U.S. patent application number 13/259796 was filed with the patent office on 2012-01-26 for method and device for processing a piece of information indicative of a desire to be involved in at least one user application session.
This patent application is currently assigned to FRANCE TELECOM. Invention is credited to Youssef Chadli, Antoine Mouquet.
Application Number | 20120023245 13/259796 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41426164 |
Filed Date | 2012-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120023245 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mouquet; Antoine ; et
al. |
January 26, 2012 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PROCESSING A PIECE OF INFORMATION INDICATIVE
OF A DESIRE TO BE INVOLVED IN AT LEAST ONE USER APPLICATION
SESSION
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for processing an item of
information indicative of a desire for involvement in at least one
application session, established according to the SIP protocol, in
progress for a user of a telecommunications network. The at least
one session is controlled by a first terminal of the user. The
method is implemented by the first controller terminal, and
includes receiving a notification of an event relating to the user,
which includes at least one item of information indicative of a
level of involvement desired by a second terminal of the user, and
making a decision relating to the desired level of involvement. In
the case of a positive decision, an involvement command is
transmitted relating to the level of involvement desired by the
second terminal to the telecommunications network.
Inventors: |
Mouquet; Antoine;
(Courbevoie, FR) ; Chadli; Youssef; (Houilles,
FR) |
Assignee: |
FRANCE TELECOM
Paris
FR
|
Family ID: |
41426164 |
Appl. No.: |
13/259796 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
March 22, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR10/50515 |
371 Date: |
September 23, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/228 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 65/1006 20130101;
H04L 67/26 20130101; H04L 65/1093 20130101; H04L 65/1096
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/228 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/16 20060101
G06F015/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 24, 2009 |
FR |
0951885 |
Claims
1. A method comprising: processing an item of information
indicative of a desire for involvement in at least one application
session, established according to the SIP protocol, in progress for
a user of a telecommunications network, said at least one session
being controlled by a first terminal of said user, wherein
processing comprises the following steps implemented by the first
controller terminal: reception of a notification of an event
relating to the user, comprising at least one item of information
indicative of a level of involvement desired by a second terminal
of said user; decision making relating to the desired level of
involvement; and in the case of a positive decision, dispatching an
involvement command relating to said level of involvement desired
by the second terminal to the telecommunications network.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said item of
information relates to a desire to be the target of a transfer of
at least one type of media stream.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said item of
information relates to a desire to take control of said at least
one application session in progress.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, subsequent to a prior
subscription to a mechanism for notification of an event relating
to a state of the user by the first terminal with a presence server
of the telecommunications network, the event notification is
received from said presence server.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, subsequent to
subscription to an event notification mechanism with the second
terminal, the event notification is received from the second
terminal.
6. A device for processing an item of information indicative of a
desire for involvement in an application session, established
according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user of a
telecommunications network, said at least one session being
controlled by a first terminal of said user, wherein said device,
implemented by the first controller terminal, comprises: means for
reception of a notification of an event relating to the user,
comprising at least one item of information indicative of a level
of involvement desired by a second terminal of said user; means for
making a decision making relating to the desired level of
involvement; and means for, in the case of a positive decision,
dispatching an involvement command relating to said level of
involvement desired by the second terminal to the
telecommunications network.
7. A method of involvement in at least one application session,
established according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user
of a telecommunications network, said session being controlled by a
first terminal of said user, wherein said method, implemented by a
second terminal of said user, comprises: a step of sending a
notification of an event relating to said user comprising at least
one item of information indicative of a level of involvement
desired by the second terminal in said at least one application
session.
8. The method of involvement in at least one application session in
progress as claimed in claim 7, wherein said event notification is
published at a presence server able to transmit the event
notification to terminals of the user having previously subscribed
thereto.
9. The method of involvement in at least one application session in
progress as claimed in claim 7, wherein, subsequent to prior
reception of a request for subscription to a mechanism for
notification of an event relating to a state of said user by the
first terminal with the second terminal, the event notification is
dispatched to said first terminal.
10. The method of involvement in at least one application session
in progress as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method comprises: a
step of obtaining information comprising a list of identifiers of
application sessions in progress between said user and the network
and wherein the step of sending an item of information indicative
of a level of involvement desired by the second terminal comprises
the identifier of the targeted application session.
