System and Method for Providing Channel Configurations in a Communications Environment

• US 20100159977A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STA Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Christenson, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes monitoring a plurality of channels provisioned for an endpoint. The method also includes reacting to an alert message by adjusting one of the channels for the endpoint. The adjustment is a selected one of increasing a volume associated with the channel receiving the alert message, or changing a spatial direction from which the alert message and an associated media stream are conveyed to the endpoint. In other embodiments, the adjustment provisions the alert message from a left ear to a right ear of an end user of the endpoint. In still other embodiments, the adjustment includes determining which is a primary channel of the channels and provisioning the alert message to the primary channel of the endpoint. The media stream associated with the alert message is also moved to a same spatial direction along with the alert message.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a management element operable to monitor a plurality of channels provisioned for an endpoint, wherein an alert message is generated and the management element reacts to the alert message by adjusting one of the channels for the endpoint, and wherein the adjustment is a selected one of increasing a volume associated with the channel receiving the alert message, or changing a spatial direction from which the alert message and an associated media stream are conveyed to the endpoint.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustment provisions the alert message from a left ear to a right ear of an end user of the endpoint.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustment includes determining which is a primary channel of the channels and provisioning the alert message to the primary channel of the endpoint, and wherein the media stream associated with the alert message is also moved to a same spatial direction along with the alert message.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustment includes turning a volume down on every other channel besides the channel being used for the alert message.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adjustment includes using out-of-band signaling.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identification of the alert message is provided in a header of a packet in the alert message or provided in control packets.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a selected one of the channels is designated as a channel that has priority treatment for any audio communications on the selected channel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the management element identifies that a volume for a channel was set below a threshold such that the alert message will be duplicated and sent to the endpoint at a higher volume.

9. The apparatus of Clam 1, wherein when multiple alert messages arrive at a similar time period, the alert messages are duplicated and then sent at a prescribed delay to the endpoint.

10. A method, comprising:

monitoring a plurality of channels provisioned for an endpoint, wherein an alert message is generated; and

reacting to the alert message by adjusting one of the channels for the endpoint, and wherein the adjustment is a selected one of increasing a volume associated with the channel receiving the alert message, or changing a spatial direction from which the alert message and an associated media stream are conveyed to the endpoint.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustment provisions the alert message from a left ear to a right ear of an end user of the endpoint.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustment includes determining which is a primary channel of the channels and provisioning the alert message to the primary channel of the endpoint, and wherein the media stream associated with the alert message is also moved to a same spatial direction along with the alert message.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustment includes turning a volume down on every other channel besides the channel being used for the alert message.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein when multiple alert messages arrive at a similar time period, the alert messages are duplicated and then sent at a prescribed delay to the endpoint.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

performing mixing functions for the endpoint such that a plurality of media streams is coordinated across the channels for the endpoint.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the management element identifies that a volume for a channel was set below a threshold such that the alert message will be duplicated and sent to the endpoint at a higher volume.

17. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed by a processor operable to:

monitor a plurality of channels provisioned for an endpoint, wherein an alert message is generated; and

react to the alert message by adjusting one of the channels for the endpoint, and wherein the adjustment is a selected one of increasing a volume associated with the channel receiving the alert message, or changing a spatial direction from which the alert message and an associated media stream are conveyed to the endpoint.

18. The logic of claim 17, wherein the adjustment provisions the alert message from a left ear to a right ear of an end user of the endpoint.

19. The logic of claim 17, wherein the adjustment includes determining which is a primary channel of the channels and provisioning the alert message to the primary channel of the endpoint, and wherein the media stream associated with the alert message is also moved to a same spatial direction along with the alert message.

20. The logic of claim 17, wherein the adjustment includes turning a volume down on every other channel besides the channel being used for the alert message.

21. A system, comprising:

means for monitoring a plurality of channels provisioned for an endpoint, wherein an alert message is generated; and

means for reacting to the alert message by adjusting one of the channels for the endpoint, and wherein the adjustment is a selected one of increasing a volume associated with the channel receiving the alert message, or changing a spatial direction from which the alert message and an associated media stream are conveyed to the endpoint.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the adjustment provisions the alert message from a left ear to a right ear of an end user of the endpoint.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the adjustment includes determining which is a primary channel of the channels and provisioning the alert message to the primary channel of the endpoint, and wherein the media stream associated with the alert message is also moved to a same spatial direction along with the alert message.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for sending the alert message until feedback has been received, which indicates that the alert message has been acknowledged by the endpoint.