System and method for signaling and data tunneling in a peer-to-peer environment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for use by a tunneling server in a peer-to-peer hybrid network comprising:
- establishing, by the tunneling server, a connection with a first endpoint in response to a connection request from the first endpoint;
receiving, by the tunneling server, a request from the first endpoint for a plurality of shadow ports on the tunneling server;
creating, by the tunneling server, the plurality of shadow ports;
sending, by the tunneling server, a shadow network address and the shadow ports to the first endpoint;
receiving, by the tunneling server, a message from the first endpoint;
extracting, by the tunneling server, a destination network address and a destination port from the message;
determining, by the tunneling server, whether the destination network address matches a network address of the tunneling server, wherein a match indicates that the destination port is a shadow port on the tunneling server; and
sending, by the tunneling server, the message out of the tunneling server to a second endpoint corresponding to the destination network address only if the destination network address does not match the network address of the tunneling server.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables an endpoint to use a tunneling server to bypass a network address translation (NAT) device that is blocking messages to an endpoint on the other side of the NAT device.
277 Citations
6 Claims
-
1. A method for use by a tunneling server in a peer-to-peer hybrid network comprising:
-
establishing, by the tunneling server, a connection with a first endpoint in response to a connection request from the first endpoint; receiving, by the tunneling server, a request from the first endpoint for a plurality of shadow ports on the tunneling server; creating, by the tunneling server, the plurality of shadow ports; sending, by the tunneling server, a shadow network address and the shadow ports to the first endpoint; receiving, by the tunneling server, a message from the first endpoint; extracting, by the tunneling server, a destination network address and a destination port from the message; determining, by the tunneling server, whether the destination network address matches a network address of the tunneling server, wherein a match indicates that the destination port is a shadow port on the tunneling server; and sending, by the tunneling server, the message out of the tunneling server to a second endpoint corresponding to the destination network address only if the destination network address does not match the network address of the tunneling server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
Specification