JP2015162895A - Transmission method of push notification, and control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow an external push notification server to transmit a push notification to a communication terminal, the external push notification server being located on a network of which the management entity is different from that of a network to which the communication terminal is connected.SOLUTION: A communication terminal registers a user ID and an address into a push notification control device (t1), an address request with a user ID as a key is transmitted from an external push notification server to the push notification control device (t4), and the push notification control device sets a communication to an address corresponding to a user ID of a push notification transmitted from the external push notification server to a gateway to the gateway (t6-t8). The push notification control device notifies the external push notification server about an address of the gateway (t9), the push notification is transmitted from the external push notification server to the gateway (t10), and the push notification transmitted from the external push notification server is relayed to an internal network by the gateway after translating the destination thereof (t11 and t12).

Description

  The present invention relates to a push notification transmission method and control device, and more particularly to server push without establishing a connection between a push notification transmission server (push notification server) and a receiving terminal (communication terminal) constantly or frequently. The present invention relates to a push notification transmission method and a control device capable of realizing the above.

  In recent years, with the spread of mobile communication terminals such as smartphones, in order to effectively inform users of information updates, etc., instead of receiving information from the server and sending information from the server, a message is sent to the mobile communication terminal at the server opportunity. A message transmission method called push notification is widely used.

  As an advantage of push notification, there is no need to confirm information update or the like from the user terminal side, which can reduce the amount of communication and the power consumption of the mobile communication terminal. Google and Apple, which provide smartphone OSs, provide push notification servers for sending messages by push notification to communication terminals equipped with each OS.

  Currently, many communication terminals connected to the Internet configured with IPv4 are generally assigned private IP addresses. When such a communication terminal starts communication with a server on the Internet, an IP packet transmitted from the communication terminal is transmitted to an address translator (Network Address Translator: NAT) installed between the communication terminal and the Internet. After the packet source address is converted from a private IP address to a global IP address, the destination server is reached.

  On the other hand, since a private IP address is not disclosed to the Internet in principle, unless it is explicitly set in NAT, communication from a server on the Internet to a communication terminal to which a private IP address is assigned cannot be started. Therefore, in the push notification server provided by Google or Apple, the communication terminal first establishes a TCP connection to the push notification server, and the push notification message is transmitted from the push notification server to the communication terminal using this TCP connection. The method of transmitting is adopted.

  On the other hand, when there is no device such as NAT or firewall on the route between the push notification server and the communication terminal, for example, when the push notification server is under the same management as the network to which the communication terminal is connected, the communication terminal It is also possible to send a push notification directly to the communication terminal at the server opportunity without establishing a connection from the server to the server.

  Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose push notification servers for sending messages by push notification to a communication terminal in which each OS is implemented by Google or Apple, which provides a smartphone OS.

Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) http://developer.android.com/guide/google/gcm/index.html Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/RemoteNotificationsPG/ApplePushService/ApplePushService.html

  A connection from a communication terminal assigned a private IP address to a server assigned a global IP address usually goes through NAT. NAT converts the source address (private IP address) of an IP packet sent from a communication terminal to a global IP address and sends it to the server. While communication occurs between the communication terminal and the server, The correspondence between the private IP address and the global IP address is retained, and the correspondence is deleted when there is no communication for a certain period. While this correspondence is maintained, an IP packet can be transmitted to the communication terminal at the server opportunity.

  Therefore, in the conventional technology, in order for a communication terminal to receive a push notification at a server opportunity, it is necessary to keep address correspondence in NAT by periodically generating communication from the communication terminal to the server. . In this case, since extra communication always occurs from the communication terminal, an extra load is applied to the network as the number of communication terminals increases. Not only that, but address correspondence in NAT will continue to be maintained, so there is a problem that the resources of the NAT device are tight.

  In addition, when a failure occurs on the server side, communication is attempted for the communication terminal to try to reconnect to the server several times, so that there is a possibility that the network is heavily loaded.

