Media channel management

• US 8,046,479 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Mas Ivars, Ignacio, Lohmar, Thorsten, Horn, Uwe, Einarsson, Torbjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh; John B.
• Application Number:
  US11/826,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method of managing a unicast-based media session is disclosed. A user terminal having access to channel identifiers of media channels available at a media server compiles a SIP-based channel request comprising a channel identifier of one of the available media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of the terminal. This message is sent to a network node for initiating delivery of media data of selected media channel to the announced media input port. The SIP-based data signaling also allows switching between unicast-based media channels and switching between unicast-bast and multicast/broadcast-based media channels during the ongoing media session.

Claims

1. A method of managing a unicast-based media session associated with a session identifier, said method comprising the steps of:

a user terminal receiving channel identifiers of multiple available media channels;

said user terminal generating a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based channel request comprising a first channel identifier selected from said received channel identifiers and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal;

said user terminal transmitting said SIP-based channel request to a network node for initiating delivery of media data of a first media channel to said at least one media input port;

said user terminal transmitting a SIP-based termination message comprising said session identifier to said network node;

said user terminal generating a second SIP-based channel request comprising a second channel identifier selected from said received channel identifiers and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal; and

said user terminal transmitting said second SIP-based channel request to said network node for initiating delivery of media data of a second media channel to said at least one media input port,

wherein said step of generating said second SIP-based channel request comprises said user terminal generating said second SIP-based channel request comprising said second channel identifier and a notification specifying that said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request is to be re-used for said second media channel.

2. A method of managing a unicast-based media session involving a user terminal and a media server providing multiple media channels, said unicast-based media session being associated with a session identifier said method comprising the steps of:

said media server receiving a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based channel request originating from said user terminal and comprising a first channel identifier associated with a first media channel of said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal;

said media server processing said first SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said first media channel;

said media server transmitting media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal;

said media server receiving a SIP-based termination message originating from said user terminal and comprising said session identifier;

said media server terminating, based on said SIP-based termination message, transmission of media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal;

said media server receiving a second SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal and comprising a second channel identifier associated with a second media channel of said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal;

said media server processing said second SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said second media channel; and

said media server transmitting media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal,

wherein said transmitting step comprises said media server transmitting media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal.

3. A user terminal comprising:

a receiver for receiving channel identifiers of multiple available media channels;

a message generator arranged to generate a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based channel request comprising a first channel identifier selected from said channel identifiers received by said receiver and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal; and

a transmitter for transmitting said SIP-based channel request to a network node for initiating delivery of media data of a first unicast-based media channel to said at least one media input port,

said message generator is further arranged to i) generate a SIP-based termination message comprising a session identifier associated with a current unicast-based media session, and ii) generate a second SIP-based channel request comprising a second channel identifier selected from said channel identifiers received by said receiver and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal, and

said transmitter is arranged to i) transmitting said SIP-based termination message to said network node, and ii) transmitting said second SIP-based channel request to said network node for initiating delivery of media data of a second media channel to said at least one media input port,

wherein said message generator is arranged to generate said second SIP-based channel request comprising said second channel identifier and a notification specifying that said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request is to be re-used for said second media channel.

4. A media server providing multiple unicast-based media channels, said media server comprising:

a receiver for receiving a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based channel request originating from a user terminal and comprising a first channel identifier associated with a first media channel of said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal;

a message processor configured to process said first SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said first media channel; and

a transmitter for transmitting media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal,

said receiver is configured to i) receive a SIP-based termination message originating from said user terminal and comprising a session identifier associated with a current unicast-based media session, and ii) receive a second SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal and comprising a second channel identifier associated with a second media channel of said multiple media channels and a port identifier of at least one media input port of said user terminal,

said message processor is further configured to i) terminate, based on said SIP-based termination message, transmission of media content of said first media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal, and ii) process said second SIP-based channel request for providing media content of said second media channel, and

said transmitter is configured to transmit media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port of said user terminal,

wherein said transmitter is configured to transmit media content of said second media channel to said at least one media input port identified in said first SIP-based channel request originating from said user terminal.