CN100499597C - Method for transmitting MM4 interface message in multimedia message system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for sending MM4 interface messages in a multimedia message system. The method comprises the following steps: the source MMSC allocates all SMTP connections managed by the source MMSC to different destination MMSCs, and the MM4 interface message generated by the source MMSC is divided according to the destination MMSC addresses; and then the divided MM4 interface messages are respectively sent through the SMTP connection allocated by the target MMSC receiving the MM4 interface messages. The method of the invention overcomes the problem that the SMTP connection is frequently switched back and forth between different target MMSC, and the method dynamically adjusts the number of SMTP connections distributed to each target MMSC, thus the resources are optimally utilized.

Description

Method for sending MM4 interface message in multimedia message system

technical field

The invention relates to multimedia message technology, in particular to a method for sending MM4 interface messages in a multimedia message system.

Background technique

Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is a further development of Short Message Service (SMS) and Enhanced Message Service (EMS), providing a complete end-to-end solution for personal multimedia mobile communication services. In terms of communication content, multimedia messages include images, audio, video, and data; in terms of functions, multimedia message services cover terminal-to-terminal, terminal-to-application, and application-to-terminal multimedia message communication. It not only realizes the information transmission between terminals, between terminals and applications, but also ensures the diversity of information content. The information transmitted includes pictures, voices, images, data, texts and various combinations of the above contents. As an open media access platform, MMS can generate more colorful content service applications under the interaction between mobile users and Internet content providers. Users are not only MMS consumers, but also MMS content developers, which will undoubtedly increase end users' interest in using MMS.

What Fig. 1 shows is the composition structure of the multimedia messaging system, and this system mainly comprises: MMS User Agent (MMS User Agent) 101, Multimedia Message Service Center (MMSC, MultimediaMessaging Service Center) 103, MMS User Database (MMS User Databases) 104 and MMS external value-added application server (MMS VAS Applications) 105.

The multimedia message terminal provides multimedia message services to users through the MMS user agent 101, including providing users with the functions of browsing, editing and processing multimedia messages, and supporting users to perform operations such as sending, receiving and deleting multimedia messages. The MMS user agent 101 may be an application program on the MMS mobile phone, such as a browser, etc., which sends/receives multimedia messages to/from the MMSC through the network. The network may be a 2G mobile communication network 1021 , a 3G mobile communication network 1022 or an Internet/IP network 1023 . The connection between the MMS user agent and different networks is based on the Internet protocol and its related message protocol set.

MMSC includes two parts, MMS relay module (MMS Relay) 1031 and MMS service module (MMSServer) 1032, which are used to perform protocol conversion, content adaptation, storage and scheduling for multimedia messages, and complete the transfer of multimedia messages between different multimedia devices . The MMSC can also generate bills for the delivery of each multimedia message for billing.

The MMS user database 104 is used to store user information, personalized information, interface information, and the like. The MMS user database may be a home location register (HLR), a user resource database (Profiles) and the like.

The MMS external value-added application server 105 is used to provide value-added services to users.

With the development of multimedia messaging services, the number of users is increasing day by day. When operators provide multimedia messaging services to users, they often set up multiple MMSCs for the multimedia messaging system, and each MMSC manages a specific user. Figure 2 is a structural diagram of a multimedia messaging system interconnected by multiple MMSCs.

The multimedia message service center 201 sends the multimedia message to the WAP gateway 202 , and then sends it to the user terminal 204 through the wireless network 203 . The message transfer between the MMSC and the user terminal 204 adopts the MM1 interface protocol.

MMSC carries out message transmission through IP network 205 and mail server 206, adopts MM3 interface between the two, and the bearer protocol of this interface is Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP, Simple MailTransfer Protocol).

Messages are also transmitted between MMSCs through the IP network 205. Since MM4 interfaces are used between MMSCs, the messages transmitted between MMSCs are called MM4 interface messages. The bearer protocol of the MM4 interface also adopts Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

The MMSC performs message transfer with the SP/CP 207 through the IP network 205, and the MM7 interface is used between the two. Described SP/CP207 is MMS VAS Application105 shown in Figure 1. The bearer protocol of this interface is generally Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP, Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and other protocols can also be used.

