Server-Mediated Local Network Peer Connection for Push Systems

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In mobile communications, maintaining long connections between devices for push systems results in wastage of network and server resources due to the need for continuous heartbeat messages, even when no useful data is exchanged, potentially leading to delayed message delivery.

Innovation Solution

A data connection establishment method where a server searches for a second client within the same local area network and instructs the first client to establish a connection with it, reducing the number of long connections and conserving resources by using existing connections within the network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If devices send heartbeat messages periodically to maintain long connections, then connection stability is improved, but network traffic resources and server resources are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidnetwork traffic resources
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the connection maintenance function from the server-client relationship and relocates it to the local network level. By enabling direct peer-to-peer connections between devices in the same local network, the heartbeat mechanism is eliminated entirely for these connections, as they can maintain connectivity without periodic server-mediated heartbeats.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The server acts as an intermediary that facilitates initial connection establishment between devices in the same local network. Once the direct connection is established, the server's role in maintaining that connection is removed, allowing the devices to communicate directly without continuous server involvement or heartbeat messages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If devices maintain long connections for push system message delivery, then message delivery timeliness is improved, but the quantity of long connections increases consuming network resources

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemessage delivery timelinessVSAvoidquantity of long connections
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple server-client connections into a single direct peer-to-peer connection. When multiple devices in the same local network need to maintain connections for push notifications, they establish one direct connection between them rather than each device maintaining separate long-lived connections to the server, thereby reducing the total number of connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the connection topology from a star topology (all devices connecting to server) to a mesh topology (devices connecting directly to each other). This dimensional change in the connection architecture allows devices to communicate directly without routing through the server, reducing connection overhead while maintaining message delivery capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of energy

If the server disconnects idle connections after threshold duration, then network resources are saved, but message delivery may be delayed when sending exceeds threshold duration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork resourcesVSAvoidmessage delivery delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent establishes direct peer-to-peer connections between devices in advance, before any message needs to be sent. By pre-configuring the direct communication path and having devices discover each other's addresses beforehand, the system ensures that connections are already active and optimized for local network communication, eliminating the need for threshold-based disconnection logic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3334095B1Method for establishing data connection, server side, and mobile terminal
Publication Date: 2021.03.17 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3334095B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3334095B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3334095B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a data connection establishment method, a server, and a mobile terminal. After receiving a connection request sent by a first client, a server determines whether a connection to a second client belonging to a same local area network with the first client has already been established; if yes, returns, to the first client, a reply message used to instruct the first client to establish a connection to the second client; and disconnects from the first client after the connection between the first client and the second client is established. Therefore, a quantity of long connections between devices can be effectively reduced, and network resources are saved.