Managing network communications between network nodes and stream transport protocol

• US 8,732,236 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sococo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Social Communications Company
• Inventors: Altmaier, Joseph, Butler, Robert J., Van Wie, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US12/825,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/220, 709/224, 709/228, 709/218, 370/338, 370/352
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A stream transport protocol supports realtime network communications between communicants operating on respective network nodes. The stream transport protocol supports remote management of client communication sessions, including provisioning of each pair of client network nodes with a respective session definition defining a respective peer-to-peer session over a network connection between the constituent client network nodes of the pair. The stream transport protocol has relatively low computational resource requirements so that realtime communications performance can be achieved using a wide range of computing devices and network connections that currently are available.

Claims

1. A method, comprising by a server network node:

determining one or more pairs of client network nodes that are connected to a server application hosted by the server network node, wherein the constituent client network nodes of each of the pairs have one or more active sets of complementary sources and sinks of respective data stream content types; and

for each of the determined pairs of client network nodes, sending to each of the constituent client network nodes of the pair a respective session definition defining a respective peer-to-peer session over a network connection between the constituent client network nodes of the pair;

establishing a respective server session with each of the client network nodes connected to the server application; and

over each of the server sessions, transporting control messages of different content types on different respective channels that logically divide the control messages by content type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the client network nodes is assigned a respective unique station identifier;

and

further comprising, by the server network node, transmitting to each of the client network nodes connected to the server application the respective unique station identifiers that are assigned to the other client network nodes.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising by the server network node,

for each of the client network nodes,

determining a respective station definition comprising the respective station identifier and one or more entries each of which comprises a respective connectionless transport protocol address and a respective protocol port identifier for a protocol port on the client network node;

and

the transmitting comprises sending the respective station definition to each of the other client network nodes connected to the server application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein for each of the client network nodes

the determining of the respective station definition comprises, by the server network node, extracting a respective network address and a respective protocol port identifier for a protocol port on the client network node from each of one or more message received from the client network node.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising by the server network node,

for each of the determined pairs of client network nodes, generating the respective session definition to comprise (i) the respective station identifiers assigned to the constituent client network nodes of the pair, and (ii) a transport identifier associated with a connectionless transport protocol for establishing the network connection between the constituent client network nodes of the pair.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising by the server network node,

for each of the determined pairs of client network nodes, generating the respective session definition to comprise an encryption identifier associated with an encryption process for encrypting data transported on the network connection between the constituent client network nodes of the pair.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising by the server network node,

transmitting a station definition of a proxy server to each of the client network nodes connected to the server application, wherein the station definition comprises the respective station identifier assigned to the proxy server and one or more entries each of which comprises a respective network address and a respective protocol port identifier for a protocol port on the proxy server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising by the server network node,

for each of the determined pairs of client network nodes,

determining for each of the active sets of complementary sources and sinks of respective data stream content types between the constituent client network nodes of the pair a definition of a respective channel that logically divides data transported in the session over the network connection between the constituent client network nodes of the pair.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of one or more of the channel definitions comprises a respective set of one or more transport parameter values controlling transport of data on the respective channel independently of transport of data on any of the other channels.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of one or more of the channel definitions comprises a respective reliability transport parameter value that indicates whether data on the respective channel are to be transported by either a reliable transport protocol in accordance with which missed data packets are retransmitted or an unreliable transport protocol in accordance with which missed data packets are dropped.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein each of one or more of the channel definitions comprises a respective compressed transport parameter value that indicates whether or not data on the respective channel are required to be processed intact.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein each of one or more of the channel definitions comprises a respective ordering transport parameter value that indicates whether data on the respective channel are to be processed in order or in any order.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein each of one or more of the channel definitions comprises a respective compression identifier that specifies a respective compression process for compressing data transported on the respective channel.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein each of one or more of the channel definitions is associated with a respective unique content identifier that identifies a respective data stream content type assigned to the channel.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the control messages is sent with a unique server session identifier that is assigned to the server session and a respective content identifier that identifies the content type of the control message.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising by the server network node,

in response to receipt of a message from a given one of the client network nodes to disconnect from the server application, sending to the other ones of the client network nodes having respective sessions with the given network node respective instructions to tear down their respective sessions with the given client network node.

17. Apparatus, comprising:

a computer-readable memory storing computer-readable instructions; and

a data processor coupled to the memory, operable to execute the instructions, and based at least in part on the execution of the instructions operable to perform operations comprising

determining one or more pairs of client network nodes that are connected to a server application hosted by the server network node, wherein the constituent client network nodes of each of the pairs have one or more active sets of complementary sources and sinks of respective data stream content types; and

for each of the determined pairs of client network nodes, sending to each of the constituent client network nodes of the pair a respective session definition defining a respective peer-to-peer session over a network connection between the constituent client network nodes of the pair;

establishing a respective server session with each of the client network nodes connected to the server application; and

over each of the server sessions, transporting control messages of different content types on different respective channels that logically divide the control messages by content type.

18. At least one computer-readable memory device having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed by a computer to implement a method comprising:

determining one or more pairs of client network nodes that are connected to a server application hosted by the server network node, wherein the constituent client network nodes of each of the pairs have one or more active sets of complementary sources and sinks of respective data stream content types; and

for each of the determined pairs of client network nodes, sending to each of the constituent client network nodes of the pair a respective session definition defining a respective peer-to-peer session over a network connection between the constituent client network nodes of the pair;

establishing a respective server session with each of the client network nodes connected to the server application; and

over each of the server sessions, transporting control messages of different content types on different respective channels that logically divide the control messages by content type.

19. A method, comprising by a given client network node:

connecting to a server application hosted by a server network node and to which are connected one or more other client network nodes, wherein each of the given client network node and the one or more other client network nodes has one or more sources and sinks of respective data stream content types;

receiving from the server network node a respective session definition between the given client network node and a respective session partner one of the other client network nodes for each of the other client network nodes with which the given client network node has at least one active source or sink that is complementary to an active one of the one or more sources and sinks of the other client network node; and

for each of the received session definitions, establishing a respective peer-to-peer session over a respective network connection between the given client network node and the respective session partner client network node based on the session definition.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of the session definitions is associated with multiple respective addresses for negotiating respective network connections with the respective session partner client network node;

and

further comprising by the given client network node

for each of the at least one session definition, attempting to establish respective network connections with the respective session partner client network node through all of the multiple respective addresses associated with the session definition.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising by the given client network node,

for each of the session partner client network nodes with which the given client network node has successfully established multiple concurrent network connections with the other client network node, selecting one of the multiple network connections with the session partner client network node and establishing a respective session over the selected network connection with the session partner client network node.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising by the given client network node,

for each of the session partner client network nodes with which the given client network node has successfully established multiple concurrent network connections with the other client network node, maintaining one or more of the un-selected ones of the multiple concurrent network connections with the session partner alive during the respective session established over the selected network connection.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising by the given client network node,

receiving from the server network node a respective station definition for each of one or more of the other client network nodes connected to the server application, wherein each of the station definitions comprises a respective unique station identifier assigned to the respective other client network node and one or more entries each of which comprises a respective network address and a respective protocol port identifier for a protocol port on the respective other client network node;

wherein each of the session definitions comprises the unique station identifier that is assigned to the respective session partner client network node; and

the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, by the given client network node, determining the one or more entries in the station definition of the respective session partner client network node based on the station identifier in the session definition and, for each of the entries, attempting to establish a respective network connection with the respective session partner client network node through the respective network address and the respective protocol port identifier.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the session definitions comprises a transport identifier associated with a connectionless transport protocol for establishing the network connection;

and

the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, by the given client network node, attempting to establish the respective network connection with the respective session partner client network node in accordance with the connectionless transport protocol associated with the transport identifier in the respective session definition.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the session definitions is associated with one or more respective addresses for negotiating a respective network connection with the respective session partner client network node;

and

further comprising by the given client network node,

receiving from the server network node a respective address of a proxy server network node; and

the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, by the given client network node, attempting to establish a respective network connection with the respective session partner client network node through each of the one or more respective addresses associated with the session definition and through the respective address of the proxy server network node.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein:

each of the session definitions is associated with a respective unique station identifier assigned to each of the given client network node and the respective other client network node; and

the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, by the given client network node,

extracting a respective source network address from each of one or more inbound messages containing the respective station identifier assigned to the respective session partner client network node, and

updating a locally stored station definition indexed by the station identifier assigned to the respective session partner client network node to include each extracted source network address that is not already included in the locally stored station definition.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein:

each of the session definitions is associated with a respective unique station identifier assigned to each of the given client network node and the respective other client network node; and

the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, by the given client network node,

sending an outbound message containing the unique station identifier assigned to the given client network node to the respective session partner client network node;

in response to receipt of an inbound message responsive to the outbound message and containing the unique station identifier assigned to the respective session partner client network node, extracting a respective source network address from the inbound message and binding the respective session partner client network node to the extracted source network address.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

each of the session definitions is associated with a respective unique session identifier; and

the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, by the given client network node,

sending another outbound message containing the unique session identifier assigned to the respective session to the respective session partner client network node over a transport stream addressed to the network address to which the respective session partner client network node is bound; and

in response to receipt of an inbound message responsive to the other outbound message and containing the unique session identifier assigned to the respective session, designating the transport stream as valid for transmitting data in the respective session.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, by the given client network node:

creating multiple network connections with the respective session partner client network node;

establishing the respective session over a selected one of the created network connections;

maintaining one or more of the un-selected ones of the created network connections alive during the established session over the selected network connection.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the establishing of a respective session for each of the received session definitions comprises, in response to failure of a given one of the created network connections, by the given client network node attempting to re-create the given network connection with the respective session partner client network node.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising by the given client network node,

receiving from the server network node an identification of local publish channels that are publishable from the given client network node;

and

publishing the local publish channels on each of the established peer-to-peer sessions.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising by the given client network node,

in response to receipt of a request to subscribe to a given one of the local publish channels on a given one of the established peer-to-peer sessions, sending to the respective session partner client network node data associated with the given local publish channel.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising by the given client network node:

determining local subscribe channels associated with one or more local software entities on the given client network node; and

in response to receipt of publication of one or more remote publish channels on a given one of the established peer-to-peer sessions, sending to the respective session partner client network node a request to subscribe to each of the local subscribe channels matching a respective one of the remote publish channels.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising by the given client network node,

in response to receipt of data on the given peer-to-peer session in a respective one of the remote publish channels matching a respective one of the local subscribe channels, passing the received data to each of the local software entities associated with the matching local subscribe channel.

35. The method of claim 19, further comprising by the given client network node:

receiving from the server network node definitions of respective channels that logically divide data transported on a given one of the sessions by data stream content type; and

transmitting data streams to the respective session partner client network node on the given session in respective channels according to content type of the data streams.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein each of the channel definitions comprises a respective unique content identifier that identifies a respective data stream content type assigned to the respective channel, and the transmitting comprises transmitting each of the data streams on a respective one of the channels in packets containing a respective one of the content identifiers corresponding to the content type of the data stream.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein each of the channel definitions comprises a respective set of one or more transport parameter values controlling transport of data on the respective channel independently of transport of data on any of the other channels in the given session.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein each of the channel definitions comprises a respective reliability transport parameter value that indicates whether data on the respective channel are to be transported by either a reliable transport protocol in accordance with which missed data packets are retransmitted or an unreliable transport protocol in accordance with which missed data packets are dropped.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the transmitting comprises by the given client network node,

for each of the channels in the given session that is defined by a reliability transport value indicating that data are to be transported on the channel by the reliable transport protocol:

transmitting data packets on the channel; and

re-transmitting on the channel respective ones of the transmitted data packets in response to a determination that a count of the transmitted data packets whose receipt has not been acknowledged by the session partner client network node exceeds a window threshold specified by the session partner client network node.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the transmitting comprises by the given client network node,

for each of the channels in the given session that is defined by a reliability transport value indicating that data are to be transported on the channel by the reliable transport protocol:

retaining data packets transmitted on the channel; and

releasing retained data packets in response to receipt of acknowledgement that corresponding ones of the transmitted data packets have been received by the session partner client network node.

41. The method of claim 35, further comprising by the given client network node:

receiving from the respective session partner client network node a session maintenance message comprising a send window size number and a receive window size number;

transmitting data packets to the respective session partner client network node up to the send window size number of transmitted data packets whose receipt has not been acknowledged by the session partner client network node; and

sending to the respective session partner client network node a respective session maintenance message responsive to receipt of at least the receive window size number of data packets from the session partner client network node since a preceding session maintenance message was sent to the session partner client network node.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the respective session maintenance message sent by the given client network node comprises, for each of the channels that is in an active state, a respective indication of a maximum packet sequence number of the packets received on the channel.