An Enum Server is also set in the multimedia message system, which is used to provide the MMSC with the function of routing query according to the number of the receiving end, so as to determine whether the multimedia message received by the MMSC needs to be forwarded and where to forward it to.

The operator plans the number of MMSCs according to the user scale. When the number of MMSCs is large, the amount of messages arriving at different MMSCs must be balanced on the MM4 interface between MMSCs to ensure that all multimedia messages Be able to send the end in the shortest possible time.

In the prior art, two different methods can be used to send MM4 interface messages. In the following description, the MM4 interface message is sent from one MMSC to another MMSC, the MMSC that sends the MM4 interface message is called the source MMSC, and the MMSC that receives the MM4 interface message is called the destination MMSC. A source MMSC can send different MM4 interface messages to different destination MMSC _i , where i is an integer from 1 to N, that is, one source MMSC corresponds to N destination MMSCs.

Method 1: When the source MMSC needs to send an MM4 interface message to the destination MMSC _i , the MMS Relay module of the source MMSC establishes an SMTP connection for the two MMSCs to carry the MM4 interface message. After the MM4 interface message is sent, the SMTP Disconnect.

The SMTP connection established by this method is a short connection. The so-called short connection means that when the communication parties have data interaction, a connection is established, and after the data transmission is completed, the connection is disconnected, that is, each connection only completes the transmission of one data service. However, current commercial MMSCs are required to support SMTP persistent connection. The so-called persistent connection means that a connection can be maintained for sending multiple data services continuously. During the connection maintenance period, if no data is sent, the communication parties need to send link detection to each other. package, so this method does not take full advantage of the advantages of SMTP long connections, and does not have commercial conditions.

Method Two:

The source MMSC sends the MM4 interface message through the MMS Relay module. The MMS Relay module used to send the MM4 interface message includes: a message pool to be sent, a message distribution management module and an MM4 interface SMTP connection pool. The process of sending the MM4 interface message is shown in Figure 3 Shown:

Step 301, when the source MMSC generates an MM4 interface message, the MMS Relay module stores the MM4 interface message in the message pool to be sent and waits to be sent.

Step 302, the message distribution management module judges whether the MM4 interface SMTP connection pool has an idle connection, if not, then returns to step 302 and waits for an idle connection to occur in the MM4 interface SMTP connection pool; if there is an idle connection, the message distribution management module takes the MM4 interface messages are sent to idle SMTP connections.

The second method has the following disadvantages:

(1) Since the message distribution management module only allocates MM4 interface messages according to the idle situation of the SMTP connection, when each SMTP connection accepts the next message sending task, it cannot guarantee that the next MM4 interface message is the same as the previous MM4 interface message. To the same destination MMSC, therefore the SMTP connection needs to disconnect the connection with the old destination MMSC and establish a connection from the source MMSC pointing to the new destination MMSC.

This short connection method does not take full advantage of the advantages of the SMTP long connection, thus resulting in low overall sending efficiency of MM4 interface messages. The actual test found that the transmission efficiency of the short connection mode is about 25% lower than that of the long connection mode.

(2) Since the number of SMTP connections to different destination MMSCs has not been controlled, when most of the SMTP connections are connected to a destination MMSC, and the destination MMSC fails to receive messages on the MM4 interface, the MM4 interface at the source MMSC The overall message sending becomes slow, and even the MM4 interface of the source MMSC may be temporarily paralyzed.

Contents of the invention

In view of this, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for sending MM4 interface messages in a multimedia message system, making full use of the longer advantage of SMTP connection retention time, so that the MM4 interface messages of MMSC can be sent in a relatively short period of time.

In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is specifically realized in the following way:

A method for sending MM4 interface messages in a multimedia message system, characterized in that the source MMSC distributes all SMTP connections managed by itself to different purpose MMSCs, the method comprising:

First divide the MM4 interface message generated by the source MMSC according to the address of the destination MMSC; then send the divided MM4 interface message through the SMTP connection assigned by the destination MMSC receiving the MM4 interface message.

