Media Session Between Network Endpoints

• US 20160094589A1
• Filed: 09/25/2014
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gunnalan, Rajesh, Khan, Humayun Mukhtar, Moore, Timothy M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,596,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2564 for a higher-layer protocol, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2575 using address mapping retrieval, e.g. simple traversal of user datagram protocol through session traversal utilities for NAT [STUN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2589 over a relay server, e.g. traversal using relay for network address translation [TURN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS

Abstract

A media session between an initiating endpoint and a responding endpoint is established via a communication network. A set of candidate pairs is generated, each comprising a respective network address available to the initiating endpoint and a respective network address available to the responding endpoint by exchanging network addresses between the initiating endpoint and the responding endpoint. The media session is established using a candidate pair of the set determined to be valid. Connectivity checks are performed for at least one candidate pair of the set to determine whether or not the candidate pair is valid. The at least one candidate pair is selected in dependence on selection data pertaining to at least one of the network addresses and indicative of the quality of a path through the network that would be traversed were that network address to be used for the media session.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for effecting a media session between an initiating endpoint and a responding endpoint via a communication network, the method comprising implementing at a computer of at least one of the initiating endpoint and responding endpoint the following steps:

generating at the endpoint a set of candidate pairs, each comprising a respective network address available to the initiating endpoint and a respective network address available to the responding endpoint by exchanging network addresses between the initiating endpoint and the responding endpoint, the media session established using a candidate pair of the set determined to be valid by applying the following steps;

receiving at the endpoint selection data pertaining to at least one of the network addresses and indicative of the quality of a path through the network that would be traversed were that network address to be used for the media session;

receiving a respective type metric associated with each network address and indicative of the directness of a path through the network that would be traversed were that network address to be used for the media session; and

the endpoints performing connectivity checks for at least one candidate pair of the set to determine whether or not the candidate pair is valid, wherein the at least one candidate pair is selected in dependence on the type metrics and the selection data.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the type metrics are associated with the network addresses in accordance with the ICE protocol.

3. A method according to claim 1 comprising assigning a respective first pair priority to each of the candidate pairs in dependence on the type metrics and the selection data, the at least one candidate pair selected in favour of another candidate pair in the set having a lower first pair priority than the at least one candidate pair, the at least one candidate pair selected on that basis.

4. A method according to claim 3 comprising assigning a respective second pair priority to each of the candidate pairs in dependence on the type metrics, wherein the second pair priorities are independent of the selection data, the first pair priorities assigned by modifying the second pair priorities in dependence on the selection data, the at least one candidate pair having a lower second pair priority but higher first pair priority than the other candidate pair.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the second pair priorities are assigned in accordance with the ICE protocol.

6. A method according to claim 1 comprising removing a candidate pair from the set in dependence on the selection data, wherein no connectivity check is performed for the removed candidate pair, the at least one candidate pair selected in dependence on the type metrics and in place of the removed candidate pair.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the media session is established to establish a real-time communication event between the initiating endpoint and the responding endpoint.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the real-time communication event is a voice and/or video call.

9. A computer for effecting a media session between an initiating endpoint and a responding endpoint via a communication network, the computer embodied at one of the initiating endpoint and responding endpoint, the computer comprising:

a candidate pair generation component configured to generate a set of candidate pairs, each comprising a respective network address available to the initiating endpoint and a respective network address available to the responding endpoint by exchanging network addresses between the initiating endpoint and the responding endpoint, the media session established using a candidate pair of the set determined to be valid by applying the following steps;

i) receiving at the endpoint selection data pertaining to at least one of the network addresses and indicative of the quality of a path through the network that would be traversed were that network address to be used for the media session, ii) receiving a respective type metric associated with each network address and indicative of the directness of a path through the network that would be traversed were that network address to be used for the media session, and iii) the endpoints performing connectivity checks for at least one candidate pair of the set to determine whether or not the candidate pair is valid, wherein the at least one candidate pair is selected in dependence on the type metrics and the selection data.

10. A computer according to claim 9 wherein at least part of the selection data is received via the communication network.

11. A computer according to claim 9 wherein at least part of the selection data is generated based on network information held locally at the endpoint.

12. A computer according to claim 9 wherein the type metrics are associated with the network addresses in accordance with the ICE protocol.

13. A computer according to claim 9 comprising a priority generation component configured to assign a respective first pair priority to each of the candidate pairs in dependence on the type metrics and the selection data, the at least one candidate pair selected in favour of another candidate pair in the set having a lower first pair priority than the at least one candidate pair, the at least one candidate pair selected on that basis.

14. A computer according to claim 9 wherein the priority generation component is configured to assign a respective second pair priority to each of the candidate pairs in dependence on the type metrics, wherein the second pair priorities are independent of the selection data, the first pair priorities assigned by modifying the second pair priorities in dependence on the selection data, the at least one candidate pair having a lower second pair priority but higher first pair priority than the other candidate pair.

15. A computer according to claim 14 wherein the second pair priorities are assigned in accordance with the ICE protocol.

16. A computer according to claim 9 comprising a modification component configured to remove a candidate pair from the set in dependence on the selection data, wherein no connectivity check is performed for the removed candidate pair, the at least one candidate pair selected in dependence on the type metrics and in place of the removed candidate pair.

17. A computer according to claim 9 wherein the media session is established to establish a real-time communication event between the initiating endpoint and the responding endpoint.

18. A computer according to claim 17 wherein the real-time communication event is a voice and/or video call.

19. A computer program product for effecting a media session between an initiating endpoint and a responding endpoint via a communication network, the computer program product comprising code stored on a computer readable storage medium and configured when executed on a computer of one of the initiating endpoint and responding endpoint to cause the following steps to be performed:

generating at the endpoint a set of candidate pairs, each comprising a respective network address available to the initiating endpoint and a respective network address available to the responding endpoint by exchanging network addresses between the initiating endpoint and the responding endpoint, the media session established using a candidate pair of the set determined to be valid by applying the following steps;

receiving at the endpoint selection data pertaining to at least one of the network addresses and indicative of the quality of a path through the network that would be traversed were that network address to be used for the media session;

receiving a respective type metric associated with each network address and indicative of the directness of a path through the network that would be traversed were that network address to be used for the media session; and

the endpoints performing connectivity checks for at least one candidate pair of the set to determine whether or not the candidate pair is valid, wherein the at least one candidate pair is selected in dependence on the type metrics and the selection data.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19 wherein the type metrics are associated with the network addresses in accordance with the ICE protocol.