Videoconference session switching from unicast to multicast

• US 20050132000A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Ramaswamy, Kumar, Richardson, John William, Cahnbley, Jens
• Application Number:
  US10/499,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132000A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/14 Systems for two-way working H04N7/12, H04N7/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method for switching a videoconference session that is currently taking place from unicast to multicast. The method includes the steps of sending an invitation from server to an additional party, assigning a common multicast Internet Protocol (IP) address and transmitting the common multicast IP address to the current participant in the videoconference session and an additional party to be added to the videoconference session, transmitting an IGMP message to the network from the current participant and the additional party, and hosting videoconference session on multicast address.

Claims

1. A method for switching a videoconference session that is currently taking place from unicast to multicast, comprising the steps of:

assigning a common multicast Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

transmitting the common multicast IP address to at least one current participant in the videoconference session and an additional party to be added to the videoconference session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an ability to transmit and receive all traffic for the videoconference session on the common multicast IP address.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving an Internet Group Multicast Protocol (i.e., IGMP) request from the at least one current participant and the additional party.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request that identifies the additional party that is to be added to the videoconference session; and

sending an invitation to the videoconference session to the additional party.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of receiving an acceptance or a declination with respect to the invitation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an ability to cease all unicast communications.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for ceasing all unicast communications.

7. A system for switching a videoconference session that is currently taking place from unicast to multicast, comprising:

means for assigning a common multicast Internet Protocol (IP) address; and

means for transmitting the common multicast IP address to at least one current participant in the videoconference session and an additional party to be added to the videoconference session.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising means for transmitting and receiving all traffic for the videoconference session on the common multicast IP address.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising means for receiving an Internet Group Multicast Protocol (i.e., IGMP) request from the at least one current participant and the additional party.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for receiving a request that identifies the additional party that is to be added to the videoconference session; and

means for sending an invitation to the videoconference session to the additional party.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for receiving an acceptance or a declination with respect to the invitation.