Method and device for realizing private session in multipoint conference

• US 8,243,120 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Xu, Fugang
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US12/563,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20100073457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 370/260, 370/261, 709203-204
• US Class Current: 348/14.09
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1093 by adding participants; by removing participants
• 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 method for realizing a private session in a multipoint conference is provided. The method includes: establishing, by a multipoint control unit (MCU), a private session according to a private session establishment request carrying private session participant identifiers (IDs) sent by a private session initiator, and sending audio code streams of private session participants corresponding to the private session participant IDs. A device for realizing a private session in a multipoint conference is further provided. Thus, a part of participants can discuss privately while normally listening to the content of the multipoint conference.

Claims

1. A method for realizing a private session in a multipoint conference, comprising:

receiving, by a multipoint control unit (MCU), a private session establishment request, wherein the private session establishment request carries private session participant identifiers (IDs);

establishing, by the MCU, a private session according to the private session establishment request;

mixing, by the MCU, audio code streams of private session participants according to the private session participant IDs; and

sending, by the MCU, the mixed audio code streams to the private session participants, and prohibiting the mixed audio code streams of the private session participants from being sent to those not participating in the private session,

presetting priority levels of all participants of the multipoint conference;

wherein the mixing of the audio code streams of the private session participants further comprises;

mixing, by the MCU, audio code streams of participants with high priority levels; and

filtering off audio code streams of participants with low priority levels.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the private session establishment request further carries a session type and a session ID;

and

the establishing the private session further comprises;

receiving, by the MCU, the private session establishment request;

recording the session type, the session ID, and the private session participant IDs carried in the private session establishment request; and

sending the private session establishment request to private session participants except the private session initiator according to the private session participant IDs;

returning, by the private session participants except the private session initiator, a response message about agreeing to establish the private session to the MCU, after the private session participants except the private session initiator agree to establish the private session; and

receiving, by the MCU, the response message, exclusively mixing audio code streams of the private session participants to obtain an audio mixing table, and setting senders and receivers of the audio code streams in the audio mixing table, so as to finish establishing the private session.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the private session establishment request further carries a session type and a number of an audio channel adapted to transmit private session audio code streams of the private session initiator;

and

the establishing the private session further comprises;

receiving, by the MCU, the private session establishment request;

recording the private session participant IDs, the session type, and the number of the audio channel; and

sending the private session establishment request to private session participants except the private session initiator according to the private session participant IDs;

sending, by the private session participants except the private session initiator, a response message about agreeing to establish the private session to the MCU, after the private session participants except the private session initiator agree to establish the private session;

wherein the response message carries a number of an audio channel adapted to transmit private session audio code streams of the private session participants except the private session initiator; and

receiving, by the MCU, the response message, and recording the number of the audio channel carried in the response message, so as to finish establishing the private session.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the sending the audio code streams of the private session participants corresponding to the private session participant IDs further comprises:

transmitting private session audio code streams in audio channels corresponding to the number of the audio channel carried in the private session establishment request and that carried in the response message.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting audio code streams of the multipoint conference in audio channels other than the audio channels adapted to transmit the private session audio code streams.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the private session establishment request further carries a session type and a number of an audio channel adapted to transmit private session audio code streams of the private session initiator;

and

the establishing the private session further comprises;

receiving, by the MCU, the private session establishment request;

recording the private session participant IDs, the session type, and the number of the audio channel adapted to transmit private session audio code streams of the private session initiator; and

sending the private session establishment request to private session participants except the private session initiator according to the private session participant IDs;

returning, by the private session participants except the private session initiator, a response message about agreeing to establish the private session to the MCU, after the private session participants except the private session initiator agree to establish the private session; and

receiving, by the MCU, the response message, and assigning a number of an audio channel adapted to transmit private session audio code streams of the private session participants except the private session initiator, so as to finish establishing the private session.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the sending the audio code streams of the private session participants corresponding to the private session participant IDs further comprises:

transmitting private session audio code streams in audio channels corresponding to the number of the audio channel carried in the private session establishment request and the number of the audio channel assigned by the MCU for the private session audio code streams of the private session participants except the private session initiator.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting audio code streams of the multipoint conference in audio channels other than the audio channels adapted to transmit the private session audio code streams.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein when video calls among participants is supported, the method further comprises:

forwarding, by the MCU, merely video code streams of the private session participants for the private session participants;

or

transmitting, by the MCU, video code streams of multipoint conference participants and video code streams of the private session participants in different video channels respectively.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a private session participant intends to terminate the private session, the method further comprises:

sending a request message for terminating the private session to the MCU, wherein the request message carries the private session participant IDs and the session ID; and

receiving, by the MCU, the request message, recovering an audio mixing table when the private session is not established, and forwarding the request message to the other private session participants.

11. A device for realizing a private session in a multipoint conference, comprising:

a receiving module, a control module, and an audio module, wherein

the receiving module is adapted to receive a private session establishment request carrying private session participant identifiers (IDs) sent by a private session initiator, and parse the received private session establishment request;

the control module is adapted to establish a private session according to the private session establishment request parsed by the receiving module, and send audio code streams of private session participants corresponding to the private session participant IDs; and

the audio module is adapted to transmit private session audio code streams in audio channels corresponding to the private session audio code streams, and transmit audio code streams of the multipoint conference in audio channels other than the audio channels corresponding to the private session audio code streams under the control of the control module.

12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a video module, wherein

the video module is adapted to transmit video code streams of the private session participants in a video channel under the control of the control module;

or

the video module is adapted to transmit video code streams of multipoint conference participants and video code streams of the private session participants in different video channels respectively under the control of the control module.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein when a private session participant intends to terminate the private session, the device further comprises a terminating module;

the terminating module is adapted to send a request message for terminating the private session to the control module, wherein the request message carries private session participant IDs and a session ID; and

the control module is adapted to receive the request message, recover an audio mixing table when the private session is not established, and forward the request message to the other private session participants.