Media client architecture for networked communication devices

• US 20060155814A1
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Schoppe, Don W., Maddhula, Suri, Bennett, Jesse W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A media client for a networked communication device includes a user agent to communicate with a multimedia application in the networked communication device. The user agent provides a high-level application interface to the multimedia application. A signaling agent under the control of the user agent performs signaling operations necessary to establish and maintain communication sessions. A media agent under the control of the user agent performs media operations. The media client may be located in a network and remotely accessed by the multimedia application. The user agent, signaling agent and media agent have network interfaces that allow these elements to be distributed within the network and accessed remotely.

Claims

1. A media client for a networked communication device, comprising:

a user agent to communicate with a multimedia application in the networked communication device;

a first network interface for communications between the user agent and the multimedia application;

a signaling agent under the control of the user agent to perform signaling operations to establish and terminate communication sessions; and

a media agent under the control of the user agent to send and receive multimedia messages.

2. The media client of claim 1 wherein the user agent is located remotely from the multimedia application.

3. The media client of claim 2 wherein the user agent is located in a network server.

4. The media client of claim 1 further comprising a second network interface for communications between the user agent and signaling agent.

5. The media client of claim 4 wherein the signaling agent is located remotely from the multimedia application.

6. The media client of claim 5 wherein the signaling agent is located in a network server.

7. The media client of claim 4 wherein the signaling agent is located remotely from the user agent.

8. The media client of claim 4 further comprising a third network interface for communications between the user agent and media agent.

9. The media client of claim 8 wherein the media agent is located remotely from the multimedia application.

10. The media client of claim 9 wherein the media agent is located in a network server.

11. The media client of claim 9 wherein the media agent is located remotely from the user agent.

12. The media client of claim 8 wherein the first, second and third network interfaces comprise TCP connections.

13. The media client of claim 1 wherein the user agent, signaling agent and media agent reside within a network server within a communication network, and wherein the multimedia application resides in a networked communication device and remotely accesses the media client.

14. The media client of claim 8 wherein the signaling agent and the media agent reside within a network server within a communication network, and wherein the user agent resides within a networked communication device and remotely accesses the signaling and media agents.

15. The media client of claim 1 wherein the media agent selectively routes media streams between the user application and one or more media players responsive to commands from the multimedia application.

16. The media client of claim 1 wherein the user agent includes a JAVA application interface.

17. A media client configured to provide multimedia support for a multimedia application residing in a networked communication device that is communicatively linked to a communication network, the media client comprising:

a user agent to communicate with the multimedia application in the networked communication device;

a signaling agent under the control of the user agent to perform signaling operations to establish and terminate communication sessions; and

a media agent under the control of the user agent to send and receive multimedia messages;

wherein one or more of said agents is located remotely from said networked communication device.

18. The media client of claim 17 wherein the remote agent includes a network interface supporting communications with the remote agent over a communication a network.

19. The media client of claim 17 wherein the user agent, signaling agent and media agent are remotely located from the networked communication device and wherein said user agent has a network interface for communications between the multimedia application and the user agent.

20. The media client of claim 19 wherein the user agent, signaling agent and media agent are located in the communication network and is accessible via the communication network.

21. The media client of claim 17 wherein the user agent resides in the networked communication device and wherein the signaling agent is remotely located from the networked communication device and has a network interface enabling communications between the user agent and signaling agent.

22. The media client of claim 21 wherein the signaling agent is located in the communication network and is accessible via the communication network.

23. The media client of claim 17 wherein the user agent resides in the networked communication device and wherein the media agent is remotely located from the networked communication device and has a network interface enabling communications between the user agent and media agent.

24. The media client of claim 23 wherein the media agent is located in the communication network and is accessible via the communication network.

25. The media client of claim 23 wherein the media agent is located in another networked communication device and is accessible via the communication network.

26. A method of establishing a media session for a mobile device comprising:

storing a component of a media client in a network server, wherein said media client communicates with a media application in said mobile device;

receiving application commands from said media application by said media client;

performing media and signaling operations by said media client responsive to said application commands to establish a media session.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the media client comprises a user agent to communicate with said media application, a signaling agent under the control of the user agent to establish and terminate media sessions, and a media agent under the control of the user agent to send and receive media.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the user agent is located in the network server and communicates with the media application via a first network interface.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the signaling agent is located in the network remotely from the user agent.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

establishing a second network interface between said user agent and said signaling agent; and

sending communications between the user agent and signaling agent via said second network interface.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the media agent is located in the network remotely from the user agent.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

establishing a third network interface between said user agent and said media agent; and

sending communications between the user agent and media agent via said third network interface.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the signaling agent is located in said network server.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the signaling agent communicates via a network interface with said user agent, and wherein said user agent is located in the mobile device.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein the media agent is located in said network.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the media agent communicates via a network interface with said user agent, and wherein said user agent is located in the mobile device.