Further, the method for allocating the SMTP connection is: the source MMSC dynamically allocates the SMTP connection according to the MM4 interface message parameters at the current moment.

Further, the method for dynamically allocating SMTP connections is as follows: the source MMSC calculates the number of SMTP connections allocated by the destination MMSC according to instructions or timing, and allocates SMTP connections according to the calculation results.

Preferably, the MM4 interface message parameters include message number and message length;

Then, the method for distributing SMTP connections for the purpose MMSC is: according to the number of messages and the length of the messages at the current moment, and the respective weights corresponding to the number of messages and the length of the messages, the number of SMTP connections of the purpose MMSC is set.

Further, the sum of the weight of the number of messages and the weight of the message length is 1.

Preferably, the MM4 interface message parameters also include a message increase and decrease index and a message sending speed index;

Then for the method that purpose MMSC distributes SMTP connection is: according to the number of messages, message length, message increase and decrease index and message sending speed index, and the SMTP connection number of purpose MMSC is set according to the respective weights corresponding to the four parameters.

Further, the message increase/decrease index is obtained according to the difference between the number of messages to be sent at the current time and the last time and the difference between the message lengths.

Preferably, the message sending speed index is obtained according to the number of sent messages and the message length.

Preferably, the MM4 interface message parameter also includes a message sending acceleration index;

Then the method for assigning the SMTP connection of the purpose MMSC is: according to the number of messages, message length, message increase and decrease index, message sending speed index and message sending acceleration index, and the SMTP connection of the respective weight setting of the purpose MMSC according to the five parameters number.

Further, the message sending acceleration index is obtained according to the difference between the message sending speed index at the current moment and the previous moment.

Visible by above-mentioned technical scheme, the sending method of MM4 interface message in this multimedia message system of the present invention saves MM4 interface message according to receiving address classification, and distributes several SMTP connections for each purpose MMSC, will send to certain purpose MMSC The MM4 interface message is dispatched to the SMTP connection allocated for the destination MMSC, so as to ensure that each SMTP connection does not need to be disconnected and reconnected when receiving a new sending task. The method effectively improves the utilization rate of the SMTP connection used for sending MM4 interface messages, and overcomes the problem that the SMTP connection frequently switches back and forth between different destination MMSCs.

On the other hand, the present invention dynamically adjusts the SMTP connections assigned to each destination MMSC according to the MM4 interface message parameters, controls the number of SMTP connections assigned to each destination MMSC within a reasonable range, and ensures that all MM4 interface messages are sent within the shortest possible time. The transmission is completed, and the MM4 interface will not be paralyzed due to an abnormal reception of the MM4 interface message by a certain destination MMSC. Actual tests show that the method improves the sending efficiency of MM4 interface messages by an average of 20% to 25% compared with the prior art.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the composition structure of the multimedia messaging system in the prior art;

Fig. 2 is the composition structural diagram of the multimedia messaging system of a plurality of MMSC interconnection in the prior art;

Fig. 3 is the flowchart of sending MM4 interface message in the prior art;

Fig. 4 is a flowchart of sending MM4 interface messages in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

In order to make the object, technical solution and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

Fig. 4 shows a flow chart of the source MMSC sending MM4 interface messages in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the MMS Relay module in the source MMSC sets a message pool for each purpose MMSC, and allocates a certain number of SMTP connections for each purpose MMSC, and divides the MM4 interface SMTP connection pool into several sub-connections corresponding to different purpose MMSCs Pool, each sub-pool manages all SMTP connections assigned to it. All the SMTP connections have been established between the destination MMSC and the source MMSC.

Step 401, when the source MMSC generates the MM4 interface message, the MMS Relay module stores the generated MM4 interface message in the message pool to be sent, and then places the MM4 interface message in the message pool to be sent in the corresponding MMSC message according to the destination MMSC address Waiting in the pool to send.

For example: the source MMSC generates MM4 interface messages sent to the destination MMSC _i , where i is an integer from 1 to N, then the source MMSC presets N MMSC message pools to store the MM4 interface messages sent to the corresponding destination MMSC respectively.

Step 402: After receiving the MM4 interface message, the MMSC message pool distributes the MM4 interface message to the corresponding sub-connection pool, and the sub-connection pool uses the SMTP connection managed by itself to send the MM4 interface message.

During the above message sending process, the number of SMTP connections allocated to each sub-connection pool is dynamically adjusted according to the MM4 interface message parameters in its corresponding MMSC message pool. Preferably, the above-mentioned adjustment process adopts a timing adjustment method, and the number of SMTP connections allocated by a certain sub-connection pool is adjusted every time a period of time passes. The timing time can be set arbitrarily, and when it is set to 0, it is equivalent to real-time adjustment ; You can also adjust the number of SMTP connections allocated by the sub-connection pool according to the instructions issued by the administrator or the remote instructions of other devices on the network. The MM4 interface message parameters in the MMSC message pool include: number of MM4 interface messages, message length, message increase/decrease index, message sending speed index, message sending acceleration index, and the like.

Assumption: at a certain moment, the number of messages in a certain destination MMSC _i message pool is N _i , the number of messages in the message pool to be sent is N _sum , the length of messages in the MMSC _i message pool is S i , and the number of messages to be sent is S _i . The message length in the pool is S _sum , then the relationship between the number of connections LKN _i allocated to the MMSC _i connection pool at this moment and the total number of connections LKN _sum of the source MMSC is shown in formula (1):

LKN _i /LKN _sum = μ _N *N _i /N _sum + μ _s *S _i /S _sum (1)

Where μ _N is the weight of the number of messages, μ _s is the weight of the message length, and μ _N + μ _s =1. For example, μ _N =0.6, μ _s =0.4 can be set. The message length S _i refers to the total length of all messages in the MMSC _i message pool; S _sum refers to the total length of all messages in the message pool to be sent.

It can be seen from formula (1) that when other parameters remain unchanged, when the number N _i of messages in the MMSC _i message pool increases, the number of connections LKN _i allocated to the MMSC _i connection pool increases accordingly.

For the message increase/decrease index Δ _i , assuming that the number of messages at the previous moment is N _j and the number of messages at this moment is N _i , then the number of messages that have increased or decreased from the previous moment to this moment is NI _i =N _i -N _j , if the number of messages to be sent at this time is more than the previous time, NI _i is a positive value, if the number of messages to be sent at this time is less than the previous time, NI _i is a negative value; increase The reduced message length is SI _i , and the message increase/decrease index _Δi of the MMSC _i message pool is obtained by formula (2):

Δ _i ＝ μ _N *NI _i /NI _sum + μ _s *SI _i /SI _sum (2)

Wherein SI _sum =∑SI _i , NI _sum =∑NI _i , and the value range of Δ _i is [0, 1].

For the message sending speed index V _i , the period from the previous moment to the current moment is called the current period, assuming that the number of messages sent in this period is ND _i , the length of the sent messages is SD _i , and the message pool of MMSC _i The message sending speed index V _i is obtained by the formula (3):

V _i ＝ μ _N *ND _i /ND _sum + μ _s *SD _i /SD _sum (3)

Where SD _sum =∑SD _i , ND _sum =∑ND _i , and the value range of V _i is [0, 1].

Therefore, the connection number LKN _i of the MMSC _i connection pool at this moment can be allocated according to the parameters Δ _i and V _i , and the relationship between LKN _i and the total connection number LKN _sum of the source MMSC is shown in formula (4):

LKN _i /LKN _sum ＝μ _N *N _i /N _sum +μ _s *S _i /S _sum +μ _Δ *Δ _i -μ _v *V _i (4)

Among them, μ _Δ is the weight of the message increase and decrease index, and μ _v is the weight of the message sending speed index. Usually μ _Δ = μ _v .

For the message sending acceleration index σ _ai , the period from the last moment to the previous moment is called the last period, assuming that the message sending speed index in this period is V _ij , and the message sending speed index in the previous period is V _ij-1 , a _i ＝ΔV _i ＝V _ij -V _ij-1 indicates the speed difference between this period and the previous period, a _sum =∑|a _i | indicates the sum of the absolute values of the speed differences of all destination MMSCs, and the message sending acceleration of MMSC _i message pool The index σ _ai is obtained by formula (5), and the value range of σ _ai is [0, 1].

