Connectivity in the presence of barriers
First Claim
1. A method of establishing communications comprising:
- establishing a virtual connection between a source computer system assigned a source virtual host name and located behind a first connectivity barrier and a destination computer system assigned a destination virtual host name and located behind a second connectivity barrier, wherein establishing the virtual connection comprises;
establishing, by the source computer system, a first persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal session between the source computer system and a forwarder/relay service, wherein establishing the first session includes representing data of a first application in a format associated with a proxy network protocol configured to communicate data corresponding to another application so that the data of the first application is communicated through the first connectivity barrier using the proxy network protocol; and
establishing, by the destination computer system, a second persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal session between the destination computer system and the forwarder/relay service, the forwarder/relay service maintaining the second session if the first session is temporarily lost and re-establishing the virtual connection when then first session is re-established.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system includes a first endpoint located behind a first connectivity barrier, such as a firewall or a consumer gateway, and a second endpoint. A service is arranged to respond to a request from the first endpoint to establish communications with the second endpoint by assigning a server to handle a session between the first endpoint and the service. A session initiated by the second endpoint is established with the service if the second endpoint is located behind a second connectivity barrier. If the second endpoint is not located behind a connectivity barrier, a transport level communications connection can be established with the second endpoint. In some cases, the service can instruct the first endpoint to establish a direct session with the second endpoint.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of establishing communications comprising:
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establishing a virtual connection between a source computer system assigned a source virtual host name and located behind a first connectivity barrier and a destination computer system assigned a destination virtual host name and located behind a second connectivity barrier, wherein establishing the virtual connection comprises; establishing, by the source computer system, a first persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal session between the source computer system and a forwarder/relay service, wherein establishing the first session includes representing data of a first application in a format associated with a proxy network protocol configured to communicate data corresponding to another application so that the data of the first application is communicated through the first connectivity barrier using the proxy network protocol; and establishing, by the destination computer system, a second persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal session between the destination computer system and the forwarder/relay service, the forwarder/relay service maintaining the second session if the first session is temporarily lost and re-establishing the virtual connection when then first session is re-established. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of establishing communications between source and destination computer systems comprising:
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establishing a persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal session, by the source computer system, between the source computer system located behind a first connectivity barrier and a forwarder/relay service, wherein establishing the session includes representing data of a first application in a format associated with a proxy network protocol configured to communicate data corresponding to another application so that the data of the first application is communicated through the first connectivity barrier using the proxy network protocol; establishing, by the destination computer system, a persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal transport level communications connection between the forwarder/relay service and the destination computer system, the destination computer system located behind a second connectivity barrier; and maintaining the session between the forwarder/relay service and the destination computer system if the session between the source computer system and the service is lost. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An article comprising a computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions for causing a computer system, in response to a request from a first computer system located behind a first connectivity barrier to establish connectivity to a second computer system, to:
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assign a server to handle a first persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal session, initiated by the first computer system, between the first computer system and a forwarder/relay service, wherein the first computer system is configured to represent data of a first application in a format associated with a proxy network protocol configured to communicate data corresponding to another application so that the data of the first application is communicated through the first connectivity barrier using the proxy network protocol; establish a persistent, bi-directional barrier traversal session initiated by the second computer system if the second computer system is located behind a second connectivity barrier; and maintain the session between the forwarder/relay service and the destination computer system if the session between the source computer system and the forwarder/relay service is lost. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification