Multimedia subsystem control for internet protocol based television services

• US 8,656,445 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2006
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ress, David P., Goodwill, Dominic, Jones, Anthony, McKinnon, Steve J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US11/563,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20080127255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,640 Days
• Field of Search: 725/112, 725/113, 725/80, 725/81, 725/141, 725/151, 725/89, 725/120, 725/91, 725/109, 725/138, 709/228, 370/261, 348/14.12
• US Class Current: 725/120
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention allows Internet Protocol television (IPTV) services to be provided to different types of subscriber devices over different types of networks via a multimedia subsystem, such as an IP multimedia subsystem. A given subscriber may have one subscription supporting IPTV services to different types of subscriber devices. Each of the subscriber devices may register with a given IPTV application server, which will interact with the various subscriber devices using a common session control protocol, such as the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The IPTV sessions may support delivery of various types of streaming content, such as audio or video content, for broadcast or on-demand services. Different IPTV sessions are used to support broadcast and on-demand services. However, within a given broadcast or on-demand IPTV session, channels may be changed or the streaming media may be controlled within the respective IPTV sessions.

Claims

1. A method for providing Internet Protocol television (IPTV) services to a plurality of subscriber devices comprising:

at a control system including a memory device and a communication interface;

utilizing the communication interface to register the plurality of subscriber devices for the IPTV services, the plurality of subscriber devices comprising at least a plurality of different types of communication devices, each with a private identifier and a common subscriber identifier associated with one IPTV subscription for delivery of the IPTV services to each of the plurality of subscriber devices;

utilizing the communication interface to establish a first IPTV session with a first of the plurality of subscriber devices via a multimedia subsystem to enable delivery of streaming media to the first subscriber device, wherein the first IPTV session is established using the common subscriber identifier, the one IPTV subscription, and the private identifier associated with the first subscriber device, wherein the first IPTV session is established based on a first capability associated with the first subscriber device, wherein the streaming media is delivered to the first subscriber device based on the first capability;

storing in the memory device, in association with the first IPTV session, information identifying a point within the streaming media from which to resume streaming;

utilizing the communication interface to establish a second IPTV session with a second of the plurality of subscriber devices via the multimedia subsystem to enable delivery of streaming media to the second subscriber device, wherein the second IPTV session is established using the common subscriber identifier, the one IPTV subscription, and the private identifier associated with the second subscriber device, wherein the second IPTV session is established based on a second capability associated with the second subscriber device, wherein the second capability is different from the first capability; and

utilizing the communication interface to effect delivery of the streaming media, beginning at the identified point, to the second subscriber device via the second IPTV session, wherein the streaming media is delivered to the second subscriber device based on the second capability, wherein the streaming media delivered to the second subscriber device is formatted differently from the streaming media delivered to the first subscriber device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering with at least one IPTV application server based on registration of the plurality of subscriber devices.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising effecting delivery of certain streaming media to the plurality of subscriber devices.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein effecting delivery of the certain streaming media further comprises providing to at least one of the plurality of subscriber devices an address of a streaming media content server from which the at least one of the plurality of subscriber devices will request the certain streaming media.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the certain streaming media is on-demand content.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein effecting delivery of the certain streaming media further comprises providing to at least one of the plurality of subscriber devices information sufficient to receive broadcast media.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the information enables the at least one of the plurality of subscriber devices to receive the broadcast media from at least one of a group consisting of a residential gateway and a residential service edge.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising effecting delivery to the plurality of subscriber devices information required by the plurality of subscriber devices to process the streaming media.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein different IPTV sessions are established for broadcast streaming media and on-demand streaming media being delivered to the plurality of subscriber devices.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of subscriber devices are adapted to change channels within broadcast streaming media within a given IPTV session.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the streaming media is at least one of the group consisting of streaming audio content and streaming video content.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving requests for service data required by the plurality of subscriber devices for the IPTV sessions, and providing the service data to the plurality of subscriber devices using a given session control protocol that is used to establish the IPTV sessions.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving requests for program guide information associated with the streaming media, and providing the program guide information to the plurality of subscriber devices using a given session control protocol, which is also used to establish the IPTV sessions.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein at least two of the plurality of subscriber devices are supported by different types of access networks.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the IPTV sessions are established for each of the plurality of subscriber devices using a given session control protocol.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the IPTV sessions for at least two of the plurality of subscriber devices are established in sequence.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the IPTV sessions for at least two of the plurality of subscriber devices are substantially concurrently established.

18. An apparatus for facilitating Internet Protocol television (IPTV) services to a plurality of subscriber devices comprising:

a memory device;

a communication interface; and

a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to;

utilize the communication interface to register the plurality of subscriber devices for the IPTV services, the plurality of subscriber devices comprising at least a plurality of different types of communication devices, each with a private identifier and a common subscriber identifier associated with one IPTV subscription for delivery of the IPTV services to each of the plurality of subscriber devices;

utilize the communication interface to establish a first IPTV session with a first of the plurality of subscriber devices via a multimedia subsystem to enable delivery of streaming media to the first subscriber device, wherein the first IPTV session is established using the common subscriber identifier, the one IPTV subscription, and the private identifier associated with the first subscriber, wherein the first IPTV session is established based on a first capability associated with the first subscriber device, wherein the streaming media is delivered to the first subscriber device based on the first capability;

store in the memory device, in association with the first IPTV session, information identifying a point within the streaming media from which to resume streaming;

utilize the communication interface to establish a second IPTV session with a second of the plurality of subscriber devices via the multimedia subsystem to enable delivery of streaming media to the second subscriber device, wherein the second IPTV session is established using the common subscriber identifier, the one IPTV subscription, and the private identifier associated with the second subscriber device, wherein the second IPTV session is established based on a second capability associated with the second subscriber device, wherein the second capability is different from the first capability; and

utilize the communication interface to effect delivery of the streaming media, beginning at the identified point, to the second subscriber device via the second IPTV session, wherein the streaming media is delivered to the second subscriber device based on the second capability, wherein the streaming media delivered to the second subscriber device is formatted differently from the streaming media delivered to the first subscriber device.