  On the other hand, when all the push notifications are performed from a push notification server that exists at a position where it can be directly connected to the communication terminal, there is a possibility that an excessive load is applied to the push notification server.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above technical problem, without establishing a direct connection with a communication terminal from an external push notification server existing in a network having a management entity different from the network to which the communication terminal is connected. Another object of the present invention is to provide a push notification transmission method and control device capable of transmitting a push notification message to a communication terminal at a server opportunity.

  (1) The push notification transmission method of the present invention comprises a push notification control device on the internal network for controlling communication of the push notification in the gateway device, and the communication terminal uses its own user ID and the address given from the internal network. A procedure for registering in the push notification control device, a procedure for transmitting an address request using the user ID as a key from the external push notification server to the push notification control device, and the push notification control device responding to the address request by sending an external push notification A procedure for setting communication to the address corresponding to the user ID of the push notification transmitted from the server to the gateway device, and the push notification control device in response to the address request, the address of the gateway device is set. Procedure to notify external push notification server and external push A procedure for transmitting a push notification from the knowledge server to the address of the gateway device, and the gateway device converts the destination address of the push notification transmitted from the external push notification server into an address corresponding to the user ID and relays it to the internal network And a procedure for performing.

  (2) The push notification transmission method of the present invention further includes a push notification control device for each of a plurality of internal networks, and the internal network to which the communication terminal is connected and the address of the push notification control device on the internal network, Is provided on the external network. The communication terminal further includes a procedure for inquiring and acquiring the address of the push notification control device corresponding to itself to the terminal location registration device, and the address given from its own user ID and internal network is pushed to the acquired address. It is registered in the notification control apparatus.

According to the present invention, the following effects are achieved.
(1) Push notification to the communication terminal at the server opportunity without establishing a connection with the communication terminal from the external push notification server of the external network, whose management subject is different from the internal network to which the communication terminal is connected, to the communication terminal of the internal network You can send messages.

  (2) Even when the communication terminal moves between a plurality of internal networks, since the address of the push notification control device provided in the network to which each communication terminal is connected is centrally managed, for each communication terminal MN, The push notification control device targeted for location registration can be made known.

It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the principal part of the push notification network which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the functional block diagram which showed the structure of the principal part of a push notification control apparatus. It is the sequence flow which showed the transmission procedure of the push notification which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed an example of the information registered into address information DB. It is the flowchart which showed the operation | movement of the push notification control apparatus which received the inquiry of the address corresponding to user ID. It is the figure which showed the example of a setting regarding the address conversion of a gateway apparatus. It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the principal part of the push notification network which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the sequence flow which showed the operation | movement of terminal registration in 2nd Embodiment. It is the sequence flow which showed the procedure which an external push notification server inquires the address of a push notification control apparatus to a terminal location registration apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of a push notification network to which the push notification transmission method of the present invention is applied. Here, the configuration unnecessary for the description of the present invention is omitted.

  The communication terminal MN is connected to the internal network via the radio base station BS, and further connected to an external network such as the Internet via the gateway device 3 having a NAT function and a firewall function. An external push notification server 1 that transmits a push notification message to the communication terminal MN is connected to the external network.

  The push notification control device 2 can be connected from both the external network and the internal network, and, as will be described in detail later, a function of changing the setting of the gateway device 3 in response to a request from the external push notification server 1, and A function for managing information of the communication terminal MN is provided.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the push notification control device 2. Such a control device implements an application (program) for realizing each function on a general-purpose computer or server. Can be configured. Alternatively, it can be configured as a dedicated machine or a single-function machine in which a part of the application is implemented in hardware or ROM.

  In the push notification control device 2, the terminal registration control unit 21 registers the user ID notified from the communication terminal MN, the private IP address (P-IP address) dedicated to the internal network, and the port number in the address information DB (location registration). To do. The address information DB holds a correspondence relationship between a user ID, a P-IP address, and a port number. Note that when the port number for push notification is fixedly set in advance, the notification of the port number by the communication terminal MN is omitted.

