Interface for Communication Session Continuation

• US 20110125913A1
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane H.
• Application Number:
  US12/949,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125913A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for forwarding a media streaming session from one node to another node while the session is in progress. A streaming server may store data sent between nodes in the session. When one node is forwarded to a new node, the stored data may be used to transition to the new node with little or no interruption in data sent between nodes in the session. A user interface may allow a user to set preferences and control other aspects of the session forwarding features.

Claims

1. A user agent comprising:

a memory;

a communication interface configured to connect the user agent to a session continuity manager;

a user interface configured to present session information regarding a session managed by the session continuity manager to which the user agent is connected; and

a processor in communication with the user interface, the communication interface, and the memory, the processor configured to initiate forwarding of the session based on a stored setting.

2. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the session continuity manager comprises a media server.

3. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the setting is retrieved from the session continuity manager, another remote device, or both.

4. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the setting is embodied in a policy.

5. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the setting is defined by a user via an interface external to the user agent.

6. The user agent of claim 1 wherein the memory is configured to store a user preference specifying when a session to which the user agent is connected should be forwarded.

7. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to notify the user that the session can be forwarded.

8. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to notify the user the session was forwarded.

9. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to ask for confirmation before forwarding the session.

10. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface provides an option by which the user can force a session to be forwarded regardless of the presence of one or more forwarding conditions.

11. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface provides an option by which to recall a previously-forwarded session.

12. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to provide information regarding at least one of a node and a network to which the session can be forwarded.

13. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to provide an option for recalling a previously-forwarded session.

14. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface requests confirmation from the user prior to forwarding the session.

15. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface is on a separate physical device from the user agent and from a node to which the session will be forwarded based on information received via the user interface.

16. The user agent of claim 1, wherein the user interface is on the same physical device as at least one of (i) the user agent and (ii) a node to which the session will be forwarded based on information received via the user interface.

17. A method of managing an in-progress media streaming session, comprising:

at a user agent connected to the streaming media session, presenting information about the session to a user;

receiving input from the user indicating a condition for forwarding the session; and

responsive to the input, causing the session to be forwarded from the user agent to a node, the node being separate from the user agent.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein causing the session to be forwarded comprises:

sending a forwarding request to a session continuity manager, wherein the user agent is connected to the session continuity manager during the session.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein, responsive to the forwarding request, the session continuity manager initiates a new connection between a new node and the session continuity manager, disconnects the user agent from the session;

and forwards session data to the new node.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the user input is received before the session is connected.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the user input is received while the session is in progress.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the information about the session comprises information describing a network available for forwarding the session.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the information about the session comprises information describing a node separate from the user agent available for forwarding the session.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

after the session is forwarded to the node, providing an option to recall the session at the user agent.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

after forwarding the session, providing a notification that the session has been forwarded.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the user agent and the node are on the same physical device.

27. A device comprising a computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the device, cause the device to perform a method comprising:

presenting information about as session to which the device is connected to a user;

receiving input from the user indicating a condition for forwarding the session; and

responsive to the input, causing the session to be forwarded from the device to a node, the node being separate from the device.

28. A system comprising:

a memory;

a communication interface in communication with the memory, the communication interface configured to connect the system to a plurality of user agents in a session and to provide session information to each of the plurality of user agents for presentation to a user;

a processor in communication with the communication interface, the processor configured to manage forwarding of the session to which the plurality of user agents is connected from a first of the plurality of user agents to a second of the plurality of user agents, based upon a request received from the first or second of the plurality of user agents.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the session is a multimedia session.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of user agents comprises a user interface adapted to display the session information and, responsive to a user input, to send the request to forward the session.