System and method for enabling multicast telecommunications
First Claim
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1. A method for enabling a multicast telecommunication session, comprising:
- receiving a call initiation request indicating a desire to create a communication link between a multicast telephony device and a unicast telephony device;
determining that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming;
generating a virtual multicast intermediary in response to determining that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming;
receiving multicast media streaming sent to a multicast group address from a plurality of multicast telephony devices at the virtual multicast intermediary;
sorting, at the virtual multicast intermediary, the multicast media streaming sent to the multicast group address from the plurality of multicast telephony devices into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream;
communicating, from the virtual multicast intermediary, the sorted media streaming to a unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in a multicast telecommunication session; and
indicating to the unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different multicast telephony devices.
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Abstract
A communication network is provided that includes a unicast telephony device, and a plurality of multicast telephony devices operable to receive multicast media streaming transmitted to a multicast group address. The communication network further includes a multicast intermediary operable to receive multicast media streaming sent to the multicast group address. The multicast intermediary is further operable to communicate the media streaming to the unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in the multicast communication with the multicast telephony devices.
150 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for enabling a multicast telecommunication session, comprising:
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receiving a call initiation request indicating a desire to create a communication link between a multicast telephony device and a unicast telephony device; determining that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming; generating a virtual multicast intermediary in response to determining that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming; receiving multicast media streaming sent to a multicast group address from a plurality of multicast telephony devices at the virtual multicast intermediary; sorting, at the virtual multicast intermediary, the multicast media streaming sent to the multicast group address from the plurality of multicast telephony devices into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream; communicating, from the virtual multicast intermediary, the sorted media streaming to a unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in a multicast telecommunication session; and indicating to the unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different multicast telephony devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communication network, comprising:
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a unicast telephony device; a plurality of multicast telephony devices operable to receive multicast media streaming transmitted to a multicast group address; a call manager operable to; receive a call initiation request indicating a desire to create a communication link between a multicast telephony device and a unicast telephony device; determine that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming; a virtual multicast intermediary operable to; receive multicast media streaming sent to the multicast group address from the plurality of multicast telephony devices; sort the multicast media streaming transmitted to the multicast group address into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream; communicate the sorted media streaming to the unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in the multicast communication with the multicast telephony devices; and indicate to the unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different multicast telephony devices; wherein the virtual multicast intermediary is generated in response to a determination that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A communication network, comprising:
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a first unicast telephony device; a second unicast telephony device; a plurality of multicast telephony devices operable to receive multicast media streaming transmitted to a multicast group address; a call manager operable to; receive a call initiation request indicating a desire to create a communication link between a multicast telephony device and a unicast telephony device; determine that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming; a first virtual multicast intermediary operable to; receive multicast media streaming sent to the multicast group address from the plurality of multicast telephony devices; sort the multicast media streaming transmitted to the multicast group address into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream; communicate the sorted media streaming to the first unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in the multicast communication with the multicast telephony devices; and indicate to the first unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different telephony devices; and a second virtual multicast intermediary operable to; receive multicast media streaming sent to the multicast group address from the plurality of multicast telephony devices; sort the multicast media streaming transmitted to the multicast group address into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream; communicate the sorted media streaming to the second unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in the multicast communication with the multicast telephony devices; and indicate to the second unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different multicast telephony devices; and wherein the first and second virtual multicast intermediaries are generated in response to a determination that the first and second unicast telephony devices are incapable of receiving multicast media streaming. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24)
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21. The communication network of 17, wherein the multicast media streaming comprises Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP) media streaming.
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25. Virtual multicast intermediary software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to perform the following steps:
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receiving a call initiation request indicating a desire to create a communication link between a multicast telephony device and a unicast telephony device; determining that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming; receiving multicast media streaming sent to a multicast group address from a plurality of multicast telephony devices; and sort the multicast media streaming transmitted to the multicast group address into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream; communicating the sorted media streaming to a unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in a multicast telecommunication session; and indicate to the unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different multicast telephony devices; the virtual multicast intermediary software executable in response to a determination that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A communication network, comprising:
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a plurality of multicast telephony devices operable to receive multicast media streaming transmitted to a multicast group address; a call manager operable to; receive a call initiation request indicating a desire to create a communication link between a multicast telephony device and a unicast telephony device; determine that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming; and establish a communication session with one or more of the multicast telephony devices; and a virtual multicast intermediary operable to; receive multicast media streaming transmitted to the multicast group address from the plurality of multicast telephony devices; sort the multicast media streaming transmitted to the multicast group address into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream; communicate the sorted media streaming to a unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in a multicast communication with the multicast telephony devices; and indicate to the unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different multicast telephony devices; wherein the virtual multicast intermediary is generated in response to a determination that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A virtual multicast intermediary comprising a communication module operable to:
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receive multicast media streaming from a multicast group address from a plurality of multicast telephony devices; sort the multicast media streaming into individual streams based on the telephony devices that originated each stream; communicate the sorted media streaming to a unicast telephony device to enable the unicast telephony device to participate in the multicast communication with multicast telephony devices; and indicate to the unicast telephony device that the individual media streams of the sorted media streaming originated from different multicast telephony devices; wherein the virtual multicast intermediary is generated in response to a determination that the unicast telephony device is incapable of receiving multicast media streaming. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification