METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ACCESS TO REAL-TIME FULL-DUPLEX WEB COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORMS

• US 20130058262A1
• Filed: 03/02/2012
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ibt Tecnologia E Sistemas Ltda
• Original Assignee: IBT- Internet Business Technologies
• Inventors: Parreira, Andre T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/276
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services

Abstract

At least one embodiment of this invention pertains to an abstraction layer that provides a consistent interface, with client-side and server-side implementations, to allow web client to interact with other web clients (that are connected to a common interactive event) in real-time over standard web ports without the web clients being tied to a specific real-time communications platform. At least some embodiments described herein contemplate methods and systems for establishing web communication among multiple web clients by providing a layer of abstraction between the web clients and the interactive session using interfaces to an Open Real-Time Connectivity (ORTC) layer. The system may use authentication methods to validate the web communications. The system may be implemented on a scalable, load-balanced, and fault-tolerant network.

Claims

1. A method for establishing web communication among multiple web clients connected to an interactive event hosted by a web server, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first Open Real-Time Connectivity (ORTC) interface of the web server, a connection request from a first web client to connect to the interactive event;

connecting, by the first ORTC interface, the first web client to an underlying communication platform endemic to the web server, wherein the underlying communication platform enables the first web client to be connected to the interactive event;

subsequent to the connection of the first web client to the interactive event, establishing, via the first ORTC interface, a listen channel in association with the first web client, wherein the first ORTC interface enables the listen channel to be implemented in the underlying communication platform;

receiving, by the listen channel, a broadcast message transmitted by a second web client in the underlying communication platform, wherein a second ORTC interface associated with the second web client facilitates connection of the second web client to the interactive event via the underlying communication platform, and wherein the broadcast message is indicative of a status change to the interactive event that is induced by the second web client; and

communicating, by the first ORTC interface, the broadcast message from the underlying communication platform to the first web client, wherein the broadcast message enables the first web client to update and reflect the status change to the interactive event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first web client receives updates related to status changes to the interactive event directly from the second web client via the underlying communication platform without requiring any update feed from the web server hosting the interactive event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the underlying communication platform is a real-time full-duplex web communications platform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the communication platform is a HTML5 WebSocket platform.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ORTC interface adds a consistent layer of abstraction between the first web client and the underlying communication platform.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the added layer of abstraction enables the first web client to operate independent of a type of underlying communication platform.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing a listen channel further comprises:

identifying, by the first web client, a local function of the first web client that needs to be invoked when the broadcast message is received;

transmitting, by the first web client, a listen channel request through the first ORTC interface, the listen channel request including information related to the local function that needs to be invoked; and

translating, by the first ORTC interface, the listen channel request to a protocol associated with the underlying communication platform to cause the listen channel to operate in the underlying communication platform.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the broadcast message transmitted by the second web client, connecting, by the second ORTC interface, the second web client to the underlying communication platform, wherein the underlying communication platform enables the second web client to be connected to the interactive event.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the broadcast message transmitted by the second web client, receiving, by the second ORTC interface, an indication from the second web client of an action that induces a status change to the interactive event, wherein the indication includes details regarding the status change;

translating, by the second ORTC interface, the indication to the underlying communication platform; and

generating, within the underlying communication platform, the broadcast message in response to receiving the indication.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by a server ORTC interface, the broadcast message from the underlying communication platform, the server ORTC interface being associated with the web server;

translating, by the server ORTC interface, the broadcast message to the web server; and

recording, by the web server, the status change associated with the broadcast message.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, in association with the listen channel, a call back function within the first web client, the call back function identifying one or more operations to be invoked upon receipt of the broadcast message; and

invoking the call back function within the first web client subsequent to receiving the broadcast message.

12. A method for establishing web communication among a plurality of web clients connected to an interactive event hosted by a web server, each of the plurality of web clients having consistent interfaces to an Open Real-Time Connectivity (ORTC) layer for connectivity to an underlying communication platform that enables full-duplex communication between the plurality of web clients and the web server, the method comprising:

establishing, by the ORTC interface associated with each of the plurality of web clients, a listen channel for each of the plurality of web clients, wherein each listen channel is for identifying and receiving any broadcast messages that may be generated by a given web client of the plurality of web clients in response to the given web client causing a status change to the interactive event hosted by the web server;

translating, by the ORTC interface associated with each of the plurality of web clients, the listen channel for each of the plurality of web clients to the underlying communication platform, thereby causing each listen channel to operate within the underlying communication platform;

receiving, by each listen channel, a broadcast message transmitted by the given web client of the plurality of web clients within the underlying communication platform, wherein the broadcast message is indicative of the status change to the interactive event; and

communicating, by the ORTC interface associated with each of the plurality of web clients, the broadcast message from the underlying communication platform to the associated web client, wherein the broadcast message enables each web client to update and reflect the status change to the interactive event.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of web client receives updates related to status changes to the interactive event directly from the given web client via the underlying communication platform without requiring any update feed from the web server hosting the interactive event.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the underlying communication platform is a real-time full-duplex web communications platform.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication platform is a HTML5 WebSocket platform.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein each ORTC interface adds a layer of abstraction between each web client and the underlying communication platform.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the added layer of abstraction enables each web client to operate independent of a type of underlying communication platform.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said establishing a listen channel further comprises:

identifying, by each web client, a local function of the web client that needs to be invoked when the broadcast message is received;

transmitting, by each web client, a listen channel request through the web client'"'"'s associated ORTC interface, the listen channel request including information related to the local function that needs to be invoked; and

translating, by each ORTC interface, the listen channel request to a protocol associated with the underlying communication platform to cause each listen channel to operate in the underlying communication platform.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

prior to receiving the broadcast message transmitted by the given web client, receiving, by an ORTC interface associated with the given web client, an indication from the given web client of an action that induces a status change to the interactive event, wherein the indication includes details regarding the status change;

translating, by the given ORTC interface, the indication to the underlying communication platform; and

generating, within the underlying communication platform, the broadcast message in response to receiving the indication.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, by a server ORTC interface, the broadcast message from the underlying communication platform, the server ORTC interface being associated with the web server;

translating, by the server ORTC interface, the broadcast message to the web server; and

recording, by the web server, the status change associated with the broadcast message.

21. A system establishing web communication, the system comprising:

a first web client;

a second web client;

a web server configured to host an interactive event;

a first Open Real-Time Connectivity (ORTC) interface associated with the first web client, the first ORTC interface configured to receive a connection request from the first web client to connect to the interactive event, the first ORTC interface further configured to;

connect the first web client to an underlying communication platform endemic to the web server, wherein the underlying communication platform enables the first web client to be connected to the interactive event;

subsequent to the connection of the first web client to the interactive event, establish a listen channel in association with the first web client, wherein the first ORTC interface enables the listen channel to be implemented in the underlying communication platform;

wherein the listen channel is configured to receive a broadcast message transmitted by the second web client in the underlying communication platform, wherein a second ORTC interface associated with the second web client facilitates connection of the second web client to the interactive event via the underlying communication platform, and wherein the broadcast message is indicative of a status change to the interactive event that is induced by the second web client, and wherein the first ORTC interface communicates the broadcast message from the underlying communication platform to the first web client, and wherein the broadcast message enables the first web client to update and reflect the status change to the interactive event.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the first web client receives updates related to status changes to the interactive event directly from the second web client via the underlying communication platform without requiring any update feed from the web server hosting the interactive event.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the underlying communication platform is a real-time full-duplex web communications platform.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the communication platform is a HTML5 WebSocket platform.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the first ORTC interface adds a layer of abstraction between the first web client and the underlying communication platform.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the added layer of abstraction enables the first web client to operate independent of a type of underlying communication platform.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein said establishing a listen channel further comprises a sequence of steps performed by the first web client and the first ORTC interface, the sequence of steps comprising:

identifying, by the first web client, a local function of the first web client that needs to be invoked when the broadcast message is received;

transmitting, by the first web client, a listen channel request through the first ORTC interface, the listen channel request including information related to the local function that needs to be invoked; and

translating, by the first ORTC interface, the listen channel request to a protocol associated with the underlying communication platform to cause the listen channel to operate in the underlying communication platform.

