Media channel management

• US 20080109853A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Mas Ivars, Ignacio, Lohmar, Thorsten, Horn, Uwe, Einarsson, Torbjorn
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method of managing a unicast-based media session is disclosed. A user terminal (100) having access to channel identifiers of media channels (400, 410) available at a media server compiles a SIP-based channel request comprising a channel identifier of one of the available media channels (400, 410) and a port identifier of at least one media input port of the terminal (100). This message is sent to a network node (200, 300) for initiating delivery of media data of selected media channel to the announced media input port (115). The SIP-based data signaling also allows switching between unicast-based media channels and switching between unicast-bast and multicast/broadcast-based media channels during the ongoing media session.

Claims

1. A method of managing a unicast-based media session, said method comprising the steps of:

a user terminal receiving channel identifiers of multiple available media channels;

said user terminal generating a first Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, based channel request comprising a first channel identifier selected from said received channel identifiers and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal; and

said user terminal transmitting said SIP-based channel request to a network node for initiating delivery of media data of a first media channel to said at least one media input port.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving step comprises said user terminal receiving a user data description comprising said channel identifiers and identifiers of media output ports for said multiple available media channels.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said generating step comprises said user terminal generating said first SIP-based channel request comprising said first channel identifier, said port identifier and a codec identifier of a media codec used for processing media content of said first media channel.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising said user terminal receiving a notification of available media codecs.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said unicast-based media session being associated with a session identifier, and said method further comprising the steps of:

said user terminal transmitting a SIP-based termination message comprising said session identifier to said network node;

said user terminal generating a second SIP-based channel request comprising a second channel identifier selected from said received channel identifiers and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal; and

said user terminal transmitting said second SIP-based channel request to said network node for initiating delivery of media data of a second media channel to said at least one media input port.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said step of generating said second SIP-based channel request comprises said user terminal generating said second SIP-based channel request comprising said second channel identifier and a notification specifying that said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request is to be re-used for said second media channel.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step comprises said user terminal transmitting said SIP-based channel request to a media server having access to said multiple available media channels.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step comprises:

said user terminal transmitting said first SIP-based channel request to a proxy server;

said proxy server processing said first SIP-based channel request for generating a media request message; and

said proxy server forwarding said media request message to a media server having access to said multiple available media channels.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising said user terminal performing mutual authentication with said proxy server.

10. A method of managing a unicast-based media session involving a user terminal and a media server providing multiple media channels, said method comprising the steps of:

said media server receiving a first Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, based channel request originating from said user terminal and comprising a first channel identifier associated with a first media channel of said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal;

said media server processing said first SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said first media channel; and

said Media server transmitting media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising said media server transmitting a user data description comprising channel identifiers for said multiple media channels and identifiers of media output ports of said multiple available media channels to said user terminal.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said first SIP-based channel request further comprising a codec identifier associated with a proposed media codec and said processing step comprises said media server providing media content of said first media channel based on said first channel identifier and said codec identifier.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said unicast-based media session being associated with a session identifier, and said method further comprising the steps of:

said media server receiving a SIP-based termination message originating from said user terminal and comprising said session identifier;

said media server terminating, based on said SIP-based termination message, transmission of media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal;

said media server receiving a second SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal and comprising a second channel identifier associated with a second media channel f said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal; and

said media server processing said second SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said second media channel; and

said media server transmitting media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said transmitting step comprises said media server transmitting media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal.

15. A user terminal comprising:

a receiver for receiving channel identifiers of multiple available media channels;

a message generator for generating a first Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, based channel request comprising a first channel identifier selected from said channel identifiers received by said receiver and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal; and

a transmitter for transmitting said SIP-based channel request to a network node for initiating delivery of media data of a first unicast-based media channel to said at least one media input port.

16. The user terminal according to claim 15, wherein said receiver is arranged for receiving a user data description comprising said channel identifiers and identifiers of media output ports for said multiple available media channels.

17. The user terminal according to claim 15, wherein said message generator is arranged for generating said first SIP-based channel request comprising said first channel identifier, said port identifier and a codec identifier of a media codec used for processing media content of said first media channel.

18. The user terminal according to claim 17, wherein said receiver is arranged for receiving a notification of available media codecs.

19. The user terminal according to claim 15, wherein said message generator is arranged for i) generating a SIP-based termination message comprising a session identifier associated with a current unicast-based media session, and ii) generating a second SIP-based channel request comprising a second channel identifier selected from said channel identifiers received by said receiver and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal, and said transmitter is arranged for i) transmitting said SIP-based termination message to said network node, and ii) transmitting said second SIP-based channel request to said network node for initiating delivery of media data of a second media channel to said at least one media input port.

20. The user terminal according to claim 19, wherein message generator is arranged for generating said second SIP-based channel request comprising said second channel identifier and a notification specifying that said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request is to be re-used for said second media channel.

21. The user terminal according to claim 15, further comprising an authentication unit for performing mutual authentication with said network node.

22. A media server providing multiple unicast-based media channels, said media server comprising:

pa receiver for receiving a first Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, based channel request originating from a user terminal and comprising a first channel identifier associated with a first media channel of said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal;

a message processor for processing said first SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said first media channel; and

a transmitter for transmitting media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal.

23. The media server according to claim 22, wherein said transmitter is arranged for transmitting a user data description comprising channel identifiers for said multiple media channels and identifiers of media output ports of said multiple available media channels to said user terminal.

24. The media server according to claim 22, wherein said first SIP-based channel request further comprising a codec identifier associated with a proposed media codec and said message processor is arranged for providing media content of said first media channel based on said first channel identifier and said codec identifier.

25. The media server according to claim 22, wherein said receiver is arranged for i) receiving a SIP-based termination message originating from said user terminal and comprising a session identifier associated with a current unicast-based media session, and ii) receiving a second SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal and comprising a second channel identifier associated with a second media channel of said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal, and message processor is arranged for i) terminating, based on said SIP-based termination message, transmission of media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal, and ii) processing said second SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said second media channel, said transmitter is arranged for transmitting media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal.

26. The media server according to claim 25, wherein said transmitter is arranged for transmitting media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal.