TWI873672B - System and method for network connection via multi-path tunnel and computer-readable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and a method for network connections via multi-path tunnels and a computer-readable storage medium are provided, which are establishing a multi-path tunnel between a terminal device and a remote device, and selecting a proper path from multiple paths for a connection according to the type of service required by the connection, in order to improve the quality of network service between the terminal device and the remote device.

Description

Multi-path channel network connection system, method and computer-readable storage medium

The present invention relates to network channels and network connection technologies, and in particular to a multi-path channel network connection system, method and computer-readable storage medium.

Traditional network channels only use a single path between the network devices at both ends of the channel to transmit packets, and do not have multiple paths, resulting in a lack of application flexibility and corresponding service quality. For example, when the network connection initiated by the network device has different types of service requirements, the traditional network channel cannot select the appropriate network path for the connection based on the required service type, resulting in poor network service quality.

To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a multi-path channel network connection method, which is executed by at least one terminal device and at least one remote device, and includes the following steps: allowing the terminal device to collect multiple path information required for the terminal device to connect to the remote device from the terminal device itself and multiple relay servers; allowing the remote device to collect multiple path information required for the terminal device to connect to the remote device from the multiple relay servers; The remote device and the relay servers collect multiple path information required for the remote device to connect to the terminal device; the terminal device and the remote device transmit the path information to each other through a channel server, and each pair the path information to obtain multiple candidate paths; the terminal device checks whether each candidate path can connect to the The terminal device and the remote device select a plurality of valid paths that can connect the terminal device and the remote device from the waiting selection path, so as to add each of the valid paths to each queue in a plurality of queues, wherein each of the queues corresponds to one of a plurality of service types; the terminal device determines the priority of each of the valid paths in each queue according to the service type corresponding to each queue; and the terminal device selects a first valid path with the highest priority in the queue corresponding to the service type specified by the first connection initiated by at least one process executed by the terminal device, so that the at least one process and the remote device can transmit packets to each other through the first valid path.

The present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium that stores multiple instructions, which are read by the terminal device and the remote device to execute the above-mentioned multi-path channel network connection method.

The present invention also provides a multipath channel network connection system, including at least one terminal device and at least one remote device mentioned above, so as to execute the multipath channel network connection method mentioned above.

The technical solution of the present invention can establish a multi-path channel between the terminal device and the remote device, so as to select a suitable path for the connection among the multiple paths according to the type of service required by the connection initiated by the process, thereby improving the network service quality between the terminal device and the remote device.

10:Multi-path channel network connection system

11: Terminal device

12: Remote device

13,14: Firewall

15: Internet

16: Cloud interface server

17: Relay server

18: Channel Server

21~27,31~39,41~46,51~56: Steps

Figure 1 is an application environment architecture diagram of a multi-path channel network connection system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 2 to 5 are flow charts of a multi-path channel network connection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The following is a specific embodiment to illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those with ordinary knowledge in this technical field can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification.

FIG1 is an application environment architecture diagram of a multi-path channel network connection system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The multi-path channel network connection system 10 includes at least one terminal device 11 and at least one remote device 12. The terminal device 11 can be an electronic device such as a smart phone or a computer. The remote device 12 can be an electronic device such as a computer, a server or a network attached storage (NAS).

In one embodiment, the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 are connected to the network 15 through firewalls 13 and 14, respectively. In addition, a cloud interface server 16, at least one relay server 17, and a tunnel server 18 are also provided in the application environment of the multi-path channel network connection system 10, wherein the cloud interface server 16, the relay server 17, and the tunnel server 18 are all connected to the network 15.

In this embodiment, the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 are located inside the firewalls 13 and 14, respectively, while the network 15, the cloud interface server 16, the relay server 17, and the channel server 18 are located outside the firewalls 13 and 14. In addition, the firewalls 13 and 14 block connections or communications initiated from the outside to the inside, but allow connections or communications initiated from the inside to the outside. Therefore, due to the blocking of the firewalls 13 and 14, the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 cannot communicate with each other directly, but can communicate with each other through the firewalls 13 and 14 via the relay server 17 or the channel server 18.

Figure 2 is a channel construction flow chart of a multi-path channel network connection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, in step 21, the remote device 12 registers with the cloud interface server 16 and then connects to the channel server 18.

In step 22, the terminal device 11 queries the cloud interface server 16 about which relay servers are in the area where the remote device 12 is located. In this embodiment, at least one relay server 17 is set up in the area where the remote device 12 is located. Therefore, the cloud interface server 16 will transmit the relevant information of each relay server 17 to the terminal device 11.