11. A device for involvement in at least one application session,
established according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user
of a telecommunications network, said session being controlled by a
first terminal of said user, wherein said device, implemented by a
second terminal of said user, comprises: means for sending an event
notification comprising at least one item of information indicative
of a level of involvement desired by the second terminal in said at
least one application session.
12. A terminal of a user of a telecommunications network, wherein
the terminal is configured to control at least one application
session, established according to the SIP protocol, in progress
between the user and said telecommunications network, and wherein
the terminal comprises: a device configured to process an item of
information indicative of a desire for involvement in at least one
application session, the device for processing comprising: means
for reception of a notification of an event relating to the user,
comprising at least one item of information indicative of a level
of involvement desired by a second terminal of said user; means for
making a decision making relating to the desired level of
involvement; and means for, in the case of a positive decision,
dispatching an involvement command relating to said level of
involvement desired by the second terminal to the
telecommunications network; and a device configured for involvement
in at least one application session in progress, which comprises
means for sending an event notification comprising at least one
item of information indicative of a level of involvement desired by
the second terminal in said at least one application session.
13. A presence server in a telecommunications network, comprising:
means for receiving information relating to a user and published by
a second terminal of a user registered in the network, means for
storing said information, means for recording a request for
subscription to a notification of an event relating to said user of
at least one first terminal of said user, and means for
notification of an event relating to said user of said first
terminal of the user wherein said information comprises at least
one item of information indicative of a desired level of
involvement of the second terminal in at least one application
session, established according to the SIP protocol, in progress
between the first terminal and the telecommunications network.
14. A method comprising: generating a carrier signal bearing an
event notification message, said event relating to a state of a
user of a telecommunications network, said user possessing a first
controller terminal which controls an application session,
established according to the SIP protocol, in progress between the
user and the network, and sending said signal by a second terminal
of said user, wherein the message comprises an item of information
indicative of a level of involvement desired by the second terminal
in said at least one application session in progress.
15. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory support
readable by computer and executable by a microprocessor, wherein
the product comprises program code instructions for execution of a
method for processing a desire for involvement in at least one
application session in progress, wherein the method comprises:.
processing an item of information indicative of the desire for
involvement in the at least one application session, established
according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user of a
telecommunications network, said at least one session being
controlled by a first terminal of said user, wherein processing
comprises the following steps implemented by the first controller
terminal: reception of a notification of an event relating to the
user, comprising at least one item of information indicative of a
level of involvement desired by a second terminal of said user;
decision making relating to the desired level of involvement; and
in the case of a positive decision, dispatching an involvement
command relating to said level of involvement desired by the second
terminal to the telecommunications network.
16. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory support
readable by computer and executable by a microprocessor, wherein
the product comprises program code instructions for execution of a
method of involvement in the at least one application session,
established according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user
of a telecommunications network, said session being controlled by a
first terminal of said user, wherein said method, implemented by a
second terminal of said user, comprises: a step of sending a
notification of an event relating to said user comprising at least
one item of information indicative of a level of involvement
desired by the second terminal in said at least one application
session.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application is a Section 371 National Stage Application
of International Application No. PCT/FR2010/050515, filed Mar. 22,
2010 and published as WO 2010/109,125 on Sep. 30, 2010, not in
English.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] None.
THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT
[0003] None.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0004] The field of the disclosure is that of telecommunications
networks, and more particularly the interactions between various
terminals of a client user of these networks.
[0005] The present disclosure relates to a method for processing a
desire for involvement of a second terminal in at least one
application session in progress for a user on a first terminal. The
disclosure applies in a particularly advantageous manner to IP
networks allowing the distribution of audiovisual contents as well
as to the field of SIP ("Session Initiation Protocol") session
control architectures of IMS type proposed by the 3GPP ("3rd
Generation Partnership Project") and TISPAN ("Telecommunications
and Internet converged Services and Protocols for Advanced
Networking") standardization bodies.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] IMS is a network architecture introduced by the 3GPP for
mobile networks, and then employed by TISPAN for fixed networks.
This architecture allows the dynamic establishment and the control
of multimedia sessions between two clients as well as the
reservation of resources at the media streams transport network
level. It also manages the interaction of services.
[0007] A client user of an operator's telecommunications network is
considered. In the 3GPP standard, this user can use several
terminals, fixed or mobile, for one and the same subscription to a
service provided by the operator. In 3GPP terminology, a terminal
is called UE (User Equipment).
