Proof Of Concept

Real-Time Communication (RTC) Services Gateway Specification

1) Connection Initiation Gateway

Objective

The primary goal of this gateway is to establish an initial connection when a user first launches the web application and navigates to a specific sporting event. This connection serves multiple purposes:

• Establish a real-time communication channel
• Send initial client details
• Confirm event selection
• Prepare for subsequent real-time updates

Data Sent

The initial connection payload is a compact JSON object containing:

• id: A unique identifier for the client (potentially a college ID or user identifier)
• eventId: Specific identifier for the selected sporting event

{
  "id": "college_id", 
  "eventId": "some_Id"
}

Result

• The server acknowledges the connection request
• A dedicated communication channel is opened for the specific event
• Real-time updates for the selected event become available
• Provides analytics on concurrent user engagement
  • Tracks how many users are simultaneously viewing a particular event
• Sets up the foundation for subsequent real-time interactions

2) Score Update Mechanism

Objective

Implement a flexible score update system that:

• Transmits score changes in real-time
• Accommodates diverse sporting event update requirements
• Provides granular, sport-specific data transmission

Key Considerations

• Update frequency varies by sport:
  • Cricket: Update on every ball
  • Chess: Update on every move
  • Football: Update on goals, fouls, etc.
• Requires adaptive frontend decoding logic

Data Received

The score update payload will be sport-specific. Example for cricket:

{
  "ball 12": "13/1",
  "comment": "Bumrah has drawn the first blood",
  "batsman": {
    "name": "rohit",
    "runs": "100",
    "balls": "96"
  },
  "bowler": {
    "name": "yuvi",
    "overs": "3.6",
    "runs": "10",
    "maiden": "1",
    "wickets": "2"
  }
}

Result

• Provides live, real-time scoring updates
• Enables rich, detailed event tracking
• Supports immersive user experience

3) Reaction Mechanism

Objective

Enhance user engagement through:

• Live reaction capabilities
• Interactive viewing experience
• Real-time social interaction

Data Sent

User reaction payload includes:

• id: User identifier
• emoji: Emotional response
• comment: Optional text commentary

{
  "id": "userId",
  "emoji": ":)",
  "comment": "lesssgoooo"
}

Result

• Increases viewer interaction
• Creates a more dynamic, social viewing environment
• Allows instant emotional expression during events

4) Heartbeat/Ping-Pong Connection Maintenance

Objective

Implement a robust connection monitoring mechanism to:

• Verify active user connections
• Prevent unnecessary resource allocation
• Manage connection lifecycle efficiently

Recommended Implementation Strategies

Drawing insights from:

• Reconnecting WebSocket Library
• WebSocket Connection Loss Handling

Proposed Mechanism

• Frontend: Implement continuous ping messages in a loop
• Server: Monitor ping frequency
• Disconnect protocol:
  • If no ping received within a designated timeframe
  • Assume client connection lost
  • Gracefully close the connection

Result

• Optimized resource management
• Reduced server load
• Improved connection stability
• Efficient handling of intermittent network conditions

Real-Time Communication (RTC) Services Gateway Specification

Reference for above diagram

1) Connection Initiation Gateway

The Connection Initiation Gateway establishes the initial connection when a user launches the web application and selects a specific sporting event. This gateway is responsible for creating a real-time communication channel, sending initial client details, confirming the event selection, and preparing for subsequent updates. The connection payload consists of a unique client identifier (id) and an event identifier (eventId). Once the server receives the request, it acknowledges the connection, opens a dedicated communication channel for the event, and enables real-time updates. Additionally, this gateway tracks concurrent user engagement to analyze the number of users viewing the event simultaneously. Overall, it sets the foundation for real-time interactions and analytics.

2) Score Update Gateway

The Score Update Gateway is designed to deliver sport-specific, real-time updates while maintaining flexibility to accommodate diverse sports requirements. The update frequency varies depending on the sport—cricket updates occur on every ball, chess updates after every move, and football updates when significant events like goals or fouls occur. For example, a cricket update payload includes the current score, a brief comment, and granular details about the batsman (e.g., runs, balls faced) and bowler (e.g., overs bowled, runs conceded, wickets taken). This gateway enables rich, detailed event tracking, delivering timely updates to enhance the user experience and provide immersive real-time coverage.

3) Reaction Gateway

The Reaction Gateway enhances user engagement by enabling real-time social interaction during events. Viewers can send live reactions, emojis, and optional text comments to express their emotions. The reaction payload includes a user identifier (id), the emoji for the emotional response, and an optional comment. By allowing users to interact in real-time, this gateway creates a dynamic and social viewing environment, fostering instant emotional expression and increasing overall engagement during live sporting events.

4) Heartbeat/Ping-Pong Gateway

The Heartbeat/Ping-Pong Gateway ensures the stability and reliability of active connections. It involves sending continuous ping messages from the frontend to the server in a loop to verify the connection’s health. The server monitors these pings and, if no message is received within a designated timeframe, assumes the client connection is lost and gracefully closes it. This gateway optimizes resource management, reduces server load, and efficiently handles intermittent network issues. By implementing robust connection monitoring strategies inspired by tools like Reconnecting WebSocket and WebSocket loss-handling best practices, this gateway improves connection lifecycle management and enhances overall system stability.