In step 23, the terminal device 11 queries the cloud interface server 16 for the channel server to which the remote device 12 is connected. The cloud interface server 16 transmits the channel server information of the remote device 12 to the terminal device 11, thereby the terminal device 11 can know that the remote device 12 is connected to the channel server 18.

In step 24, the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 each collect path information required for mutual communication and transmit the path information to each other. Specifically, the path information of the terminal device 11 is the path information required for connecting from the terminal device 11 to the remote device 12, and the path information may include at least one local URL of the terminal device 11 (e.g., the URL of the network interface of the terminal device 11), at least one public URL of the terminal device 11 outside the firewall 13, and/or the usage information of each relay server 17. In addition, the terminal device 11 can collect the local URL of the terminal device 11 from the terminal device 11 itself, and collect the public URL of the terminal device 11 and the usage information of the relay server 17 from the relay server 17. After completing the collection of the path information, the terminal device 11 will transmit its path information to the remote device 12 through the channel server 18.

On the other hand, the path information of the remote device 12 is the path information required for connecting the terminal device 11 from the remote device 12, and the path information may include at least one local URL of the remote device 12 (e.g., the URL of the network interface of the remote device 12), at least one public URL of the remote device 12 outside the firewall 14, and/or the usage information of each relay server 17. In addition, the remote device 12 can collect the local URL of the remote device 12 from the remote device 12 itself, and collect the public URL of the remote device 12 and the usage information of the relay server 17 from the relay server 17. After completing the collection of path information, the remote device 12 will transmit its path information to the terminal device 11 through the channel server 18.

In step 25, the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 each match the path information of both parties to obtain multiple candidate paths. Since the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 will transmit packets to each other, the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 need to each match the path information of both parties to generate candidate paths.

There are two types of candidate paths. The first type of candidate path is generated by pairing the local addresses and public addresses of the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12. One end of this candidate path is a local address or a public address of the terminal device 11, and the other end is a local address or a public address of the remote device 12. In one embodiment, if the total number of local addresses and public addresses of the terminal device 11 is m, and the total number of local addresses and public addresses of the remote device 12 is n, then m*n first type candidate paths can be paired and generated. In addition, the second type of candidate path is a network path connecting the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 through the relay server 17. For each relay server 17, a second candidate path corresponding to the relay server is matched, that is, a network path connecting the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 through the relay server.

In step 26, the terminal device 11 checks whether each candidate path can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12, so as to select multiple valid paths that can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 from the candidate paths. In detail, for each candidate path, the terminal device 11 can send a request to the remote device 12 through the candidate path, and check whether a response to the request from the remote device 12 is received within a time limit.

If the terminal device 11 does not receive a response from the remote device 12 within the time limit, it is determined that the candidate path cannot connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12, so the candidate path will not be selected as a valid path. On the contrary, if the terminal device 11 receives a response from the remote device 12 within the time limit, it will send a request to the remote device 12 again through the candidate path after a preset time, and check whether the response to the second request from the remote device 12 is received within the time limit.

If the terminal device 11 does not receive a response from the remote device 12 to the second request within the time limit, it is determined that the candidate path cannot connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12, and therefore, the candidate path will not be selected as a valid path. On the contrary, if the terminal device 11 receives a response from the remote device 12 to the second request within the time limit, it is determined that the candidate path can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12.

For the aforementioned first candidate path, the terminal device 11 will select a candidate path with the highest priority from all the first candidate paths that can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 as a valid path, and the remaining first candidate paths will not be selected as valid paths. Since the priority of the local URL is before the public URL, the terminal device 11 will prioritize a candidate path with both ends being local URLs, that is, a candidate path with one end being the local URL of the terminal device 11 and the other end being the local URL of the remote device 12, from all the first candidate paths that can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 as a valid path.

If there is no candidate path with both ends being local URLs available for selection, the terminal device 11 will select a candidate path with one end being a local URL and the other end being a public URL from all first-type candidate paths that can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 as a valid path.

If there is no candidate path with one end being a local URL and the other end being a public URL available for selection, the terminal device 11 will select a candidate path with both ends being public URLs from all first-type candidate paths that can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 as a valid path.

For each of the aforementioned second candidate paths, the terminal device 11 will use the aforementioned request and response method to check whether the candidate path can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 through the relay server 17 corresponding to the candidate path. If the candidate path can connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 through the relay server 17, the terminal device 11 selects the candidate path as a valid path.

