JP2018026675A - Communication control system and communication control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need for a function to receive control from a PCRF for relay device, by making communication band controllable without requiring the function of total management like the PCRF.SOLUTION: A service provision device acquires control content corresponding to a service specified as a utilization object in a request from a terminal, from a first storage section storing the relation of the service and the control content for communication related to the service, acquires communication conditions corresponding to the acquired control content, from a second storage section storing the relation of the control content and communication conditions, and replies acquired communication conditions to the terminal, the terminal transmits a packet according to the replied communication conditions, and a relay device controls communication of the packet according to the control content corresponding to the communication conditions matching the packet to be transmitted, with reference to the same information as that stored in the second storage section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication control system and a communication control method.

  In real-time video distribution via a network, a distribution-side user (distributor) uploads a video to a server that receives and distributes content (hereinafter simply referred to as “server”), and the server receives a viewing-side user (viewing). Video).

  On the server side, there is a case where an upper limit is set for the amount of traffic received from a distributor, and the server is disconnected when an overbit rate for a certain time is observed (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1).

  Distributors generally want to broadcast with high image quality and high sound quality. For this reason, an upper limit value on the server side is often set as the transmission bit rate from the transmission terminal side for uploading moving images.

  For stable broadcasting, it is necessary that the application on the transmission terminal side does not cause timing shift or burst in real-time encoding or data transmission.

  However, the sending terminal is uploading while encoding the shot video, and due to the influence of other applications running at the same time, it can always send out the traffic with the same bandwidth, delay and fluctuation. Is not limited.

  Conventionally, as shown in Non-Patent Document 2, by deploying a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) in a network, network nodes and servers cooperate to control communication in units of users or services. Can be implemented.

"User live service time | Nico Nico Help", [online], Internet <URL: http://qa.nicovideo.jp/faq/show/674?back=front%2Fcategory%3Ashow&category_id=465&sort=sort_access&sort_order=desc> 3GPP TS 23.203 Release 14 V14.0.0 (2016-06)

  However, when the PCRF is used, when the number of servers that request control by the PCRF increases, there is a problem that the load is concentrated on the PCRF.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and enables a communication band to be controlled without requiring an overall management function like a PCRF, and a function for receiving control from the PCRF for a relay device The purpose is to make it unnecessary.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the service provision of a communication control system including a service providing apparatus that provides a service, a terminal that uses the service, and a relay apparatus that relays communication between the service providing apparatus and the terminal The apparatus acquires a control content corresponding to a service designated as a use target in a request from the terminal from a first storage unit storing a relationship between a service and a control content for communication related to the service. A second acquisition unit that acquires a communication condition corresponding to the control content acquired by the first acquisition unit from a second storage unit that stores a relationship between the control unit and the control content and the communication condition; And a reply unit that returns the communication condition acquired by the acquisition unit to the terminal, the terminal according to the communication condition returned by the reply unit The relay device refers to the same information stored in the second storage unit and corresponds to the communication condition that matches the packet transmitted from the transmission unit. A control unit that controls communication of the packet in accordance with the control content.

  It is possible to control the communication band without requiring an overall management function like the PCRF, and the function for receiving control from the PCRF for the relay apparatus can be made unnecessary.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the communication control system in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hardware structural example of the service provision apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the function structural example of each apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of service level DB. It is a figure which shows the structural example of communication control setting DB. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating an example of the process sequence performed in a communication control system. It is a figure which shows the example by which communication control setting DB was integrated.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a communication control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the communication control system 1 shown in FIG. 1, the network N <b> 1 includes a plurality of nodes 30. Each node 30 is a device that transfers or relays packets, such as a switch or a router.

  Further, the service providing apparatus 10 and the user terminal 20 are connected to the network N1. The service providing apparatus 10 is an apparatus (computer) that provides a WEB service such as a moving image distribution service, like a general server.

  The user terminal 20 is a user terminal that uses a service provided by the service providing apparatus 10. If the service to be used is a video distribution service, the user terminal 20 corresponds to a terminal that uploads a video. For example, a PC (Personal Computer), a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or the like may be used as the user terminal 20.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of the service providing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 2 includes a drive device 100, an auxiliary storage device 102, a memory device 103, a CPU 104, an interface device 105, and the like, which are mutually connected by a bus B.

