Best effort seamless network switch in a media streaming session

• US 8,005,988 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2010
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stephane H.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, LE HIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/726,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20100172360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 709/229, 709/238, 709/239, 709/240, 709/241, 709/242, 718/104, 718/105, 718/108, 714/1, 714/4
• US Class Current: 709/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/02 Buffering or recovering information during reselection ; Modification of the traffic flow during hand-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for switching a media streaming session between a plurality of networks. In one embodiment, a method of switching networks in a media streaming session can comprise detecting a plurality of networks available for communication of streaming data. The plurality of networks can include a first network providing a first streaming session and a second network. A determination can be made as to whether to switch the first streaming session from the first network. Determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network can be based on detecting a loss of the first network, detecting a lower cost alternative to the first network, etc. In response to determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network, the first streaming session can be switched from the first network to the second network.

Claims

1. A method of switching networks in a media streaming session, the method comprising:

detecting by a computing device a plurality of networks available for communication of streaming data, wherein the plurality of networks includes at least a first network providing a first streaming session between a first communication device and a second communication device and a second network;

determining by the computing device whether to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network; and

in response to determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network, switching by the computing device the first streaming session from the first network to the second network, wherein switching the first streaming session from the first network to the second network comprises initiating a second session between the first communication device and the second communication device on the second network, copying a data stream from the first session to the second session, wherein initiating the session on the second network and copying a data stream from the first session to the second session are performed prior to termination of the first session, determining whether the second session is established, and in response to determining the second session is established, terminating the first session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein switching the first streaming session from the first network to the second network further comprises buffering an outgoing data stream of the first session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first communication device comprises a client device participating in the first session, wherein buffering is performed by the client device, and wherein the client device informs a user of the client device of possible delays in the media streaming session.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first communication device comprises a server participating in the first session, wherein buffering is performed by the server, and wherein the server buffers the outgoing data stream of the first session in response to losing an incoming data stream of the first session.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein switching the first streaming session from the first network to the second network further comprises:

terminating the first session;

initiating a second session on the second network; and

streaming outgoing data on the second session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second communication device comprises a recipient client device and initiating a second session on the second network is based on a presence of recipient client device on the second network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein streaming outgoing data on the second session comprises beginning the second session with buffered outgoing data of the first session.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device comprises a client device participating in the first session and switching the first streaming session from the first network to the second network is performed by the client device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network is based on detecting a loss of the first network.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network is based on a user input.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second communication device comprises a server supporting the first streaming session and an indication of determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network is transmitted from the client device to the server supporting the first streaming session via an out-of-band communication channel.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device comprises a server supporting the first session and determining whether to switch the first streaming session from the first network and switching the first streaming session from the first network to the second network are performed by the server.

13. A system for providing a media streaming session, the system comprising:

a first network;

a second network;

a server communicatively coupled with the first network and the second network and adapted to participate in a first streaming session via the first network; and

a client device communicatively coupled with the first network and the second network and adapted to participate in the first streaming session with the server via the first network, detect the second network, determine whether to switch the first streaming session from the first network, and in response to determining to switch the first streaming session from the first network, initiate a session on the second network, copy a data stream from the first session to the second session, determine whether the second session is established and, in response to determining the second session is established, terminate the first session.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the client device is further adapted to buffer an outgoing data stream of the first session and inform a user possible delays in the media streaming session, wherein the server is further adapted to buffer an outgoing data stream of the first session in response to losing an incoming data stream of the first session, wherein the client device is further adapted to terminate the first session and stream outgoing data on the second session, and wherein the client device and the server are adapted to stream outgoing data on the second session beginning with buffered outgoing data of the first session.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the client device determines to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network based on detecting a loss of the first network or based on relative costs of the first network and the second network.

16. A system comprising:

a first network;

a first client device communicatively coupled with the first network and adapted to participate in a first streaming session on the first network;

a second client device communicatively coupled with the first network;

a third client device communicatively coupled with the first network and adapted to participate in the first streaming session with the first client device via the first network, detect the second client device, determine whether to switch the first streaming session from the first client device, and in response to determining to switch the first streaming session from the first client device, switch the first streaming session from the first client device to the second client device; and

a server communicatively coupled with the first network and adapted to receive a request to establish the first media session from one of the first client device or the third client device and, in response to the request, establish the first streaming session, wherein the server comprises a third-party call controller, wherein the third client device is adapted to switch the first streaming session from the first client device to the second client device by initiating a second session, wherein the server, in response to detecting the third client device initiating a second session, is further adapted to maintain the first session and establish the second session, and wherein the server is further adapted to inform users of the first client device and third client device of possible delays in the first session.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the third client device determines to switch the first streaming session based on detecting a loss of the first network or based on a user input to the third client device.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a second network, wherein the first client device and third client device are communicatively coupled with the second network and wherein the third-party call controller is adapted to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network by initiating a second session on the second network, wherein the third-party call controller, in response to detecting the third client device initiating a second session, is further adapted to maintain the first session and establish the second session on the second network, and wherein the third client device determines to switch the first streaming session from the first network to the second network based on detecting a loss of the first network.

19. A system comprising:

a first communication network;

a second communication network;

a first client device communicatively coupled with the first communication network;

a second client device communicatively coupled with the first communication network and adapted to send a request to communicate with the first client device via the first communication network; and

a server communicatively coupled with the first communication network and the second communication network and wherein the server is adapted to receive the request to communicate with the first client device from the second client device, establish a first communication session between the first client device and the second client device via the first communication network, receive a request from the second client device to switch networks, and switch the first communication session from the first communication network to the second communication network, wherein switching the first communication session from the first network to the second network comprises initiating a second communication session between the first client device and the second client device on the second network, copying a data stream from the first communication session to the second communication session, wherein initiating the second communication session on the second network and copying a data stream from the first communication session to the second communication session are performed prior to termination of the first communication session, determining whether the second communication session is established, and in response to determining the second communication session is established, terminating the first communication session.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second client device sends a request to switch networks in response to a user input to an application on the second client device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the system further comprises a third client device and the second client device sends the request to switch networks in response to a user input to an application on the third client device.