As mentioned above, if both the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 have local URLs and/or public URLs, and N relay servers 17 (N is a positive integer) are set in the application environment of FIG1 , the terminal device 11 can match and select at most 1 first type valid path and N second type valid paths, for a total of 1+N valid paths.

The candidate paths and valid paths mentioned above are not network connections such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections, but network paths through which connectionless packets such as User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets can pass. In addition, since firewalls 13 and 14 are provided in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , each valid path is a network path that can pass through firewalls 13 and 14 to connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12.

In step 27, the terminal device 11 adds each valid path to each queue in a plurality of queues, wherein each queue corresponds to a different service type, such as high throughput, low latency, or other service types. These valid paths may constitute a multi-path channel between the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12. In addition, each queue is an independent event of a travel demand. In one embodiment, the same application needs to select different paths according to different travel demands.

After completing the channel establishment process of Figure 2, the process shown in Figure 3 can be executed. Figure 3 is a path binding flow chart of a multi-path channel network connection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, in step 31, the terminal device 11 starts measuring the delay time of each valid path (details will be described later).

In step 32, the terminal device 11 opens a port, such as a TCP port, and then waits for the process executed by the terminal device 11 to initiate a connection. The operating system of the terminal device 11 can execute at least one process. When a process of the terminal device 11 needs to send a request to the remote device 12, it will not directly initiate a connection to the remote device 12, but will initiate a connection to the port to utilize the multipath channel established according to the process of Figure 2.

In step 33, the terminal device 11 checks the service type specified by the connection. If the connection specifies a high-throughput service, the process proceeds to step 34; if the connection specifies a low-latency service, the process proceeds to step 36.

In step 34, the terminal device 11 selects the valid path with the highest priority (details to be described later) in the high-throughput queue corresponding to the high-throughput service specified by the connection, that is, the valid path at the head end of the high-throughput queue.

In step 35, the terminal device 11 starts measuring the network throughput of the selected valid path (details will be described later), and then the process enters step 37.

On the other hand, in step 36, the terminal device 11 selects the valid path with the highest priority in the low-latency queue corresponding to the low-latency service specified by the connection, that is, the valid path at the head end of the low-latency queue, and then the process enters step 37.

In step 37, the terminal device 11 binds the selected valid path to the connection initiated by the above process.

In step 38, due to the above binding, the process of the terminal device 11 will transmit packets of the connection to and from the remote device 12 via the effective path, such as the request packet of the process and the response packet of the remote device 12.

The process can send multiple requests to the remote device 12 through the connection and the selected valid path.

For example, the remote device 12 may be a web server, and the request of the process may be a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request for the user of the terminal device 11 to browse the web. For another example, the remote device 12 may be a database server, and the request of the process may be a request to access data. For another example, the remote device 12 may be a network attached storage (NAS), and the request of the process may be a request to write, read or delete a file stored in the remote device 12. If the process no longer issues a request, then in step 39, the terminal device 11 closes the connection and unbinds the connection from the valid path.

Then, the process returns to step 32 to wait for the next connection initiated by the process of the terminal device 11. If the process executed by the terminal device 11 initiates multiple connections, and these connections specify different service types, the terminal device 11 will switch between the queues corresponding to these service types to select the valid path with the highest priority in the queue corresponding to the service type specified by the connection for each connection, and bind the valid path to the connection.

The terminal device 11 determines the priority of each valid path in each queue according to the service type corresponding to each queue. In detail, the service type of each queue has a corresponding quality value. For example, the quality value corresponding to the high-throughput service is the network throughput, and the quality value corresponding to the low-latency service is the delay time.

For each queue, the terminal device 11 measures the quality value of each valid path in the queue, and determines the priority of the valid path in the queue according to the quality value of the valid path in the queue. The priority of the valid path in the queue is proportional to or inversely proportional to the quality value. For example, in a high-throughput queue, the priority of each valid path is proportional to its quality value, that is, the greater the network throughput, the higher the priority. In a low-latency queue, the priority of each valid path is inversely proportional to its quality value, that is, the shorter the delay time, the higher the priority.

Taking low-latency service as an example, FIG4 is a flow chart of measuring the delay time of an effective path in a multi-path channel network connection method according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., the flow chart of step 31 in FIG3. For each effective path, the terminal device 11 will periodically execute the process of FIG4 for the effective path.

First, in step 41, the terminal device 11 checks whether the valid path can still connect the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12. If it is no longer connected, the process enters step 42. If it is still connected, the process enters step 43.

