Remote Access to Streaming Video
A method of granting a client device remote access to a media server after receiving a remote access request at a remote access control server from a remote client device over a wide area network by receiving an opened port list at the remote access control server from the media server over the wide area network, the opened port list describing one or more wide area network ports opened at a residential gateway operating a local area network to which the media server is connected, and transmitting the opened port list and a network address of the residential gateway to the remote client device from the remote access control server, such that the remote client device can communicate with the media server on the local area network through the one or more wide area network ports opened at the residential gateway.
1 . A method of granting a client device remote access to a media server, comprising:
receiving a remote access request at a remote access control server from a remote client device over a wide area network;
receiving an opened port list at said remote access control server from said media server over said wide area network, said opened port list describing one or more wide area network ports opened at a residential gateway operating a local area network to which said media server is connected; and
transmitting said opened port list and a network address of said residential gateway to said remote client device from said remote access control server, such that said remote client device can communicate with said media server on said local area network through said one or more wide area network ports opened at said residential gateway.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining at said remote access control server whether said remote client device is listed on an authorization list associated with said media server.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said authorization list is generated from a status message received by said remote access server from said media server indicating identities of client devices that have been authorized to communicate remotely with the media server.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said residential gateway opens a first wide area network port for web service signaling between said remote client device and said media server, a second wide area network port for media content exchange between said remote client device and said media server, and a third wide area network port for security communications between said remote client device and said media server.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said wide area network ports are randomly selected within a predefined range.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said wide area network ports are changed from time to time.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said wide area network ports are opened temporarily.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said wide area network ports are mapped to ports on said local area network.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a connection between said remote access control server and said remote client device is a two-way Secure Sockets Layer connection.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a connection between said remote access control server and said media server is a two-way Secure Sockets Layer connection.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a status message at said remote access control server from said media server indicating that said media server is turned on and available for media streaming at the time said status message was sent.
12 . A remote access control server, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a remote access request from a remote client device over a wide area network and an opened port list from a media server over said wide area network, wherein said opened port list describes one or more wide area network ports opened at a residential gateway operating a local area network to which said media server is connected; and
a transmitter configured to transmit said opened port list and a network address of said residential gateway to said remote client device in response to receiving said remote access request, such that said remote client device can communicate with said media server on said local area network through said one or more wide area network ports opened at said residential gateway.
13 . The remote access control server of claim 12 , further comprising a processor configured to determine whether said remote client device is listed on an authorization list associated with said media server.
14 . The remote access control server of claim 13 , wherein said processor generates said authorization list from a status message received at said receiver from said media server indicating identities of client devices that have been authorized to communicate remotely with said media server.
15 . The remote access control server of claim 12 , wherein a connection between said remote access control server and said remote client device is a two-way Secure Sockets Layer connection.
16 . The remote access control server of claim 12 , wherein a connection between said remote access control server and said media server is a two-way Secure Sockets Layer connection.