Method, Device, and Network System for Controlling Multiple Auxiliary Streams

• US 20130265380A1
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Device Company Limited (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wu, Jiaoli, Liao, Shuzhao
• Granted Patent: US 9,013,537 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4015 where at least one of the additional parallel sessions is real time or time sensitive, e.g. white board sharing, collaboration or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4053 without floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A method, a device, and a network system for controlling multiple auxiliary streams are disclosed. The method for controlling multiple auxiliary streams includes: applying, by a terminal at a first site, for a presentation (PRE) token; and sending, by the terminal at the first site after applying for and obtaining the PRE token, an auxiliary stream to a terminal at a second site through a PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and sending one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through an auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel. By using the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention, participants at the sites can view images of multiple auxiliary streams simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for controlling multiple auxiliary streams, comprising:

applying, by a terminal at a first site, for a presentation (PRE) token; and

sending, by the terminal at the first site, after applying for and obtaining the PRE token, an auxiliary stream to a terminal at a second site through a PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and sending one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through an auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending, by the terminal at the first site, the auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and sending the one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel comprise:

when both the terminal at the first site and the terminal at the second site support the PRE auxiliary stream channel and an auxiliary content PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel, sending the auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel, and sending the one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel;

or

when both the terminal at the first site and the terminal at the second site support the PRE auxiliary stream channel and a LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel, sending an auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel, and sending one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel comprises an extended auxiliary content PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel or a LIVE auxiliary stream channel.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein sending, by the terminal at the first site, the auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and sending the one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel comprise when both the terminal at the first site and the terminal at the second site support the PRE auxiliary stream channel, determining, according to a predetermined rule, that the terminal at the first site and the terminal at the second site also support a PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel, sending an auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel, and sending one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel, wherein the predetermined rule specifies that a terminal supporting the PRE auxiliary stream channel also supports the PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending, by the terminal at the first site, the auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and sending the one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel specifically comprise:

in a point-to-point conference, directly sending, by the terminal at the first site, an auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and directly sending one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel;

or

in a multipoint conference, sending, by the terminal at the first site, an auxiliary stream to a conferencing server through the PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and sending one or more other auxiliary streams to the conferencing server through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel such that the conferencing server sends the auxiliary stream and the one or more other auxiliary streams to a terminal at a site other than the first site in the conference.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein before sending the one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel, the method further comprises:

sending binding relationship indication information to the terminal at the second site, wherein the binding relationship indication information indicates a LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel;

or

sending binding relationship indication information to a conferencing server, wherein the binding relationship indication information indicates a LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel such that the conferencing server sends multiple auxiliary streams to a terminal at a site other than the first site in a conference through the PRE auxiliary stream channel and the LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel after receiving multiple auxiliary streams sent by the terminal at the first site.

7. A method for controlling multiple auxiliary streams, comprising sending, by multiple terminals at a same site, auxiliary streams through their respective auxiliary stream channels after the site applies for and obtains a presentation (PRE) token such that terminals that are paired with the terminals sending the auxiliary streams and are located at one or more other sites of a conference receive their respective auxiliary streams.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the multiple terminals comprise a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the method further comprises sending, by the first terminal, a notification message to the second terminal after the first terminal applies for and obtains the PRE token, wherein the notification message indicates using an auxiliary stream channel to send an auxiliary stream, and wherein sending auxiliary streams through their respective auxiliary stream channels comprises sending, by the first terminal after applying for and obtaining the PRE token, an auxiliary stream through a first auxiliary stream channel such that a terminal that is paired with the first terminal and is located at one or more other sites receives the auxiliary stream, wherein the first auxiliary stream channel is a PRE auxiliary stream channel;