In step 42, the terminal device 11 removes the valid path from each queue.

In step 43, the terminal device 11 transmits a packet, such as a heartbeat packet, to the remote device 12 via the effective path.

In step 44, the terminal device 11 receives a response to the packet from the remote device 12 via the effective path.

In step 45, the terminal device 11 calculates the round trip time of the packet, that is, the length of time from when the terminal device 11 sends the packet to when it receives the response. This length of time is the delay time of the effective path.

In step 46, the terminal device 11 updates the priority of the valid path according to the delay time. Specifically, the terminal device 11 reorders all valid paths in the low delay queue according to the delay time of each valid path. After the reordering, the valid path with the shortest delay time will be located at the head of the low delay queue, i.e., it has the highest priority, and the valid path with the longest delay time will be located at the tail of the low delay queue, i.e., it has the lowest priority.

For the valid path newly added to the low latency queue in step 27 of FIG. 2 , the terminal device 11 will set the delay time of the valid path to the maximum integer allowed by the operating system of the terminal device 11 and place the valid path at the end of the low latency queue so that the newly added valid paths all have the lowest priority.

Taking high-throughput service as an example, FIG5 is a flow chart of measuring the network flux of an effective path in a multi-path channel network connection method according to an embodiment of the present invention, i.e., the flow chart of step 35 in FIG3. For the effective path selected in step 34 of FIG3, the terminal device 11 will execute the process of FIG5 for the effective path. The network flux of the effective path has a preset measurement time, such as ten seconds. After each effective path in the high-throughput queue is selected, its network flux is measured only during this measurement time.

The following is an explanation of the process of Figure 5. First, in step 51, the terminal device 11 accumulates the amount of data transmitted and received by the terminal device 11 through the effective path, and accumulates the duration of the terminal device 11 transmitting packets and receiving packets through the effective path. The aforementioned amount of data and duration are accumulated by combining transmission and reception.

In step 52, the terminal device 11 checks whether the measurement time of the effective path has ended. If it has ended, the process enters step 53. Otherwise, the process returns to step 51 and continues to accumulate the aforementioned data volume and duration.

In step 53, the terminal device 11 checks whether the measurement is valid. If the data volume is greater than a preset threshold value and the duration is greater than another preset threshold value, the terminal device 11 determines that the measurement is valid, and the process enters step 54. Otherwise, the terminal device 11 determines that the measurement is invalid, and the process enters step 56.

In step 54, the terminal device 11 calculates the network throughput of the effective path. For example, the network throughput may be equal to the data volume divided by the duration.

In step 55, the terminal device 11 updates the priority of the valid path according to the network flux. In detail, the terminal device 11 will reorder all valid paths in the high-throughput queue according to the network flux of each valid path. After reordering, the valid path with the largest network flux will be located at the head of the high-throughput queue, that is, it has the highest priority, and the valid path with the smallest network flux will be located at the end of the high-throughput queue, that is, it has the lowest priority.

For the valid path newly added to the high-throughput queue in step 27 of FIG. 2 , the terminal device 11 will set the network throughput of the valid path to the maximum integer allowed by the operating system of the terminal device 11 and place the valid path at the head of the high-throughput queue so that the newly added valid path has the highest priority.

In step 56, the terminal device 11 reduces the network throughput of the valid path by one, and then reorders all valid paths in the high-throughput queue in the same manner as step 55 to reduce the priority of the valid path.

In one embodiment, the present invention further provides a computer-readable storage medium, such as at least one centralized or distributed memory, floppy disk, hard disk or optical disk. The computer-readable storage medium can store a plurality of instructions, which can be read by the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 to execute the above-mentioned multi-path channel network connection method.

In the application environment shown in FIG. 1 , two firewalls 13 and 14 are provided, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, one or both of the firewalls 13 and 14 may be omitted. Alternatively, only one firewall may be provided, and the terminal device 11 and the remote device 12 may be located inside the firewall. In another embodiment, the multi-path channel network connection system 10 may include a plurality of terminal devices 11 and/or a plurality of remote devices 12.

In summary, the technical solution of the present invention can establish a multi-path channel between a terminal device and a remote device, and can select a suitable path for the connection among the multiple paths according to the type of service required by the connection initiated by the process, so as to improve the network service quality between the terminal device and the remote device.

The above implementation forms are only illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone with common knowledge in this technical field may modify and change the above implementation forms without violating the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be as listed in the scope of the patent application described below.