  The terminal information inquiry analysis unit 22 receives an inquiry about address information corresponding to the user ID from the external push notification server 1. When the address information DB is searched and the user ID of the corresponding communication terminal exists, the user ID and P-IP address / port number are associated with the IP address / port number of the gateway device 3. The external push notification server 1 responds with the IP address / port number of the gateway device 3.

  A plurality of combinations of IP addresses / port numbers of the gateway device 3 can be used, and the terminal information inquiry analysis unit 22 that has received an inquiry from the external push notification server 1 uses an IP address / Any combination of port numbers can be selected.

  The terminal information inquiry analysis unit 22 further receives, from the external push notification server 1, to the gateway device control unit 23, and a push notification message addressed to the communication terminal MN in which the IP address and port number of the gateway device 3 are described. Is sent to the gateway device 3 and a setting change for delivery to the communication terminal MN is requested. The gateway device control unit 23 changes the communication setting of the gateway device 3 in response to a request from the terminal information inquiry analysis unit 22.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence flow showing a push notification transmission procedure according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When the communication terminal MN connects to the internal network managed by the operator at time t1, the operator temporarily The P-IP address to be paid out is automatically assigned to the communication terminal MN. The P-IP address may be set in advance in the communication terminal MN by the user.

  Next, when an application for receiving a push notification, which is mounted in advance in the communication terminal MN, is activated, a connection is established between the communication terminal MN and the push notification control device 2 at time t2, and the communication terminal A combination of a user ID, a P-IP address, and a port number assigned to the MN is notified to the terminal registration control unit 21 of the push notification control device 2. Note that when the port number for push notification is fixedly set in advance, the notification of the port number is omitted.

  The terminal registration control unit 21 registers the combination of the user ID, P-IP address and port number notified from the communication terminal MN in the address information DB at time t3. The address information DB is newly registered if the information notified from the communication terminal MN is not registered, and is updated and registered if it is already registered.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of information registered in the address information DB, in which a P-IP address and a port number are registered using a user ID as an index. The application for receiving the push notification in the communication terminal MN constantly monitors the P-IP address assigned to itself by the operator, and performs the above-described terminal registration operation every time the P-IP address changes.

  Returning to FIG. 3, when the external push notification server 1 receives the push notification request to the communication terminal MN, at time t4, the external push notification server 1 notifies the push notification control device 2 of the user ID of the communication terminal MN. Queries the address. At this time, the IP address and port number of the external push notification server 1 are notified to the push notification control device 2. Note that when the port number for push notification is fixedly set in advance, the notification of the port number is omitted. Hereinafter, the operation of the push notification control apparatus 2 that has received an inquiry about the address corresponding to the user ID will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the push notification control device 2 receives an inquiry about the address corresponding to the user ID from the external push notification server 1 in step S1, in step S2, the terminal information inquiry analysis unit 22 performs the address information DB at time t5. For the address corresponding to the user ID.

  In step S3, it is determined whether an address corresponding to the user ID is registered in the address information DB. If the user ID is registered, the process proceeds to step S4, and the P-IP address / port number of the communication terminal MN corresponding to the user ID is associated with the IP address / port number of the gateway device 3.

  On the other hand, if the user ID or the IP address corresponding to the user ID is not registered, the process proceeds to step S7, and an error response indicating that no user registration exists is sent to the external push notification server 1.

  In step S5, a setting change request (port open) in which the P-IP address and port number associated with the user ID and the corresponding IP address and port number of the gateway device are described at time t6 is a gateway device. 3 is notified. At time t7, in response to the setting change request, the gateway device 3 executes setting change for passing the push notification packet addressed to the communication terminal MN from the external push notification server 1. At time t8, the gateway device 3 notifies the push notification control device 2 of a setting change completion message.