and sending, by the second terminal after receiving the notification message, another auxiliary stream through a second auxiliary stream channel such that a terminal that is paired with the second terminal and is located at one or more other sites receives the auxiliary stream sent by the second terminal, wherein the second auxiliary stream channel is a PRE auxiliary stream channel, a LIVE auxiliary stream channel, or a PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein sending, by the multiple terminals at the same site, the auxiliary streams through their respective auxiliary stream channels after the site applies for and obtains the PRE token comprises, after each of the multiple terminals at the same site applies for and obtains a PRE token, sending, by each terminal of the multiple terminals at the same site, an auxiliary stream through its respective auxiliary stream channel, wherein the PRE token that is applied for and obtained by each terminal is a PRE token applicable to the terminal and a terminal that is paired with the terminal and is located at one or more other sites of the conference.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

applying, by each terminal of the multiple terminals, for the PRE token from a conferencing server; and

after determining that each terminal of the multiple terminals applying for the PRE token belongs to a same site, sending, by the conferencing server to the terminal applying for the PRE token, the PRE token that is applicable to its corresponding terminal and a terminal that is paired with the terminal and is located at one or more other sites.

11. A terminal, located at a first site, comprising:

a token applying unit configured to apply for a presentation (PRE) token; and

an auxiliary stream sending unit configured to send, after applying for and obtaining the PRE token, an auxiliary stream to a terminal at a second site through a PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and send one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through an auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel.

12. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel comprises an extended PREAnnex auxiliary stream channel or a LIVE auxiliary stream channel.

13. The terminal according to claim 11, wherein the auxiliary stream sending unit is specifically configured to directly send, in a point-to-point conference, an auxiliary stream to the terminal at the second site through the PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and directly send one or more other auxiliary streams to the terminal at the second site through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel, or wherein the auxiliary stream sending unit is specifically configured to send, in a multipoint conference, an auxiliary stream to a conferencing server through the PRE auxiliary stream channel corresponding to the PRE token, and send one or more other auxiliary streams to the conferencing server through the auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel such that the conferencing server sends the auxiliary stream and the one or more other auxiliary streams to a terminal at a site other than the first site in the conference.

14. The terminal according to claim 12, further comprising a binding relationship sending unit configured to:

send binding relationship indication information to the terminal at the second site, wherein the binding relationship indication information indicates the LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel;

or

send binding relationship indication information to a conferencing server, wherein the binding relationship indication information indicates the LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel such that the conferencing server sends multiple auxiliary streams to a terminal at a site other than the first site in a conference through the PRE auxiliary stream channel and the LIVE auxiliary stream channel bound with the PRE auxiliary stream channel after receiving multiple auxiliary streams sent by the terminal at the first site.

15. A network system, comprising:

a first terminal; and

a second terminal,

wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are located at a first site,

wherein the first terminal is configured to send an auxiliary stream through a first auxiliary stream channel after the first site applies for and obtains a presentation (PRE) token such that a terminal paired with the first terminal and is located at a second site receives the auxiliary stream, and

wherein the second terminal is configured to send another auxiliary stream through a second auxiliary stream channel after the first site applies for and obtains the PRE token such that a terminal paired with the second terminal and is located at the second site receives the other auxiliary stream.

16. The network system according to claim 15, wherein the first terminal is further configured to send a notification message to the second terminal after the first terminal applies for and obtains the PRE token, wherein the notification message indicates using an auxiliary stream channel to send auxiliary streams, and wherein the second terminal is specifically configured to send another auxiliary stream through the second auxiliary stream channel after receiving the notification message.

17. The network system according to claim 15, wherein the first terminal is specifically configured to send an auxiliary stream through the first auxiliary stream channel after the first terminal applies for and obtains a first PRE token, wherein the first PRE token is a PRE token applicable to the first terminal and a terminal that is paired with the first terminal and is located at a site other than the first site in a conference, wherein the second terminal is specifically configured to send another auxiliary stream through the second auxiliary stream channel after the second terminal applies for and obtains a second PRE token, and wherein the second PRE token is a PRE token applicable to the second terminal and a terminal that is paired with the second terminal and is located at a site other than the first site in the conference.

18. The network system according to claim 17, further comprising a conferencing server configured to determine whether the terminals applying for the PRE tokens belong to a same site, and if yes, agree to grant the first terminal the first PRE token, and the second terminal the second PRE token.