Network agnostic media server control enabler

• US 7,853,647 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs; Lashonda T
• Application Number:
  US11/877,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/231, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1046 Call controllers; Call servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for interacting with a media server on a network and/or protocol agnostic basis. According to one embodiment, a method for controlling a media server can comprise receiving a request to perform a media control function of the media server from an application via a northbound interface of a media server control enabler. The northbound interface can provide an abstract interface for invoking one or more of a plurality of media functions of the media server. The media control function of the media server can be requested via a southbound interface of the media server control enabler. The southbound interface can provide an interface specific to the media server.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a media server, the method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a media control function of the media server from an application via a northbound interface of a media server control enabler, the northbound interface providing an abstract, network agnostic interface for invoking one or more of a plurality of media functions of the media server, wherein the media server control enabler is between the application and the media server and wherein the application interacts with the media server through the media control enabler; and

requesting the media control function of the media server via a southbound interface of the media server control enabler, the southbound interface providing an interface specific to the media server regardless of a network or protocol of the northbound interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving results of the media function from the media server via the southbound interface of the media server control enabler; and

returning the results of the media function to the application via the northbound interface of the media server control enabler.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining with the media server control enabler a subsequent function of the media server based on the results received from the media server; and

requesting the subsequent function of the media server via the southbound interface of the media server control enabler.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining with the application a subsequent function of the media server based on the results received from the media server;

receiving a request to perform the subsequent function of the media server from the application via the northbound interface of the media server control enabler; and

requesting the subsequent function of the media server via the southbound interface of the media server control enabler.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a media streaming function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a media recording function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a media conversion function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a media mixing function.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a set of one or more Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) functions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a voicemail function.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a set of one or more conference functions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a media mute function.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the media control function of the media server comprises a media unmute function.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing call control with the application.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing call control with the media server control enabler.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein performing call control with the media server control enabler comprises requesting one or more call control functions of a call control enabler from the media server control enabler.

17. A method for controlling a media server, the method comprising:

detecting a network event by a media server control enabler, wherein the media server control enabler is between a plurality of network end points and the media server and wherein the plurality of network endpoints interact with the media server through the media control enabler;

determining with the media server control enabler a media control function of the media server to perform based on the network event; and

requesting the media control function of the media server via a southbound interface of the media server control enabler, the southbound interface providing an interface specific to the media server and regardless of a network or protocol of a northbound interface of the media server control enabler.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving results of the media function from the media server via the southbound interface of the media server control enabler; and

providing the results of the media function via the northbound interface of the media server control enabler, the northbound interface providing an abstract interface for interacting with the media server and wherein a protocol of the northbound interface is different from a protocol of the southbound interface.

19. A media server control enabler comprising:

an abstraction layer including one or more northbound interfaces providing an abstract, network agnostic interface for invoking one or more media functions of a plurality of media servers, wherein the media server control enabler is adapted to receive a request to perform a media control function of one of the media servers from an application via the northbound interface; and

a plurality of enabler instances, each of the plurality of enabler instances providing a southbound interface providing an interface specific to one of the media servers regardless of a network or protocol of the northbound interface, wherein the media server control enabler is further adapted to request the media control function of one of the media servers via the southbound interface, wherein enabler instance is between a plurality of network end points and the media server and wherein the plurality of network endpoints interact with the media server through the media control enabler.

20. The media server control enabler of claim 19, wherein the media server control enabler is further adapted to receive results of the media function from the media server via the southbound interface of the media server control enabler and return the results of the media function to the application via the northbound interface of the media server control enabler.

21. The media server control enabler of claim 19, wherein the media server control enabler is further adapted to detect a network event via the northbound interface and request a media control function of one of the media servers via the southbound interface based on the network event.

22. The media server control enabler of claim 19, wherein the northbound interface of the media server control enabler comprises an Application Program Interface (API).

23. A system comprising:

a media server adapted to provide a plurality of media functions; and

a media server control enabler communicatively coupled with the media server and comprising an abstraction layer including one or more northbound interfaces providing an abstract, network agnostic interface for invoking one or more of the plurality of media functions of the media server, and one or more enabler instances, each of the one or more enabler instances providing a southbound interface providing an interface specific to the media server and regardless of a network or protocol of the northbound interface, wherein the media server control enabler is further adapted to request the media control function of the media server via the southbound interface, wherein enabler instance is between a plurality of network end points and the media server and wherein the plurality of network endpoints interact with the media server through the media control enabler.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the media server control enabler is further adapted to receive a request to perform a media control function of the media server from an application via the northbound interface and wherein the media server control enabler requests the media control function of the media server via the southbound interface based on the request from the application.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the media server control enabler is further adapted to detect a network event via the northbound interface and wherein the media server control enabler requests the media control function of the media server via the southbound interface based on the network event.