System and method for dynamically upgrading / downgrading a conference session

• US 20070239885A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STA Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Asthana, Aseem, Vadlakonda, Sravan, Chotai, Ashish, Shaffer, Shmuel, Ha, Binh
• Granted Patent: US 7,694,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4061 Push-to services, e.g. push-to-talk or push-to-video
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2088 Call or conference reconnect, e.g. resulting from isdn terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5072 Multiple active speakers conducting a computer conference, e.g. Admission detection H04L12/1822
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/566 relating to a participants right to speak arrangements for multi-party communication with floor control, e.g. for conferences, H04L65/4038, H04L65/4046, H04L65/4053
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A conferencing system includes a plurality of ports for network connection to endpoint devices of participants to a conference session. A mixer receives input audio streams from the endpoint devices and then outputs a mixed audio stream back to the endpoint devices. A processor runs a program that automatically downgrades one or more of the participants to the conference session from a full-duplex communication mode to a half-duplex communication mode in response to an event affecting allocation of conferencing resources, the conferencing resources including the ports. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. Logic for upgrading from half-duplex communication mode, the logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed operable to:

during a communication session in half-duplex communication mode, receive input from a user in the communication session indicating a desire to upgrade at least a portion of the communication session to full-duplex communication mode; and

according to the input, upgrade at least a portion of the communication session to full-duplex communication mode.

2. The logic of claim 1, wherein the half-duplex communication mode supports push-to-talk (PTT) communication.

3. The logic of claim 1, wherein the full-duplex communication mode comprises a conference.

4. The logic of claim 1, wherein the upgrade provides each of one or more first users in the communication session full-duplex communication capability with respect to one or more second users in the communication session.

5. The logic of claim 1, operable to transition at least a portion of the communication session to one or more ports on a server supporting full-duplex communication to upgrade to full-duplex communication mode.

6. The logic of claim 1, operable to camp at least a portion of the communication session on one or more ports on a server supporting full-duplex communication to upgrade to full-duplex communication mode.

7. The logic of claim 1, wherein a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the communication session in half-duplex communication mode and a mixer supports the portion of the communication session in full-duplex communication mode, a single server comprising both the PTT switch and the mixer.

8. The logic of claim 1, wherein a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the communication session in half-duplex communication mode and a mixer supports the portion of the communication session in full-duplex communication mode, a first server comprising the PTT switch and a second server comprising the mixer.

9. The logic of claim 8, operable to initiate a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) call flow to upgrade to full-duplex communication mode.

21. The logic of claim 9, wherein the instructions automatically generate in response to insufficient resources being available to support a sidebar in full-duplex mode involving two or more users in the communication session.

10. A method for upgrading from half-duplex communication mode, the method comprising:

during a communication session in half-duplex communication mode, receiving input from a user in the communication session indicating a desire to upgrade at least a portion of the communication session to full-duplex communication mode; and

according to the input, upgrading at least a portion of the communication session to full-duplex communication mode.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the half-duplex communication mode supports push-to-talk (PTT) communication.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the full-duplex communication mode comprises a conference.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the upgrade provides each of one or more first users in the communication session full-duplex communication capability with respect to one or more second users in the communication session.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein upgrading to full-duplex communication mode comprises transitioning at least a portion of the communication session to one or more ports on a server supporting full-duplex communication.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein upgrading to full-duplex communication mode comprises camping at least a portion of the communication session on one or more ports on a server supporting full-duplex communication.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the communication session in half-duplex communication mode and a mixer supports the portion of the communication session in full-duplex communication mode, a single server comprising both the PTT switch and the mixer.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the communication session in half-duplex communication mode and a mixer supports the portion of the communication session in full-duplex communication mode, a first server comprising the PTT switch and a second server comprising the mixer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein upgrading to full-duplex communication mode comprises initiating a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) call flow.

19. Logic for downgrading from full-duplex communication mode, the logic encoded in one or more media for execution and when executed operable to:

during a communication session in full-duplex communication mode, receive instructions to downgrade at least a portion of the communication session to half-duplex communication mode; and

according to the input, downgrade at least a portion of the communication session to half-duplex communication mode.

20. The logic of claim 19, wherein the instructions comprise input from a user in the communication session indicating a desire to downgrade at least a portion of the communication session to half-duplex communication mode.

22. The logic of claim 19, wherein the half-duplex communication mode supports push-to-talk (PTT) communication.

23. The logic of claim 19, wherein the full-duplex communication mode comprises a conference.

24. The logic of claim 19, wherein the downgrade relegates each of one or more first users in the communication session to half-duplex communication capability with respect to one or more second users in the communication session.

25. The logic of claim 19, wherein a mixer supports the communication session in full-duplex communication mode and a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the portion of the communication session in half-duplex communication mode, a single server comprising both the PTT switch and the mixer.

26. The logic of claim 19, wherein a mixer supports the communication session in full-duplex communication mode and a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the portion of the communication session in half-duplex communication mode, a first server comprising the PTT switch and a second server comprising the mixer.

27. The logic of claim 26, operable to initiate a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) call flow to upgrade to full-duplex communication mode.

28. A method for downgrading from full-duplex communication mode, the method comprising:

during a communication session in full-duplex communication mode, receiving instructions to downgrade at least a portion of the communication session to half-duplex communication mode; and

according to the input, downgrading at least a portion of the communication session to half-duplex communication mode.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the instructions comprise input from a user in the communication session indicating a desire to downgrade at least a portion of the communication session to half-duplex communication mode.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the instructions automatically generate in response to insufficient resources being available to support a sidebar in full-duplex mode involving two or more users in the communication session.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the half-duplex communication mode supports push-to-talk (PTT) communication.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the full-duplex communication mode comprises a conference.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the downgrade relegates each of one or more first users in the communication session to half-duplex communication capability with respect to one or more second users in the communication session.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein a mixer supports the communication session in full-duplex communication mode and a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the portion of the communication session in half-duplex communication mode, a single server comprising both the PTT switch and the mixer.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein a mixer supports the communication session in full-duplex communication mode and a push-to-talk (PTT) switch supports the portion of the communication session in half-duplex communication mode, a first server comprising the PTT switch and a second server comprising the mixer.

36. The method of claim 35, comprising initiating a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) call flow to upgrade to full-duplex communication mode.