System and method for providing data channel management in a network environment

• US 8,495,142 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STA Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Barave, Amit, Jain, Mukul
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US12/722,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

An example method can include establishing a session involving a first end user, the first end user is included in a virtual talk group, which includes at least one other end user. A media source is provided for the session. The method also includes initiating a request for a second end user to join the session, the second end user is added to the virtual talk group. A mobile device being used by the first end user controls which data from the media source is to be sent to the second user during the session. An internet protocol (IP) address associated with the media source is withheld from communications sent to the second user. In more detailed embodiments, a control channel can be established between the mobile device and a server, the control channel managing data being sent to end users in the virtual talk group.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a session involving a first end user, wherein the first end user is included in a virtual talk group, which includes at least one other end user, and wherein a media source is provided for the session; and

initiating a request for a second end user to join the session, wherein the second end user is added to the virtual talk group, and wherein a mobile device being used by the first end user controls which data from the media source is to be sent to the second user during the session, and wherein an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the media source is withheld from communications sent to the second end user;

wherein the session includes video data sent to the second end user without requiring a uniform resource locator, which identifies the media source, to be sent to the second end user, and wherein the mobile device is configured to disconnect the session for the second end user such that a new video encryption key is negotiated amongst the remaining end users of the virtual talk group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a secure data channel is established between the mobile device and a server, and wherein a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) protocol is used to establish the secure data channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a control channel for the session is established between the mobile device and a server, the control channel being configured to manage data being sent to end users in the virtual talk group, and wherein media being delivered to the first end user can be passed to a mobile device being used by the second end user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

proxying the data to be sent to the second end user such that the mobile device operates as a passthrough data gateway for the second end user during the session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering the data to be sent to the second end user such that specific types of data are sent to the second end user, the session including text data, audio data, and video data, and wherein a length of time is configured for the second end user'"'"'s access to the session.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein access to the data in the session is determined by an attribute set in a call set-up signaling header, or determined by a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) command signal.

7. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

establishing a session involving a first end user, wherein the first end user is included in a virtual talk group, which includes at least one other end user, and wherein a media source is provided for the session; and

initiating a request for a second end user to join the session, wherein the second end user is added to the virtual talk group, and wherein a mobile device being used by the first end user controls which data from the media source is to be sent to the second user during the session, and wherein an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the media source is withheld from communications sent to the second end user;

wherein the session includes video data sent to the second end user without requiring a uniform resource locator, which identifies the media source, to be sent to the second end user, and wherein the mobile device is configured to disconnect the session for the second end user such that a new video encryption key is negotiated amongst the remaining end users of the virtual talk group.

8. The logic of claim 7, wherein a secure data channel is established between the mobile device and a server, and wherein a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) protocol is used to establish the secure data channel.

9. The logic of claim 7, wherein a control channel for the session is established between the mobile device and a server, the control channel being configured to manage data being sent to end users in the virtual talk group, and wherein media being delivered to the first end user can be passed to a mobile device being used by the second end user.

10. The logic of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

proxying the data to be sent to the second end user such that the mobile device operates as a passthrough data gateway for the second end user during the session.

11. The logic of claim 7, wherein access to the data in the session is determined by an attribute set in a call set-up signaling header, or determined by a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) command signal.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store data,

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data, and

a response module resident in a mobile device and configured to;

establish a session involving a first end user, wherein the first end user is included in a virtual talk group, which includes at least one other end user, and wherein a media source is provided for the session; and

initiate a request for a second end user to join the session, wherein the second end user is added to the virtual talk group, and wherein the mobile device is further configured to control which data from the media source is to be sent to the second user during the session, and wherein an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the media source is withheld from communications sent to the second end user;

wherein the session includes video data sent to the second end user without requiring a uniform resource locator, which identifies the media source, to be sent to the second end user, and wherein the mobile device is configured to disconnect the session for the second end user such that a new video encryption key is negotiated amongst the remaining end users of the virtual talk group.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a secure data channel is established between the mobile device and a server, and wherein a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) protocol is used to establish the secure data channel.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a control channel for the session is established between the mobile device and a server, the control channel being configured to manage data being sent to end users in the virtual talk group, and wherein media being delivered to the first end user can be passed to a mobile device being used by the second end user.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is configured to:

proxy the data to be sent to the second end user such that the mobile device operates as a passthrough data gateway for the second end user during the session.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mobile device is configured to:

filter the data to be sent to the second end user such that specific types of data are sent to the second end user, the session including text data, audio data and video data, and wherein a length of time is configured for the second end user'"'"'s access to the session.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein access to the data in the session is determined by an attribute set in a call set-up signaling header, or determined by a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) command signal.