[0008] It is assumed that this user has an application session in
progress in the telecommunications network. By way of example, he
is in communication with an opposite party on one of his terminals
UE. Currently, the state of the art in 3GPP allows this user to
transfer one or more streams of this communication (when the latter
comprises several streams, an audio stream and a video stream for
example) over to another UE terminal. Thus, a user who has begun a
call on his mobile terminal and who arrives at his office can
transfer the voice stream over to his fixed terminal, in a
transparent manner, that is to say without interruption for his
opposite party.
[0009] However, a constraint of the technique currently specified
in 3GPP within the framework of application session transfer is
that, for a given multimedia session, a single terminal, the
so-called "Controller UE" (controller terminal), has control of the
service. Stated otherwise, only this controller terminal can
initiate the transfer of a media stream to another terminal.
[0010] According to the document TR 23.838, when a UE participates
in the establishment of a communication, it is the controller of
this communication. When this terminal decides, upon a user action,
to transfer the communication or one or more streams making up this
communication to another terminal, he may decide either to transfer
control or to retain it. The terminal may also transfer control of
the communication to another terminal, the so-called target
terminal, without transferring any stream.
[0011] The user cannot request a transfer by interacting with a
terminal other than the controller terminal. Thus, in the previous
example, the transfer may be requested by the user by interacting
with his mobile telephone (which is then controller), but not by
pressing a key of the fixed telephone.
[0012] However, situations exist where it would be preferable for
the user to be able to control the session transfer from the target
terminal. The case is considered, for example, of a user who has
received a link to a video clip on his mobile terminal. He is in
the process of viewing this clip when he returns home. It is
assumed that members of the user's family join him to view it. But
before the end of the clip, the user receives an important call on
his mobile terminal. He takes the call immediately. However, the
other members of his family would like to continue to view the
clip. However, it is not possible to do so from a terminal other
than the controller mobile terminal controlling the application
session in progress.
SUMMARY
[0013] An aspect of the disclosure relates to a method for
processing an item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement in at least one application session, established
according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user of a
telecommunications network, said at least one session being
controlled by a first terminal of said user.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the invention, said method,
implemented by the first controller terminal, comprises the
following steps: [0015] reception of a notification of an event
relating to a state of said user, comprising at least one item of
information indicative of a level of involvement desired by a
second terminal of said user; [0016] decision making relating to
the desired level of involvement; and [0017] in the case of
positive decision, dispatching of an involvement command relating
to said level of involvement desired by the second terminal to the
telecommunications network.
[0018] An embodiment of the invention thus allows a user of a
public telecommunications network of an operator to express his
desire for involvement in an application session in progress,
directly from the terminal on which he desires to receive the
transferred media stream. According to an embodiment of the
invention, he does not need to send an explicit request for
involvement to the network, but only to make known his intentions
which will be notified at least to the controller terminal
controlling the session in progress.
[0019] Indeed, an embodiment of the invention relies on an
extension of a user-related event subscription/notification
mechanism, which makes it possible to notify the controller
terminal controlling the session in progress of a change relating
to a state of the user on another terminal, and in particular of a
change relating to a desire for involvement of this other terminal
of the user in the session in progress.
[0020] The controller terminal takes cognizance of the new
intentions of the other user terminal, by receiving a notification
of an event relating to a state of the user on this other terminal.
It then decides whether it is possible to satisfy the desire for
involvement expressed by the other terminal as a function of
predetermined criteria. It is understood that it may decide to
refuse, partially satisfy or completely satisfy the indirect
request of the user's other terminal. Once its decision has been
taken, it implements the action corresponding to its decision, by
dispatching a suitable command to the network.
[0021] An embodiment of the invention thus proposes a novel and
inventive approach for solving the problem of the consideration by
the network of a desire for involvement in a session in progress of
a user terminal which is not the controller terminal controlling
the application session in progress, such as defined in the IMS
architecture.
[0022] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the
invention, said item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement relates to a desire to be the target of a transfer of
at least one type of media stream. It is understood that the
requesting terminal desires to receive all or some of the media
streams exchanged during the application session. By way of
example, a television terminal could notify its desire for
involvement by having a video stream transferred to it, whilst the
audio stream would be requested by another more suitable terminal
of the user, for example a hifi system.
[0023] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the
invention, said item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement in a session relates to a desire to take control of the
session. By way of example, when a user returns home and requests
the transfer of the streams of a session in progress on his mobile
terminal to at least one fixed terminal, he may desire to control
the session from this fixed terminal.