43. The method of claim 41, further comprising receiving from the respective session partner client network node a sequence of data packets each comprising a respective sequential channel-level packet number and a respective unique session-level packet identifier, and the sending comprises incorporating into the respective session maintenance message sent to the respective session partner client network node:

for each of the channels, a respective value corresponding to a highest one of the sequential packet numbers of the data packets processed by the given client network node in the channel; and

the respective unique packet identifier of a most recent one of the data packets processed by the given client network node across all of the channels in the given session.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the respective session maintenance message sent by the given client network node comprises, for each of the channels that is in an active state, a respective identification of missing packets not received on the channel.

45. The method of claim 19, further comprising by the given client network node:

receiving from the respective session partner client network node a session maintenance message comprising a first time parameter value and a second time parameter value;

in response to a determination that the given session is in an active state, transmitting packet receipt acknowledgement session maintenance messages to the session partner client network node with a maximum interval set by the first time parameter value; and

in response to a determination that the given session is in an idle state, transmitting packet receipt acknowledgement session maintenance messages to the session partner client network node with a maximum interval set by the second time parameter value.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising by the client network node:

determining that the given session is in an active state in response to a determination that at least one data packet has been received from the session partner client network node before two consecutive session maintenance messages are transmitted by the given client network node to the session partner client network node; and

determining that the given session is in an idle state in response to a determination that no data packets have been received from the session partner client network node before two consecutive session maintenance messages are transmitted by the given client network node to the session partner client network node.

47. Apparatus, comprising:

a computer-readable memory storing computer-readable instructions; and

a data processor coupled to the memory, operable to execute the instructions, and based at least in part on the execution of the instructions operable to perform operations comprising

connecting to a server application hosted by a server network node and to which are connected one or more other client network nodes, wherein each of the given client network node and the one or more other client network nodes has one or more sources and sinks of respective data stream content types;

receiving from the server network node a respective session definition between the given client network node and a respective session partner one of the other client network nodes for each of the other client network nodes with which the given client network node has at least one active source or sink that is complementary to an active one of the one or more sources and sinks of the other client network node; and

for each of the received session definitions, establishing a respective peer-to-peer session over a respective network connection between the given client network node and the respective session partner client network node based on the session definition.

48. At least one computer-readable memory device having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed by a computer to implement a method comprising:

connecting to a server application hosted by a server network node and to which are connected one or more other client network nodes, wherein each of the given client network node and the one or more other client network nodes has one or more sources and sinks of respective data stream content types;

receiving from the server network node a respective session definition between the given client network node and a respective session partner one of the other client network nodes for each of the other client network nodes with which the given client network node has at least one active source or sink that is complementary to an active one of the one or more sources and sinks of the other client network node; and

for each of the received session definitions, establishing a respective peer-to-peer session over a respective network connection between the given client network node and the respective session partner client network node based on the session definition.

49. A method, comprising by a given client network node

from a server network node, receiving a session definition defining a respective peer-to-peer session over a network connection between the given client network node and a session partner client network node, wherein the session definition comprises a unique station identifier assigned to the given client network node and a unique station identifier assigned to the session partner client network node;

and

based on the session definition, establishing a network connection with the session partner client network node, wherein the establishing comprises

sending to the session partner client network node an outbound message containing the unique station identifier assigned to the given client network node, and

in response to receipt of an inbound message responsive to the outbound message and containing the unique station identifier assigned to the session partner client network node, extracting a source network address from the inbound message and binding the session partner client network node to the extracted source network address.

50. A method, comprising by a given client network node:

establishing a network connection with a session partner client network node, wherein the establishing comprises

sending an outbound message containing a unique station identifier assigned to the given client network node to the session partner client network node, and

in response to receipt of an inbound message responsive to the outbound message and containing a unique station identifier assigned to the session partner client network node, extracting a source network address from the inbound message and binding the session partner client network node to the extracted source network address;

sending another outbound message containing a unique session identifier assigned to the session to the session partner client network node over a transport stream addressed to the network address to which the respective session partner client network node is bound; and

in response to receipt of an inbound message responsive to the other outbound message and containing the unique session identifier assigned to the respective session, designating the transport stream as valid for transmitting data in the respective session.