between mobile devices and the external Internet, routing video traffic through optimized paths that bypass external firewalls and reduce traversal distance. The relay servers establish direct UDP connections with mobile devices while maintaining connectivity to streaming servers, thereby eliminating the need for traffic to traverse the external Internet and reducing latency from 252ms to 110ms.
2Loss of time
If in-network relay servers are deployed at the perimeter of service provider networks, then latency is significantly reduced, but device complexity and network infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The in-network relay servers are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they act as UDP hole-punching intermediaries, provide NAT traversal support, maintain session state information, and route video traffic. By consolidating these multiple functions into a single network component deployed at the service provider's network perimeter, the system reduces overall complexity compared to implementing each function separately in mobile devices or external servers. The relay servers serve all mobile devices within the service provider's network, providing universal service rather than requiring individual complexity at each device.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer-implemented system and method are described for improving the quality of experience (QoE) of real-time video sessions between mobile users. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: configuring one or more relay servers on the perimeter of a service provider network by a streaming server via the Internet; at the streaming server, receiving a request from a first mobile device to establish a real-time communication session with a second mobile device; the streaming server subsequently providing the first and second mobile devices with networking information for connecting via the relay server(s) which is(are) located close to at least one of the first and second mobile devices; and establishing the real-time communication session through the relay server(s).