σ _ai =a _i /a _sum (5)

Therefore, the connection number LKN _i of the MMSC _i connection pool at this moment can also be allocated according to the parameter σ _ai , and the relationship between LKN _i and the total connection number LKN _sum of the source MMSC is shown in formula (6):

LKN _i /LKN _sum ＝μ _N *N _i /N _sum +μ _s *S _i /S _sum +μ _Δ *Δ _i -μ _v *V _i +μ _σ *σ _ai (6)

Among them, μ _σ is the weight of the message sending acceleration index. For example, μ _Δ =0.3, μ _v =0.3, μ _σ =0.2 are set.

It can be seen from formula (6) that when other parameters remain unchanged, when the message increase/decrease index _Δi increases, the number of connections LKN _i allocated by the MMSC _i connection pool also increases accordingly.

Under the condition that other parameters remain unchanged, when the message sending speed index V _i decreases, the number of connections LKN _i allocated by the MMSC _i connection pool also decreases accordingly. The message sending speed index V _i of the MMSC _i connection pool decreases, indicating that the destination MMSC _i may be abnormal, so reduce the number of connections in the MMSC _i connection pool, and allocate limited SMTP connection resources to other destination MMSCs to avoid Resource waste due to link congestion.

As can be seen from the foregoing embodiments, the method for sending MM4 interface messages in this multimedia message system of the present invention sets a specific number of SMTP connections for each purpose MMSC, and sends MM4 interface messages to the corresponding purpose MMSC to a specific SMTP connection for sending The method overcomes the problem that SMTP connections are frequently switched back and forth between different destination MMSCs, and the method dynamically adjusts the number of SMTP connections assigned to each destination MMSC, so that resources can be optimally utilized.

Claims (10)

1, the sending method of MM4 interface message in a kind of multi-media messaging system is characterized in that, source MMSC distributes to various objectives MMSC with all SMTP connections of self-management, and this method comprises:

The MM4 interface message that source MMSC is produced is divided according to purpose MMSC address earlier; MM4 interface message after will dividing again sends by the assigned SMTP connection of the purpose MMSC that receives this MM4 interface message respectively.

2, method according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the method that described distribution SMTP connects is: source MMSC connects according to the MM4 interface message parameter dynamic assignment SMTP of current time.

3, method according to claim 2 is characterized in that, the method that described dynamic assignment SMTP connects is: source MMSC calculates according to the SMTP linking number that instructs or regularly purpose MMSC is assigned to, and distributes SMTP to connect according to result of calculation.

4, method according to claim 3 is characterized in that, described MM4 interface message parameter comprises message number and message-length;

Then the method for distributing SMTP to connect for purpose MMSC is: according to the message number and the message-length of current time, and message number and each self-corresponding weight of message-length are provided with the SMTP linking number of purpose MMSC.

5, method according to claim 4 is characterized in that, the weight sum of the weight of described message number and message-length is 1.

6, method according to claim 4 is characterized in that, described MM4 interface message parameter also comprises message increase and decrease exponential sum message transmission speed index;

Then the method for distributing SMTP to connect for purpose MMSC is: according to message number, message-length, message increase and decrease exponential sum message transmission speed index, and described each self-corresponding weight of four parameters is provided with the SMTP linking number of purpose MMSC.

7, method according to claim 6 is characterized in that, described message increase and decrease index is according to current time and the difference of last one message number constantly to be sent and the difference acquisition of message-length.

8, method according to claim 6 is characterized in that, described message transmission speed index obtains according to message number that has sent and message-length.

9, method according to claim 6 is characterized in that, described MM4 interface message parameter comprises that also message sends acceleration index;

Then the method for distributing SMTP to connect for purpose MMSC is: send acceleration index according to message number, message-length, message increase and decrease index, message transmission speed exponential sum message, and described each self-corresponding weight of five parameters is provided with the SMTP linking number of purpose MMSC.

10, method according to claim 9 is characterized in that, described message sends the difference acquisition of acceleration index according to current time and last message transmission speed index constantly.

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