  In step S6, at time t9, a response message describing the IP address and port number of the gateway device is transmitted to the external push notification server 1. At time t10, a push notification is transmitted from the external push notification server 1 to the gateway device 3. At time t11, the gateway device 3 performs address conversion of the received packet, and at time t12, the push notification is transmitted to the communication terminal MN via the internal network.

  Next, a design change method of the gateway device 3 performed by the push notification control device 2 will be described.

  When conditions for transmitting a push notification message from the external push notification server 1 to the communication terminal MN are established, communication related to the push notification from the external push notification server 1 to the communication terminal MN to the gateway device 3 from the push notification control device 2 A setting change that enables

  In this embodiment, the IP address and port number of the external push notification server 1, the IP address and port number of the communication terminal MN, the IP address and port number of the external Internet side of the gateway device 3 are transferred from the push notification control device 2 to the gateway device 3. Will be notified.

  Here, it is assumed that an IP address is set in advance in the gateway device 3, and an arbitrary number is selected from those not used in the gateway device 3. In the gateway device 3, in response to the notification from the push notification control device 2, a setting that enables push notification from the external push notification server 1 to the communication terminal MN is input.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a setting example of the gateway device 3 in the present embodiment. Here, the IP address of the external push notification server 1 is 203.0.113.10, the port number is 8080, and the IP address of the gateway device 3 is 192.0. 2.10, the port number is 6600, the IP address of the communication terminal MN is 10.10.1.10, and the port number is 6666.

  The upper entry in FIG. 6 is “the source (external push notification server) IP address is 203.0.113.10, the source port number is 8080, the destination (gateway device) IP address is 192.0.210, and the destination port number is 6600. The packet shows an example of realizing “transmission by converting the destination (communication terminal MN) IP address to 10.10.1.10 and the port number to 6666”.

  The lower entry is “The packet with the source (communication terminal MN) IP address 10.10.1.10, the source port number 6666, the destination (external push notification server) IP address 203.0.113.10, and the destination port number 8080 , The transmission source (gateway device) IP address is 192.0.210, the transmission source port number is converted to 6600, and “transmission” is realized.

  The above settings are valid only during the push notification, but since the exchange of the normal push notification message is completed in a short time, the gateway device 3 deletes this setting if, for example, no communication state continues for 1 second. The operation such as performing is performed. When the push notification control device 2 requests the gateway device 3 to change the setting, the push notification control device 2 may notify the non-communication timer value together, and the setting may be maintained only for a time corresponding to the timer value. .

  According to the present embodiment, the communication terminal is triggered by the server without establishing a connection with the communication terminal from the push notification server of the external network, which is different from the internal network to which the communication terminal is connected, to the communication terminal of the internal network. Will be able to send push notification messages.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the push notification network according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Here, the configuration unnecessary for the description of the present invention is also omitted. In the present embodiment, an operation when there are a plurality of internal networks will be described.

  The communication terminal MN can move between different internal networks. When the communication terminal MN moves and connects to a different internal network, an IP address different from the IP address assigned to the previously connected internal network is assigned. Each internal network is provided with a push notification control device 2 (2a, 2b), and each push notification control device 2 can control only the gateway device 3 (3a, 3b) connected to the same internal network as itself.

  The terminal location registration device 4 grasps the internal network to which each communication terminal MN is connected, and the correspondence between the user ID of the communication terminal MN and the addresses of the push notification control devices 2a and 2b connected to the internal network of the connection destination Keep the date.

  FIG. 8 is a sequence flow showing the operation of terminal registration in the second embodiment. When the communication terminal MN connects to the internal network managed by the operator at time t31, the operator temporarily pays out P. -An IP address is automatically assigned to the communication terminal MN. The P-IP address may be set in advance in the communication terminal MN by the user.

