System and method for providing channel configurations in a communications environment

• US 8,831,664 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STA Group, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Christenson, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lam T
• Application Number:
  US13/210,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20110299404A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 455/521, 370/331, 370/465, 370/266, 370/270, 709/204, 709/227, 709/239, 709/224, 709/206, 709/223
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/59 for emergency or urgency
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/08 Trunked mobile radio systems

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes monitoring media streams associated with channels in a communication environment. The method also includes receiving an alert in one of the media streams and elevating a priority associated with the media stream receiving the alert. Elevating the priority can include increasing the volume of the media stream receiving the alert, changing a spatial direction for rendering the media stream receiving the alert, rendering the media stream receiving the alert to a priority spatial direction, identifying a primary channel and rendering the alert message to the primary channel, turning a volume down on media streams not receiving the alert, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring media streams associated with channels in a communication environment;

receiving an alert in one of the media streams; and

elevating a priority associated with the media stream receiving the alert, such that an adjustment is made to how the media stream is provisioned to an endpoint in the communication environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein elevating the priority comprises increasing the volume of the media stream receiving the alert.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein elevating the priority comprises changing a spatial direction for rendering the media stream receiving the alert.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein elevating the priority comprises increasing the volume of the media stream receiving the alert and changing a spatial direction for rendering the media stream receiving the alert.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein elevating the priority comprises rendering the media stream receiving the alert to a priority spatial direction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein elevating the priority includes identifying a primary channel and rendering the alert message to the primary channel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein elevating the priority includes turning a volume down on media streams not receiving the alert.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is received in a header of a packet of the media stream.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is received in a control packet of the media stream.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert is duplicated and rendered at a higher volume.

11. Non-transitory readable media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

monitoring media streams associated with channels in a communication environment;

receiving an alert in one of the media streams; and

elevating a priority associated with the media stream receiving the alert.

12. The non-transitory readable media of claim 11, wherein elevating the priority comprises increasing the volume of the media stream receiving the alert.

13. The non-transitory readable media of claim 11, wherein elevating the priority comprises changing a spatial direction for rendering the media stream receiving the alert.

14. The non-transitory readable media of claim 11, wherein elevating the priority comprises increasing the volume of the media stream receiving the alert and changing a spatial direction for rendering the media stream receiving the alert.

15. The non-transitory readable media of claim 11, wherein elevating the priority includes identifying a primary channel and rendering the alert message to the primary channel.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element;

a processor; and

a management element stored in the memory element and configured to interface with the processor such that the apparatus is configured for;

monitoring media streams associated with channels in a communication environment;

receiving an alert in one of the media streams; and

elevating a priority associated with the media stream receiving the alert.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein elevating the priority comprises increasing the volume of the media stream receiving the alert.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein elevating the priority comprises changing a spatial direction for rendering the media stream receiving the alert.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein elevating the priority comprises increasing the volume of the media stream receiving the alert and changing a spatial direction for rendering the media stream receiving the alert.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein elevating the priority includes identifying a primary channel and rendering the alert message to the primary channel.