[0024] Of course these two types of desire can be aggregated in the
same event notification.
[0025] According to a first embodiment of the invention, subsequent
to the prior subscription to a mechanism for notification of an
event relating to a state of the user by the first terminal with a
presence server of the telecommunications network, the event
notification is received from said presence server. A first
advantage of this solution is to benefit from the presence
mechanism specified in the document RFC 3856 when it is already put
in place for other services, such as the discovery of other users
registered in the network or an instant messaging service. A second
advantage is that it envisages a notification of the various
terminals of one and the same user by the network, thereby making
it possible not to increase the complexity of processing at the
level of the terminals. The terminals of the user publish, at the
presence server, information relating to a state of the user in the
network. According to an embodiment of the invention, the second
terminal publishes in particular an item of information indicative
of a desire for involvement in at least one session in progress.
This item of information is notified to the terminals which have
previously subscribed to the aforementioned notification mechanism
with this presence server, able to notify them of any change of
state of the user.
[0026] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the
invention, subsequent to the subscription to an event notification
mechanism with the second terminal, the event notification is
received from the second terminal.
[0027] The controller terminal of the user subscribes to the
aforementioned notification mechanism directly with each of the
other terminals of the user which are registered in the network. An
advantage of this solution is that it does not require the use of a
presence server of the telecommunications network to manage the
subscription/notification of events.
[0028] It will be noted that the terminals of a user are, according
to the specifications of the IMS architecture, obliged to subscribe
to a notification mechanism (Reg Event) in respect of a state of
registration of a public identity of the user in the network, which
allows them to be informed in the case of deregistration of this
identity by the network. They are also informed of the identities
of the same user's other terminals, registered simultaneously in
the network. They can therefore use these identities to subscribe
with each of these terminals to the event notification mechanism in
respect of a state of the user according to an embodiment of the
invention.
[0029] An embodiment of the invention also relates to a device for
processing an item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement in an application session, established according to the
SIP protocol, in progress for a user of a telecommunications
network, said at least one session being controlled by a first
terminal of said user. According to an embodiment of the invention,
such a device comprises means for implementing the method for
processing a desire for involvement in at least one application
session in progress.
[0030] An embodiment of the invention also relates to a method of
involvement in at least one application session, established
according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user of a
telecommunications network, said session being controlled by a
first terminal of said user, characterized in that said method,
implemented by a second terminal of said user, comprises a step of
sending an event notification comprising at least one item of
information indicative of a level of involvement desired by the
second terminal in said at least one application session.
[0031] Such a method is advantageously implemented by the second
terminal to make known to the controller terminal its desire to be
involved in a session in progress, for example whether or not to
become the target of a transfer of at least one type of media
stream or to take control of the session.
[0032] According to an embodiment of the invention, the second
terminal does not need to know the sessions in progress. It simply
makes known its desire to be the target of a transfer of a type of
media stream and/or of the control of at least one session. When it
receives a media stream of the requested type, it is up to it
whether to accept it or to refuse it.
[0033] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the
invention, said event notification is published at a presence
server able to transmit it to terminals of the user having
previously subscribed thereto.
[0034] It will be noted that the second terminal does not itself
need to have previously subscribed with the presence server, in
order to publish its presence therewith.
[0035] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the
invention, subsequent to the prior reception of a request for
subscription to an event notification mechanism by the first
terminal with the second terminal, the event notification is
dispatched to said first terminal. According to this embodiment of
the invention, the second terminal directly notifies the terminals
which have subscribed therewith to the notification of an event
relating to a state of the user.
[0036] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the
invention, the method comprises a step of obtaining information
comprising a list of identifiers of application sessions in
progress between said user and the network and the step of sending
an item of information indicative of a level of involvement desired
by the second terminal comprises the identifier of the targeted
application session. The second terminal is informed of the list of
sessions in progress so as to be able to choose the media stream or
streams of interest to it from among those which are available
and/or at least one particular session of which it desires to take
control. It can advantageously obtain it via the extended
subscription/notification mechanism according to an embodiment of
the invention, either from the presence server, or directly from
each terminal, according to embodiment of the invention.
