System and method of multi-media conferencing between universal plug and play (UPnP) enabled telephony devices and wireless area network (WAN) devices

• US 9,065,666 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Patil, Mayuresh Madhukar
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jangbahadur, Lakeram
• Application Number:
  US12/969,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20110141950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 370/261
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A system and method of multi-media conferencing between Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) telephony devices and Wide Area Network (WAN) devices is provided. The method includes initiating a multi-media conferencing session with WAN devices by at least one telephony control point (TCP) in an UPnP telephony based home network via a session request. The session request includes session information, media capabilities of a telephony client device (TC) associated with the at least one TCP, a list of WAN devices or a conference group identifier associated with one or more WAN devices, and a subject of the multi-media conferencing session. The method further includes establishing the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the WAN devices by a telephony server (TS) in the UPnP telephony based home network based on the session request.

Claims

1. A method of multi-media conferencing between telephony devices included in a first network and at least one network device connected to a second network, the method comprising:

receiving, by a telephony server (TS), a session request for a multi-media conferencing session from a telephony control point (TCP); and

establishing, by the TS, the multi-media conferencing session between a telephony client (TC) and the network device based on the session request, wherein the establishing the multi-media conferencing session comprises;

retrieving a first session identifier, a information of the network device or a conference group identifier of the network device, a media capabilities of the TC, and a session information from the received session request; and

transmitting, to the network device, a session initiate request including a second session identifier, the media capabilities of the TC, and the session information;

wherein the first session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the TS, and the second session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session on the network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the network device by the TS further comprises:

initiating the multi-media conferencing session with the network device based on the session request using the second session identifier; and

providing multi-media data to the TC based on the media capabilities of the TC or to the network device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the multi-media conferencing session further comprises

forwarding a multi-media conference initiate request to each of the network device from the information of the network device when the session request is associated with the multi-media conferencing session based on the session information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein forwarding the multi-media conference initiate request to the network device in the session request comprises:

generating the multi-media conference initiate request for establishing the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the network device, wherein the multi-media conference initiate request comprises the second session identifier, the media capabilities of the TC, and a session subject; and

sending the generated multi-media conference initiate request to the network device based on the information of the network device or the second session identifier via the network device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, after sending the generated multi-media conference initiate request, the method further comprises:

receiving a confirmation message from the network device in response to the multi-media conference initiate request;

processing the confirmation message associated with successful establishment of the multi-media conferencing session; and

notifying the TCP through the processed confirmation message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein in establishing the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the network device, the multi-media conferencing session is selected from the group consisting of a video conferencing session, an audio conferencing session, and an audio and video conferencing session.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein establishing the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the network device based on the session request comprises:

receiving multi-media data from the network device by the TS during the multi-media conferencing session; and

processing and forwarding the multi-media data to the TC based on the media capabilities of the TC during the multi-media conferencing session such that the multi-media data is outputted on the TC in a compatible format.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the TS, a global modify session request from the TCP during the ongoing multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the network device, wherein the global modify session request comprises subject information, media capabilities of the TCP, the network device to be added into or removed from the multi-media conferencing session;

retrieving, by the TS, information from the global modify session request received from the TCP;

communicating, by the TS, modify session information to the network device;

adding or removing, by the TS, the network device from the ongoing multi-media conferencing session based on the global modify session request; and

notifying, by the TS, the TCP and other active network device of the multi-media conferencing session regarding the addition and removal of the network device from the ongoing multi-media conferencing session.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the TS, a join session request from the TCP;

retrieving, by the TS, session identifier information from the join session request received from the TCP;

determining, by the TS, whether the retrieved session identifier matches with the session identifier of the ongoing multi-media conferencing session;

if so, joining the ongoing multi-media conferencing session;

if so, allowing the TC to join the ongoing multi-media conferencing session based on the join session request; and

if not, terminating the join session request received from the TCP.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the network device further comprises:

providing dynamic session information of the ongoing multi-media conferencing information to the TCP, wherein the dynamic information includes user leaving session information, user joining session information, and any changes in the subject of the multi-media conferencing session.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the TS, a local media update request from the TCP during the ongoing multi-media conferencing session, wherein the local media update request comprises local media capability information, and information of a second TC;

retrieving the information from the local media update request received from the TCP;

determining a local media capability of the second TC based on the local media update request;

updating the local media capability information in memory; and

providing media content to the second TC during the ongoing multi-media conferencing session based on the updated local media capability information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

updating the second TC regarding the updated local media capability information.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the TS, a local media update request from the TCP during the ongoing multi-media conferencing session, wherein the local media update request comprises local media capability information of the TC, and information of the TC;

retrieving information from the local media update request received from the TCP;