  Next, when an application for receiving the push notification, which is mounted in advance in the communication terminal MN, is activated, a connection is established between the communication terminal MN and the terminal location registration device 4 at time t32, and the communication terminal The user ID assigned to the MN is notified to the terminal location registration device 4, and the location is registered at time t33. At this time, the terminal location registration device 4 acquires the transmission source IP address of the notification packet and stores it in association with the notified user ID. At time t34, the address of the push notification control device 2 connected to the internal network to which the communication terminal MN is connected is returned to the communication terminal MN.

  At time t35, similarly to time t2 in the first embodiment, a connection is established between the communication terminal MN and the push notification control device 2 that has responded with the address, and the P− The IP address and user ID pair and the port number as required are notified to the terminal registration control unit 21 of the push notification control device 2. Thereafter, the push notification process proceeds as in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 9 is a sequence flow showing a procedure in which the external push notification server 1 inquires the terminal location registration device 4 about the address of the push notification control device 2.

  The external push notification server 1 needs to recognize the internal network to which the communication terminal MN is connected when transmitting the push notification to the communication terminal MN corresponding to the user ID. Therefore, in this embodiment, at time t41, the external push notification server 1 notifies the terminal location registration device 4 of the user ID and inquires to which internal network the communication terminal MN corresponding to the user ID is connected.

  At time t42, the terminal location registration device 4 acquires the IP address of the push notification control device 2 from the address information DB from the IP address corresponding to the user ID, and responds to the external push notification server 1 with the address.

  At time t43, the external push notification server 1 inquires the push notification control device 2 about the IP address for the user ID. Thereafter, the operation flow described with reference to FIG. 5 is performed in the push notification control device 2, and the external push notification server 1 can directly transmit the push notification message to the communication terminal MN.

  According to this embodiment, even when the communication terminal MN moves between a plurality of internal networks, the address of the push notification control device 2 provided in the network to which each communication terminal MN is connected can be centrally managed. The communication terminal MN can make the location notification target push notification control device 2 known.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... External push notification server, 2 ... Push notification control apparatus, 3 ... Gateway apparatus, 21 ... Terminal registration control part, 22 ... Terminal information inquiry analysis part, 23 ... Gateway apparatus control part

Claims (4)

In the push notification transmission method for transmitting the push notification from the external push notification server on the external network to the communication terminal on the internal network via the gateway device,
A push notification control device for controlling communication of push notification in the gateway device is provided on the internal network,
The procedure for the communication terminal to register its user ID and address in the internal network to the push notification control device,
A procedure for sending an address request with the push notification destination user ID as a key from the external push notification server to the push notification control device;
In response to the address request, the push notification control device sets communication to the address corresponding to the user ID of the push notification transmitted from the external push notification server to the gateway device, to the gateway device;
A procedure in which the push notification control device notifies the external push notification server of the address of the gateway device in response to the address request;
A procedure for sending a push notification from the external push notification server to the address of the gateway device;
A method for transmitting a push notification, comprising: a step in which the gateway device converts a destination address of the push notification transmitted from the external push notification server into an address corresponding to the user ID and relays the address to an internal network. . Each has multiple push notification control devices for each internal network,
A terminal location registration device that associates the internal network to which the communication terminal is connected with the address of the push notification control device on the internal network is provided on the external network,
The communication terminal further comprises a procedure for inquiring and acquiring the address of the push notification control device corresponding to itself to the terminal location registration device,
2. The push notification transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal registers its own user ID and an address given from an internal network in the push notification control apparatus of the acquired address. 3. In the push notification control device that sets the communication of the push notification from the external push notification server on the external network to the communication terminal on the internal network in the gateway device,
Means for obtaining a user ID and an address in the internal network from a communication terminal;
In response to the address request using the user ID as a key received from the external push notification server, the gateway device communicates the push notification transmitted from the external push notification server to the gateway device to the address corresponding to the user ID. Means to set to
And a means for notifying an external push notification server of the address of the gateway device in response to the address request.   4. The push notification according to claim 3, wherein the setting unit sets a correspondence relationship between the address of the external push notification server that requested the address and the address of the communication terminal that requested the address in the gateway device. 5. Control device.