10:Multi-path channel network connection system

11: Terminal device

12: Remote device

13,14: Firewall

15: Internet

16: Cloud interface server

17: Relay server

18: Channel Server

Claims (9)

A multi-path channel network connection method is performed by at least one terminal device and at least one remote device, and the method includes the following steps: allowing the terminal device to collect multiple path information required for the terminal device to connect to the remote device from the terminal device itself and multiple relay servers; allowing the remote device to collect multiple path information required for the remote device to connect to the terminal device from the remote device itself and the relay servers ; allowing the terminal device and the remote device to mutually transmit the path information through a channel server, so as to respectively match the path information to obtain a plurality of candidate paths; allowing the terminal device to check whether each of the candidate paths can connect the terminal device and the remote device, so as to select a plurality of valid paths that can connect the terminal device and the remote device from the waiting paths, so as to add each of the valid paths to each queue in the plurality of queues, Each of the queues corresponds to one of a plurality of service types; the terminal device determines the priority of each of the valid paths in each of the queues according to the service type corresponding to each of the queues; the terminal device selects the first valid path with the highest priority in the queue corresponding to the service type specified by the first connection initiated by at least one process executed by the terminal device, so as to provide the first valid path for the at least one process to communicate with the remote The terminal device transmits packets to each other through the first effective path; and the terminal device selects the second effective path with the highest priority in the queue corresponding to the service type specified by the second connection initiated by the at least one process, so that the at least one process and the remote device can transmit packets to each other through the second effective path, wherein the first connection and the second connection respectively specify different service types of different queues. The multi-path channel network connection method as described in claim 1, wherein the path information of the terminal device includes at least one local URL collected from the terminal device itself and at least one public URL collected from the relay servers, and/or the path information of the remote device includes at least one local URL collected from the remote device itself and at least one public URL collected from the relay servers. A multi-path channel network connection method as described in claim 2, wherein the priority of the local URLs is before the public URLs, and one of the valid paths is selected from the candidate paths obtained by matching the local URLs with the public URLs according to the priority. The multi-path channel network connection method as described in claim 1, wherein the path information of the terminal device includes the usage information of each relay server, and the path information of the remote device also includes the usage information of each relay server, and for each relay server, the waiting path includes the network path connecting the terminal device and the remote device through the relay server. The multipath channel network connection method as described in claim 1, wherein, for each candidate path, the multipath channel network connection method further comprises the following steps: allowing the terminal device to send at least one request to the remote device through the candidate path to check whether a response to each request from the remote device is received within a time limit, wherein if the terminal device receives the response to each request within the time limit, it is determined that the candidate path can connect the terminal device and the remote device. A multi-path channel network connection method as described in claim 1, wherein at least one firewall is provided between the terminal device and the remote device, and each of the effective paths is a network path that can connect the terminal device and the remote device through the at least one firewall. The multipath channel network connection method as described in claim 1, wherein the service type of each queue has a corresponding quality value, and for each queue, the multipath channel network connection method further includes the following steps: allowing the terminal device to measure the quality value of each valid path in the queue to determine the priorities of the valid paths in the queue according to the quality values, wherein the priorities of the valid paths in the queue are proportional or inversely proportional to the quality values. A computer-readable storage medium stores a plurality of instructions, which are read by a terminal device and a remote device to execute a multi-path channel network connection method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7. A multi-path channel network connection system includes: at least one terminal device, which is used to collect multiple path information required for the terminal device to connect to the remote device from the terminal device itself and multiple relay servers; at least one remote device, which is used to collect multiple path information required for the remote device to connect to the terminal device from the remote device itself and the relay servers; and a channel server, wherein The terminal device and the remote device are multiplexed to mutually transmit the path information through the channel server, so as to respectively match the path information to obtain multiple candidate paths. The terminal device is multiplexed to: Check whether each candidate path can connect the terminal device and the remote device, so as to select multiple valid paths that can connect the terminal device and the remote device from the waiting paths, so as to add each valid path to the multiple Each of the queues corresponds to one of a plurality of service types; determining the priority of each valid path in each queue according to the service type to which each queue corresponds; selecting a first valid path with the highest priority in the queue corresponding to the service type specified by the first connection initiated by at least one process executed by the terminal device, so as to provide the first valid path to the at least one process; Transmit packets to and from the remote device via the first valid path; and select the second valid path with the highest priority in the queue corresponding to the service type specified by the second connection initiated by the at least one process, so that the at least one process and the remote device can transmit packets to and from each other via the second valid path, wherein the first connection and the second connection specify different service types of different queues, respectively.

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