determining a local media capability of the TC based on the local media update request;

updating the local media capability information in memory of the TS;

updating the TC regarding the updated local media capability information by the TCP;

blocking media content of the ongoing multi-media conferencing session based on the updated local media capability information; and

providing media content of the ongoing multi-media conferencing session to the TC based on the updated local media capability information.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the TS, dynamic session information to the TCP processing and forwarding the dynamic session information to the TC, wherein the dynamic information includes user leaving session information, user joining session information, and any changes in the subject of the multi-media conferencing session.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein for performing a method of multi-media conferencing between telephony devices included in a first network and at least one network device connected to a second network, the instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving, by a telephony server (TS), a session request for a multi-media conferencing session; and

establishing, by the TS, the multi-media conferencing session between a telephony client (TC) and the network device based on the session request, wherein the establishing the multi-media conferencing session comprises;

retrieving a first session identifier, a information of the network device or a conference group identifier of the network device, a media capabilities of the TC, and a session information from the received session request; and

transmitting, to the network device, a session initiate request including a second session identifier, the media capabilities of the TC, and the session information,

wherein the first session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the TS, and the second session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session on the network device.

16. A telephony server (TS) device for performing a method of multi-media conferencing between telephony devices included in a first network and at least one network device connected to a second network, the TS device comprising:

a network interface; and

a processor which controls;

the network interface to receive, a session request for a multi-media conferencing session; and

the TS device to establish, the multi-media conferencing session between a telephony client (TC) and the network device based on the session request, wherein the TS device establishes the multi-media conferencing session by;

retrieving a first session identifier, a information of the network device or a conference group identifier of the network device, a media capabilities of the TC, and a session information from the received session request; and

transmitting, to the network device, a session initiate request including a second session identifier, the media capabilities of the TC, and the session information,

wherein the first session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the TS, and the second session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session on the network device.

17. A method of multi-media conferencing between telephony devices included in a first network and at least one network device connected to a second network, the method comprising:

generating, by a telephony control point (TCP), a session request for a multi-media conferencing session between a telephony client (TC) and the network device, wherein the session request includes a first session identifier, session information, media capabilities of the TC, a information of the network device or conference group identifier of the network device, and a subject of the multi-media conferencing session;

transmitting the session request to a telephony server (TS); and

receiving, from the TS, a confirmation message sent from the network device in response to a multi-media conference initiate request, wherein the multi-media conference initiate request is transmitted from the TS to the network device and the multi-media conference initiate request includes a second session identifier, the media capabilities of the TC, and the session information,

wherein the first session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the TS, and the second session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session on the network device.

18. A telephony control point (TCP) device for performing a method of multi-media conferencing between telephony devices included in a first network and at least one network device connected to a second network, the TCP device comprising:

a network interface; and

a processor which;

generates a session request for a multi-media conferencing session between a telephony client (TC) and the network device, wherein the session request includes a first session identifier, session information, media capabilities of the TC, a information of the network device or conference group identifier of the network device, and a subject of the multi-media conferencing session;

controls the network interface to transmit the session request to the TS; and

controls the network interface to receiver, from the TS, a confirmation message sent from the network device in response to a multi-media conference initiate request, wherein the multi-media conference initiate request is transmitted from the TS to the network device, and the multi-media conference initiate request includes a second session identifier, the media capabilities of the TC, and the session information,

wherein the first session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the TS, and the second session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session on the network device.

19. A method of multi-media conferencing between telephony devices included in a first network and at least one network device in a second network the method comprising:

receiving, by the network device, a multi-media conference initiate request for establishing the multi-media conferencing session between the telephony client (TC) and the network device, when a session request received by a TS is associated with the multi-media conferencing session, wherein the multi-media conference initiate request comprises a global session identifier, a media capabilities of the TC, and a session subject, from the TS;

transmitting, by the network device, a confirmation message to the TS in response to the multi-media conference initiate request; and

establishing, by the network device, the multi-media conferencing session with the TC,

wherein the global session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the TS on the network device.

20. A network device in a second network for performing a method of multi-media conferencing with telephony devices included in a first network, the network device comprising:

a network interface; and

a processor which controls;

the network interface to receive a multi-media conference initiate request for establishing the multi-media conferencing session between a telephony client (TC) and the network device, when a session request received by a TS is associated with the multi-media conferencing session, wherein the multi-media conference initiate request comprises a global session identifier, a media capabilities of a TC, and a session subject;

the network interface to transmit a confirmation message to the TS in response to the multi-media conference initiate request; and

the network device to establish the multi-media conferencing session with the TC,

wherein the global session identifier includes information that identifies the multi-media conferencing session between the TC and the TS on the network device.