28. A system for establishing web communication, the system comprising:

a web server; and

a plurality of web clients connected to an interactive event hosted by the web server, each of the plurality of web clients having an interface to an Open Real-Time Connectivity (ORTC) layer for connectivity to an underlying communication platform that enables full-duplex communication between the plurality of web clients and the web server, wherein;

the ORTC interface associated with each of the plurality of web clients establishes a listen channel for each of the plurality of web clients, wherein each listen channel is for identifying and receiving any broadcast messages that may be generated by a given web client of the plurality of web clients in response to the given web client causing a status change to the interactive event hosted by the web server;

the ORTC interface associated with each of the plurality of web clients translates the listen channel for each of the plurality of web clients to the underlying communication platform, thereby causing each listen channel to operate within the underlying communication platform;

each listen channel receives a broadcast message transmitted by the given web client of the plurality of web clients within the underlying communication platform, wherein the broadcast message is indicative of the status change to the interactive event; and

the ORTC interface associated with each of the plurality of web clients communicates the broadcast message from the underlying communication platform to the associated web client, wherein the broadcast message enables each web client to update and reflect the status change to the interactive event.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of web client receives updates related to status changes to the interactive event directly from the given web client via the underlying communication platform without requiring any update feed from the web server hosting the interactive event.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the underlying communication platform is a real-time full-duplex web communications platform.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the communication platform is a HTML5 WebSocket platform.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein each ORTC interface adds a layer of abstraction between each web client and the underlying communication platform.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the added layer of abstraction enables each web client to operate independent of a type of underlying communication platform.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein said establishing a listen channel further comprises a sequence of operations performed by the plurality of web clients and their associated ORTC interfaces, the sequence of operations comprising:

identifying, by each web client, a local function of the web client that needs to be invoked when the broadcast message is received;

transmitting, by each web client, a listen channel request through the web client'"'"'s associated ORTC interface, the listen channel request including information related to the local function that needs to be invoked; and

translating, by each ORTC interface, the listen channel request to a protocol associated with the underlying communication platform to cause each listen channel to operate in the underlying communication platform.

35. A method for establishing web communication, the method comprising:

receiving, at an authentication server, an initial request from a client to connect to a communication channel hosted by a realtime server;

generating, by the authentication server, an authentication token and one or more permissions;

transmitting, to the client and a real-time server, the authentication token and the permissions;

sending, to the real-time server, a connection message including the authentication token;

generating, by the real-time server, a channel signature including a channel ID;

transmitting, to the client, the channel signature;

sending, to the real-time server, a request including the authentication token and the channel signature to connect to the communication channel; and

connecting the client to the communication channel, by an Open Real-Time Connectivity (ORTC) interface, if a second channel signature calculated based the authentication token matches the channel signature.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the initial request including a user credential;

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the initial request is an anonymous request.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the authentication server and the real-time server shares a computer.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the authentication server runs on a computer separate from the real-time server.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the permission including at least one of read permission, write permission, or read/write permission.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein the client is a web browser or a client application.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the authentication token is generated by an encryption algorithm.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein the authentication token is transmitted by a HTTPS POST message under SSL protocol.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein the authentication token is saved in the real-time server.

45. The method of claim 35, wherein the connection ID is unique for the client and the requested channel.

46. The method of claim 35, wherein the channel signature is generated by a hashing algorithm.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the hashing algorithm is unknown to the client and the authentication server.

48. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving, at the client through the communication channel, by the ORTC interface, a message.

49. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

publishing, by the client to the communication channel, by the ORTC interface, a message.

50. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

ignoring the request to connect to the communication channel, if a second channel signature calculated based the authentication token does not match the channel signature.

51. A method of relaying messages in a tree topology network of nodes, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first node in the tree topology network, a subscribe request from a client to subscribe a communication channel;

relaying, through the tree topology network, the subscribe request to a top node of the tree topology network;

recording the subscribe request in caches of all nodes participating the subscribe request relaying;

receiving, at a second node in the tree topology network, a publish request from a publisher to publish a message to the communication channel;

relaying, through the tree topology network, the publish request to the top node of the tree topology network;

identifying at least the first node that subscribed the communication channel, based on the caches of the nodes; and

relaying the message, through the tree topology network, by an Open Real-Time Connectivity (ORTC) interface, to the first node.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the tree topology network of nodes does not have a central message bus.

53. The method of claim 51, wherein clients interested in similar communication channels are connected to nodes in a close proximity in the tree topology network.

54. The method of claim 51, wherein the message is relayed via a route not including the top node.

55. The method of claim 51, wherein the message is relayed via a route including the top node.

56. The method of claim 51, wherein when a node dies, a new node process will be launched to replace the node.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein neighboring nodes of the new node are notified and provide cache information to the new node.

58. The method of claim 51, wherein at least one node in the tree topology network is implemented as a process running on a computer.

59. The method of claim 51, wherein at least one node in the tree topology network is implemented as a network server.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the message is a news alert.