METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MULTIMEDIA SESSION TRANSFER

• US 20070094490A1
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lohr, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,181,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

The invention consists of a first communications device on which an active session is taking place and a second communications device that is not involved in the active session. When a transfer of the session from the first communications device to the second communications device is desired, the handoff is triggered either automatically or manually. The first communications device sends a transfer initiation message to the second communications device. An acknowledgement message is sent from the second communications device to the first communications device. The second communications device, upon receipt of the address information, sends a server transfer message to the session server. The session server, in response to the server transfer message, routes new content to the identified second communications device.

Claims

1. A method for transferring an active content transmitting session from a first communications device to a second communications device comprising:

engaging in an active session with the first communications device;

receiving a message from the first communications device identifying a second communications device; and

transferring the active session to the second communications device and terminating the session on the first communications device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communications device is a mobile wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the message includes an IP address.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the message includes a telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1 further receiving a second message from the second communications device identifying another communications device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein content of the message is provided by the second communications device.

7. An apparatus for transferring an active content transmitting session from a first communications device to a second communications device comprising:

a processor for engaging in an active session with the first communications device;

the processor configured to receive a message from the first communications device identifying a second communications device; and

a session transfer application module for transferring the active session to the second communications device and terminating the session on the first communications device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first communications device is a mobile wireless device.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the message includes an IP address.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the message includes a telephone number.

11. A method of operating a communications device comprising:

engaging in an active session;

sending a session transfer initiation message to a second communications device;

receiving a message from the second communications device including an identification of the second communications device; and

sending a message to a session server including the identification.

12. The method of claim 11 further including terminating the session on the first communications device.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the sending of the session transfer message is initiated manually.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the sending of the session transfer message is initiated automatically.

15. A method of transferring a session from a first communications device to a second communications device comprising:

engaging in an active session on a first communications device with a session server;

sending a session transfer initiation message from the first communications device to a second communications device;

receiving a message at the first communications device from the second communications device including an identification of the second communications device;

sending a message from the first communications device to the session server including the identification;

transferring the session at the server from the first communications device to the second communications device; and

terminating the session on the first communications device.

16. An apparatus for transferring an active communications system comprising:

means for engaging in an active session;

means for sending a session transfer initiation message to a second communications device;

means for receiving a message from the second communications device including an identification of the second communications device; and

means for sending a message to a session server including the identification.

17. An apparatus for transferring a session from a first communications device to a second communications device comprising:

a first communications device engaged in an active session via a session server;

means for sending a session transfer initiation message from the first communications device to a second communications device;

means for receiving a message at the first communications device from the second communications device including an identification of the second communications device;

means for sending a message from the first communications device to the session server including the identification; and

the server transferring the session from the first communications device to the second communications device.