  A program for realizing processing in the service providing apparatus 10 is provided by a recording medium 101 such as a CD-ROM. When the recording medium 101 storing the program is set in the drive device 100, the program is installed from the recording medium 101 to the auxiliary storage device 102 via the drive device 100. However, the program need not be installed from the recording medium 101 and may be downloaded from another computer via a network. The auxiliary storage device 102 stores the installed program and also stores necessary files and data.

  The memory device 103 reads the program from the auxiliary storage device 102 and stores it when there is an instruction to start the program. The CPU 104 executes functions related to the service providing apparatus 10 according to a program stored in the memory device 103. The interface device 105 is used as an interface for connecting to the network N1.

  The user terminal 20 and the node 30 may also have hardware as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration example of each device according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the service providing apparatus 10 uses databases such as a service level DB 13 and a communication control setting DB 14. These databases (storage units) can be realized by using, for example, a storage device that can be connected to the auxiliary storage device 102 or the service providing device 10 via a network.

  The service level DB 13 defines a relationship between service conditions provided by the service realization unit 12 and control contents corresponding to the service conditions.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the service level DB. As shown in FIG. 4, the service level DB 13 stores control contents in association with each service condition. The service condition is information indicating the type or content of the service. The control content is information indicating the content of control (for example, restriction) related to communication for using the service.

  The communication control setting DB 14 defines the relationship between communication conditions and control contents.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the communication control setting DB. As shown in FIG. 5, in the communication control setting DB 14, control contents are stored in association with each communication condition. The communication condition refers to a condition that the user terminal 20 using the service should follow in communication for using the service.

  The service providing apparatus 10 further includes a service control unit 11 and a service realization unit 12. Each of these units is realized by processing that one or more programs installed in the service providing apparatus 10 cause the CPU 104 to execute.

  The service control unit 11 executes processing for controlling a communication band related to a service such as a moving image distribution service. The service realization part 12 performs the process for implement | achieving a service.

  In FIG. 3, the service control unit 11 includes a service reception unit 111, a communication condition determination unit 112, a service response unit 113, and the like.

  The service reception unit 111 receives a service control request from the service control request unit 21 of the user terminal 20. The service condition included in the service control request is information indicating a service designated as a use target by the user terminal 20. The service reception unit 111 acquires control content corresponding to the service condition notified from the service control request unit 21 of the user terminal 20 from the service level DB 13. The service reception unit 111 notifies the communication condition determination unit 112 of the acquired control content.

  The communication condition determination unit 112 acquires the communication condition defined for the control content notified from the service reception unit 111 from the communication control setting DB 14.

  The service response unit 113 returns a message including the communication condition acquired by the communication condition determination unit 112 to the user terminal 20.

  The user terminal 20 includes a service control request unit 21, a service control response reception unit 22, a service request unit 23, and the like. Each of these units is realized by processing that one or more programs installed in the user terminal 20 cause the CPU of the user terminal 20 to execute.

  The service control request unit 21 transmits a service control request to the service providing apparatus 10.

  The service control response receiving unit 22 receives a message including a communication condition that is returned from the service providing apparatus 10 in response to the service control request.

  The service request unit 23 requests a service from the service providing apparatus 10 according to the communication conditions received by the service control response receiving unit 22.

  The node 30 has a packet control unit 31. The packet control unit 31 is realized by processing that one or more programs installed in the node 30 cause the CPU of the node 30 to execute. The node 30 also has a communication control setting DB 32. The communication control setting DB 32 can be realized by using an auxiliary storage device or the like that the node 30 has.

  The communication control setting DB 32 stores the same information as the information stored in the communication control setting DB 14 of the service providing apparatus 10.

  The packet control unit 31 controls communication related to a service request from the user terminal 20 according to the control content according to the communication condition of the service.

  Hereinafter, a processing procedure executed in the communication control system 1 will be described. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram for explaining an example of a processing procedure executed in the communication control system.

  In step S101, the service control request unit 21 transmits, for example, a service control request including a service condition corresponding to an operation instruction by the user to the service providing apparatus 10 (S101).

