Applying multicast protocols and VPN tunneling techniques to achieve high quality of service for real time media transport across IP networks
View Patent ↗As prior art systems fail to produce end-to-end transport and routing mechanisms capable of secure, accurate, and timely delivery of real-time media, the present invention prescribes the method and process to facilitate server-less, IP based sessions across all of public and private network infrastructure without regard for network hardware or carrier makeup. The method and process claimed herein defines the application of well known standards in a unique fashion so as to facilitate transportation of TCP and UDP packets associated with a real-time multicast session in a secure manner while achieving unencumbered access through firewalls and across multiple carrier, public networks through IPSec based virtual networking.
1. A method for data transport that uses multicast protocols, the method comprising:
initiating multicast routing instance of ingress or egress nodes of at least one virtual private networks, wherein each payload data is forwarded along a network where at least one client indicates interest in at least one multicast group address;
creating at least one virtual private network with routing protocols on ends of each of a plurality of virtual private network tunnels;
associating the multicast group address with the data payload and routing the data payload to multiple clients through the virtual private network tunnels, wherein the data payload is routed such that each tunnel node in a data payload route is multicast enabled;
communicating a plurality of multicast addressed packets that are encapsulated within a private tunnel such that each tunnel node is specified as a multicast enabled router with specific instructions to construct and to maintain each virtual tunnel for payload transport;
enabling each multicast router to instantiate a plurality of virtual private network tunnels between a plurality of creation points and a plurality of termination points between a public network and a private network;
transporting the real-time data payload between the public network and the private network; and
performing tunnel creation and tear-down that is initiated by a software application running on a client device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data payload is not processed, compressed, decompressed, encrypted, decrypted or manipulated during transport.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of private network tunnels encompass hardware multicast routers.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting the application data payload during communications with the public network.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling at least one server to instantiate one or more communication channels.
6. A real time multipoint communications system that uses multicast protocols, the system comprising:
a multicast routing instance of ingress or egress nodes of at least one virtual private networks, wherein each payload data is forwarded along a network where at least one client indicates interest in at least one multicast group address;
at least one virtual private network comprising a plurality of private network tunnels, a multitask protocol applied to each port of each tunnel;
a multicast group address associated with the data payload, the data payload routed to multiple clients via the virtual private network tunnels;
a data payload route through the virtual private network tunnels comprising a plurality of tunnel nodes, each tunnel node of the route multicast enabled;
a plurality of multicast addressed packets that are encapsulated within a private tunnel such that each tunnel node is specified as a multicast enabled router with specific instructions to construct and to maintain each virtual tunnel for payload transport;
each multicast router configured to instantiate a plurality of virtual private network tunnels between a plurality of creation points and a plurality of termination points between a public network and a private network; and
a software application running on a client device configured to initiate tunnel creation and tear-down.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the data payload is not processed, compressed, decompressed, encrypted, decrypted or manipulated during transport.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of private network tunnels encompass hardware multicast routers.
9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the data payload is encrypted during communications with the public network.
10. The system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one server configured to to instantiate one or more communication channels.