TURN Server Relay for IP Network Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current protocols such as STUN, TURN, and ICE do not provide a mechanism to force peers in IP-based communication networks to use specific routes, especially in scenarios with data traffic restrictions, making it difficult for peers to establish communication sessions across networks with restrictive firewalls or NAT configurations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a TURN server to establish relayed connections between peers with data traffic restrictions, filtering out non-relayed candidate contact addresses and using a signaling server to negotiate communication sessions, ensuring compliance with network policies and optimizing quality of service by forcing peers to use specific, optimized routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If peers use direct routing protocols (STUN, ICE) to establish connections, then connection establishment speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates in networks with restrictive firewalls or NAT configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a TURN server as an intermediary relay component that mediates peer-to-peer communication when direct routing fails. The system automatically selects between direct routing (faster) and relayed routing through TURN server (more reliable) based on network conditions, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If peers filter to use only relayed candidate contact addresses, then compliance with network policies is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary filtering of candidate contact addresses to identify and prioritize relayed candidates before actual connection establishment. By pre-processing the candidate list to comply with network policies, the system avoids complex runtime decisions and simplifies the connection establishment process while ensuring policy compliance.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for using relays for network optimization in IP-based communication networks. The method includes negotiating a communication session between two peers connected to the Internet via a signaling server, at least one of the two peers having data traffic restrictions and requiring a relayed route to connect with the other peer; identifying, by each peer, a plurality of candidate contact addresses, including IP address, port and protocol, that the peer can send to the other peer, so that the other peer can find a route to connect to that peer; filtering out any candidate contact addresses of the plurality of identified candidate contact addresses that is not a relayed candidate contact address, providing a list of relayed candidate contact addresses; and establishing a connection between the two peers via one relayed candidate contact address of the list of relayed candidate contact addresses using a TURN server.