Methods for Transferring Media Sessions Between Local Networks Using an External Network Connected ue and Related Devices

• US 20120226817A1
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Woxblom, Mikael, Zaloshnja, Farjola, Ermis, Olof
• Application Number:
  US13/503,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226817A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

An external network-connected UE is provided and configured to transfer a media session stream playing on a first local network-UE to start playing on the same position on a second local network-UE. The external network-connected UE is located outside each of the local networks and is configured to communicate with the virtual control nodes of the local networks, and via a media aggregating node, which all are configured to transfer the media session stream.

Claims

1. A method for a media aggregating node of transferring a media session stream from a first local network-UE, to a user-selected second local network-UE, the transfer controlled by an Internet-connected UE located outside each local network and connected to the media aggregating node, each local network comprising a virtual control node also connected to the media aggregating node, wherein the same, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connected UE and to each virtual control node, the method comprising:

sending requested information regarding local network-UEs to the Internet-connected UE, the information received from a corresponding virtual control nodes;

receiving a command from the Internet-connected UE to transfer the media session to a user-selected second local network-UE;

obtaining a position of the media session stream on the first local network-UE via the corresponding virtual control node; and

sending a command to the corresponding virtual control node to start playing the media session on the second local network-UE on the position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein checks further comprising checking if an association exists between the logged-in users.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving presence information from the corresponding virtual control node that the media session stream is played on the second local-network-UE; and

sending a command to the corresponding virtual control node to stop playing the media session stream on the first local network UE.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first local network-UE and the second local network-UE are located in the same local network or in separate local networks.

5. A method for a virtual control node in a local network of transferring a media session stream from a first local network-UE to a user-selected second local network UE, the transfer controlled by an Internet-connected UE located outside the local network and connected to a media aggregating node, which is connected to the virtual control node, wherein the same user, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connected UE and to the virtual control node, the method comprising:

obtaining a requested position of the media session stream on the first local network-UE;

forwarding the requested position to the media aggregating node; and

receiving a command from the media aggregating node to start playing the media session on the position on a user selected second local network UE;

sending a corresponding local network-adapted play command to the second local network-UE.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

sending information to the media aggregating node that the media session stream is played on the second local network-UE;

receiving a command from the media aggregating node to stop playing the media session stream on the first local network UE; and

sending a corresponding local network-adapted stop command to the first local network-UE.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the local network is a DLNA-network, and the local network-UEs are DLNA-compatible.

7. A method for a virtual control node in a local network of transferring an media session stream from a first local network-UE in the local network to a user-selected second local network UE in a separate local network, the transfer controlled by an Internet-connected UE located outside the local networks and connected to a media aggregating node, which is connected to the virtual control nodes of the local networks, wherein the user, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connected UE and to the virtual control nodes, the method comprising

obtaining a requested position of the media session stream on said first local network-UE and forwarding to the media aggregating node.

8. A method for a virtual control node in a local network of transferring a media session stream from a first local network-UE in a separate local network to a user selected second local network UE of the local network, the transfer controlled by an Internet-connected UE located outside the local networks and connected to a media aggregating node, which is connected to the virtual control nodes of the local networks, wherein the user, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connected UE and to the virtual control nodes, the method comprising:

receiving a command from the media aggregating node to start playing the media session on the user-selected second local network UE (5), on the media stream position on the first local network-UE (3); and

sending a corresponding local network-adapted play command to the second local network-UE.

10. A method for an Internet-connected UE of transferring a media session stream from a first local network-UE to a user-selected second local network UE, the Internet-connected UE located outside each local network and connected to a media aggregating node, each local network comprising a virtual control node connected to the media aggregating node, wherein the same user, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connected UE and to each of the virtual control nodes, the method comprising:

receiving requested presence information regarding local network-UEs from the virtual control nodes, via the media aggregating node; and

sending a command to the media aggregating node to transfer the media session to a user-selected second local network-UE, by the media aggregating node obtaining the position of the media session stream on the first local network-UE via a corresponding virtual control node, and sending a command to a corresponding virtual control node to start playing the media session on the second local network UE on the obtained position.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first local network-UE and the second local network-UE are located in one of a same local network and separate local networks.

12. A media aggregating node arranged to transfer a media session stream from a first local network-UE to a userselected second local network UE, the transfer controlled by an Internet-connected UE located outside each local network and connectable to the media aggregating node, which is connectable to a virtual control node of each local network, wherein the user, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connected UE and to each virtual control node, the media aggregating node comprising:

a device for communicating with the Internet-connected UE, the device configured to;

send requested information regarding local network-UEs to the Internet-connected UE; and

receive a command to transfer the media session stream to a user-selected second local network-UE; and

a device for communicating with each virtual control node, the device configured to;

obtain a position of the media session stream on the first local network-UE from the corresponding virtual control node; and

send a command to the corresponding virtual control node to start playing the media session stream on the second local network-UE on the position.

13. The media aggregating node of claim 12, further configured to store and remove associations between different users, and to check that a stored association exists between logged-in users.

14. The media aggregating node of claim 12, wherein the device for communicating with each virtual control node is further configured to:

receive presence information that the media session stream is played on the second local network-UE from the corresponding virtual control node; and

send a command to the corresponding virtual control node to stop playing the media session stream on the first local network-UE.

15. The media aggregating node according to of claim 12, wherein the first local network-UE and the second local network-UE are located in one of a same local network and separate local networks.

16. A virtual control node of a local network arranged configured to transfer a media session stream from a first local network-UE to a user-selected second local network-UE, the transfer controlled by an Internet-connected UE located outside each local network and connectable to a media aggregating node, which is connectable to each of the virtual control nodes, wherein the user, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connected UE and to each of the virtual control nodes, the virtual control node comprising:

a device for communicating with the media aggregating node, the device configured to;

forward a requested position of the media session stream on the first local network-UE; and

receive a command to start playing the media session stream on a user-selected second local network UE, on the position, and

a device for communicating with the local network UEs, the device configured to;

obtain the position of the media stream session from the first local network-UE; and

send a corresponding local-network adapted command to the second local network-UE to start playing the media session stream.

17. The virtual control node of claim 16, wherein the device for communicating with the local network-UEs is further configured to:

receive presence information that the media session stream is played on the second local network-UE; and

forward a network-adapted command to stop playing the media session stream on the first local network UE; and

in that the device for communication with the media aggregating node is further configured to;

receive the corresponding command to stop playing the media session stream on the first local network UE.

18. The virtual control node of claim 16, wherein the local network of the virtual control node comprises the first local network-UE and/or the second local network-UE.

19. The virtual control node in a local network, of claim 16, wherein the local network is a DLNA-network, and the local network-UEs are DLNA-compatible.

20. An Internet-connectable UE arranged to transfer a media session stream from a first local network-UE to a userselected second local network-UE from the outside of each local network, the Internet-connectable UE being connectable to a media aggregating node, which is connectable to a virtual control node of each local network, wherein the user, or associated users, are logged-in to the Internet-connectable UE and to each virtual control node, the Internet-connectable UE comprising:

a device for communicating with a media aggregating node, the device configured to;

receive requested information regarding local network-UEs, wherein the information is forwarded from the corresponding virtual control node; and

send a user-selected control command to transfer the media session to a user-selected second local network-UE.

21. The Internet-connectable UE of claim 20, further comprising:

a display for displaying the received information regarding media content and local network-UEs; and

user input means.

22. The Internet-connectable UE of claim 20, wherein the first local network-UE and the second local network-UE are located in one of a same local network and separate local networks.