  When receiving the service control request, the service accepting unit 111 of the service providing apparatus 10 acquires the control content corresponding to the service condition included in the service control request from the service level DB 13 (S102, S103). The service reception unit 111 notifies the communication condition determination unit 112 of the control content (S104). The communication condition determination unit 112 acquires a communication condition corresponding to the control content from the communication control setting DB 14 (FIG. 5) (S105, S106). In addition, when the control content that completely matches the control content is not stored in the communication control setting DB 14, the control content stored in the communication control setting DB 14 is within the limits of the control content. The communication condition corresponding to the control content closest to the control content may be acquired from the communication control setting DB 14. For example, the control content acquired from the service level DB 13 is “Shaping at the bandwidth 480 kbps”, and the control content related to the shaping stored in the communication control setting DB 14 is “Shaping at the bandwidth 640 kbps”, “Shaping at the bandwidth 400 kbps”. In the case of “shaping at a bandwidth of 300 kbps”, a communication condition corresponding to “shaping at a bandwidth of 400 kbps” may be acquired.

  Subsequently, the communication condition determination unit 112 notifies the service response unit 113 of the acquired communication condition (S107). The service response unit 113 returns a message including the communication condition to the user terminal 20 (S108). The message is received by the service control response receiver 22 of the user terminal 20.

  The service request unit 23 of the user terminal 20 starts using the service according to the communication condition included in the message (S109). For example, if the service is a live streaming service and the communication condition is “port number = 12345”, the moving image data is uploaded to the service providing apparatus 10 using a packet with the destination port number “12345”. (S110). The port number is a port number in a transport layer such as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) or UDP (User Datagram Protocol).

  The packet control unit 31 of the node 30 that relays the packet controls communication of the packet according to the control content corresponding to the communication condition of the packet (S111), and transfers the packet (S112). That is, the packet control unit 31 determines whether or not the packet matches any communication condition stored in the communication control setting DB 32. If there is a communication condition that matches the packet, the packet control unit 31 controls the transfer of the packet according to the control content associated with the communication condition and stored in the communication control setting DB 32. Specifically, if the destination port number of the packet is “12345” and the information stored in the communication control setting DB 32 is as illustrated in FIG. 5, the packet control unit 31 performs communication in the packet. Is shaped with a bandwidth of 480 kbps. Band control may be performed by policing.

  In the above, an example in which service conditions and control contents are associated with each other in the service level DB 13 has been shown. However, in the service level DB 13, control contents correspond to combinations of service conditions and other information. It may be attached.

  As an example of the other information, a part or all of a character string constituting a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that is accessed by the user terminal 20, a classification of the user of the user terminal 20 (general user, pay user, etc.), service At least one of the reception time of the control request and the load status (resource consumption status, etc.) of the service providing apparatus 10 at the time of receiving the service control request can be mentioned.

  By doing so, the control contents can be changed for each URL, for each user category, for each time zone, and for each load status of the service providing apparatus 10.

  The URL and the user classification are included in the service control request from the user terminal 20. The time and load status can be determined by the service reception unit 111 linking with functions such as a clock and a resource monitor. In addition, the service reception unit 111 may have such additional functions in advance.

  The service reception unit 111 acquires, from the service level DB 13, control content corresponding to a combination of a service condition and at least one of URL, user classification, time zone, and load status.

  In addition, a function of NAPT (Network Address and Port Translation) may be implemented in the node 30 so that the port number controlled by the node 30 may be concealed.

  Further, the node 30 may generate a copy of the packet to be controlled and route the copy destination packet to a transfer destination different from the transfer destination of the packet, thereby allowing the packet to be intercepted. Good.

  Further, the packet control unit 31 of the node 30 may rewrite a DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point) value of a packet to be controlled. In this case, the rewritten DSCP value may be included in the control contents in the service level DB 13, the communication control setting DB 14, and the communication control setting DB 32. By doing so, the priority of the packet regarding a specific service can be changed.

  In the above description, the example in which the communication condition is the port number has been described. However, if the information (item) is information constituting the packet and can be referred to by each node 30, information other than the port number is included. You may be made into the object of communication conditions.

  Furthermore, the communication control setting DB 14 and the communication control setting DB 32 may be integrated and arranged on the network.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the communication control setting DB is integrated. In FIG. 7, the communication control setting DB 40 is a database in which the communication control setting DB 14 and the communication control setting DB 32 are integrated.

  The communication control setting DB 40 may be arranged in the service providing apparatus 10, may be arranged in the node 30, or may be arranged in another apparatus on the network N1.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, according to the present invention, the user terminal 20, the node 30, and the service providing apparatus 10 cooperate with each other so that a communication bandwidth is not required without requiring an overall management function such as a PCRF. And the function for receiving control from the PCRF for the node 30 can be made unnecessary.

  In the present embodiment, service reception unit 111 is an example of a first acquisition unit. The communication condition determination unit 112 is an example of a second acquisition unit. The service level DB 13 is an example of a first storage unit. The communication control setting DB 14 is an example of a second storage unit. The service response unit 113 is an example of a reply unit. The service request unit 23 is an example of a transmission unit. The packet control unit 31 is an example of a control unit. The node 30 is an example of a relay device.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to such specific embodiment, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation・ Change is possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Communication control system 10 Service provision apparatus 11 Service control part 12 Service realization part 13 Service level DB
14 Communication control setting DB
20 User terminal 21 Service control request unit 22 Service control response reception unit 23 Service request unit 30 Node 31 Packet control unit 32 Communication control setting DB
40 Communication control setting DB
100 drive device 101 recording medium 102 auxiliary storage device 103 memory device 104 CPU
105 Interface device 111 Service reception unit 112 Communication condition determination unit 113 Service response unit B bus

Claims (6)

A communication control system including a service providing device that provides a service, a terminal that uses the service, and a relay device that relays communication between the service providing device and the terminal,
The service providing apparatus includes:
A first acquisition unit that acquires control content corresponding to a service specified as a use target in a request from the terminal, from a first storage unit that stores a relationship between a service and control content for communication related to the service;
A second acquisition unit that acquires a communication condition corresponding to the control content acquired by the first acquisition unit from a second storage unit that stores the relationship between the control content and the communication condition;
A reply unit that returns the communication condition acquired by the second acquisition unit to the terminal;
The terminal
A transmission unit that transmits a packet in accordance with the communication conditions returned by the reply unit;
The relay device is
A control unit that controls communication of the packet according to the control content corresponding to the communication condition that matches the packet transmitted from the transmission unit with reference to the same information as the information stored in the second storage unit Have
A communication control system characterized by that. The first storage unit, the relationship between the service and the control content, a character string constituting a URL included in the request from the terminal, a classification of the user of the terminal included in the request, the reception time of the request, And storing according to at least one of the load status of the service providing apparatus at the time of receiving the request,
The first acquisition unit includes a service specified as a use target in the request from the terminal, a character string that configures a URL included in the request, a classification of a user of the terminal included in the request, a request The control content corresponding to the combination with at least one of the reception time and the load status of the service providing apparatus at the time of receiving the request is acquired from the first storage unit.
The communication control system according to claim 1. The communication condition is a port number,
The transmitting unit transmits a packet whose destination is a port number indicated by the communication condition;
The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above. A communication control method executed by a service providing device that provides a service, a terminal that uses the service, and a relay device that relays communication between the service providing device and the terminal,
The service providing device comprises:
A first acquisition procedure for acquiring control content corresponding to a service designated as a use target in a request from the terminal, from a first storage unit storing a relationship between a service and control content for communication related to the service;
A second acquisition procedure for acquiring a communication condition corresponding to the control content acquired in the first acquisition procedure from the second storage unit storing the relationship between the control content and the communication condition;
A reply procedure for returning the communication condition acquired in the second acquisition procedure to the terminal;
The terminal is
Executing a transmission procedure for transmitting a packet in accordance with the communication conditions returned in the reply procedure;
The relay device is
A control procedure for controlling communication of the packet according to the control content corresponding to the communication condition matching the packet transmitted from the transmission procedure with reference to the same information as the information stored in the second storage unit Run,
A communication control method characterized by the above. The first storage unit, the relationship between the service and the control content, a character string constituting a URL included in the request from the terminal, a classification of the user of the terminal included in the request, the reception time of the request, And storing according to at least one of the load status of the service providing apparatus at the time of receiving the request,
The first acquisition procedure includes: a service designated as a usage target in the request from the terminal; a character string that forms a URL included in the request; a classification of the user of the terminal included in the request; The control content corresponding to the combination with at least one of the reception time and the load status of the service providing apparatus at the time of receiving the request is acquired from the first storage unit.
The communication control method according to claim 4. The communication condition is a port number,
The transmission procedure transmits a packet whose destination is the port number indicated by the communication condition.
6. The communication control method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein:

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