[0037] An embodiment of the invention also relates to a device for
involvement in at least one application session, established
according to the SIP protocol, in progress for a user of a
telecommunications network, said session being controlled by a
first terminal of said user, the request originating from a second
terminal of the user, characterized in that said device comprises
means for implementing the method for requesting involvement in an
application session.
[0038] An embodiment of the invention also relates to a terminal of
a user of a telecommunications network, able to control an
application session, established according to the SIP protocol, in
progress between the user and said telecommunications network,
characterized in that it comprises a device for processing an item
of information indicative of a desire for involvement of another
terminal in at least one application session in progress and a
device for involvement of said terminal in at least one application
session in progress.
[0039] An embodiment of the invention relates furthermore to a
presence server in a telecommunications network, comprising means
for receiving information relating to a user and published by a
second terminal of a user registered in the network, means for
storing said information, means for recording a request for
subscription to a notification of an event relating to said user
originating from at least one first terminal of said user and means
of notification of said first terminal of the user, characterized
in that said information comprises at least one item of information
indicative of a desire for involvement of the second terminal in at
least one application session, established according to the SIP
protocol, in progress between the first terminal and the
telecommunications network.
[0040] An embodiment of the invention also relates to a carrier
signal bearing an event notification message, said event relating
to a state of a user of a telecommunications network, said user
possessing a first controller terminal which controls an
application session, established according to the SIP protocol, in
progress between the user and the network, characterized in that
said message is sent by the second terminal and comprises an item
of information indicative of a desire for involvement of the second
terminal in said application session in progress.
[0041] In a particular embodiment, the various steps of the method
for processing an item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement in an application session in progress are determined by
instructions of computer programs.
[0042] Consequently, an embodiment of the invention is also aimed
at a computer program on an information support, this program being
implementable in a routing, reception or transmission device or
more generally in a computer, this program comprising instructions
suited to the implementation of the steps of a method for
processing an item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement such as described hereinabove.
[0043] This program can use any programming language, and be in the
form of source code, object code, or of code intermediate between
source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form,
or in any other desirable form.
[0044] An embodiment of the invention is also aimed at an
information support readable by a computer, and comprising
instructions of a computer program such as mentioned
hereinabove.
[0045] The information support may be any entity or device capable
of storing the program. For example, the support can comprise a
storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a
microelectronic circuit ROM, or else a magnetic recording means,
for example a diskette (floppy disk) or a hard disk.
[0046] Moreover, the information support may be a transmissible
support such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be
routed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other
means. The program according to an embodiment of the invention may
be in particular downloaded from a network of Internet type.
[0047] Alternatively, the information support may be an integrated
circuit into which the program is incorporated, the circuit being
suitable for executing or for being used in the execution of the
method in question.
[0048] In a particular embodiment, the various steps of the method
of involvement in an application session in progress according to
an embodiment of the invention are determined by instructions of
computer programs.
[0049] Consequently, an embodiment of the invention is also aimed
at a computer program on an information support, this program being
implementable in a routing, reception or transmission device or
more generally in a computer, this program comprising instructions
suited to the implementation of the steps of a method of
involvement such as described hereinabove.
[0050] This program can use any programming language, and be in the
form of source code, object code, or of code intermediate between
source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form,
or in any other desirable form.
[0051] An embodiment of the invention is also aimed at an
information support readable by a computer, and comprising
instructions of a computer program such as mentioned
hereinabove.
[0052] The information support may be any entity or device capable
of storing the program. For example, the support can comprise a
storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a
microelectronic circuit ROM, or else a magnetic recording means,
for example a diskette (floppy disk) or a hard disk.
[0053] Moreover, the information support may be a transmissible
support such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be
routed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other
means. The program according to an embodiment of the invention may
be in particular downloaded from a network of Internet type.
[0054] Alternatively, the information support may be an integrated
circuit into which the program is incorporated, the circuit being
suitable for executing or for being used in the execution of the
method in question.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0055] Other advantages and characteristics will be more clearly
apparent on reading the following description of a particular
embodiment of the invention, given by way of simple illustrative
and nonlimiting example, and the appended drawings, among
which:
[0056] FIG. 1 illustrates in a schematic manner the case of a user
having a plurality of terminals registered in a telecommunications
network involved in an application session on a first controller
terminal controlling the session and desiring to request to be
involved in the session, from a second terminal, according to an
embodiment of the invention;
[0057] FIG. 2 presents in a schematic manner the method of
involvement in an application session in progress according to an
embodiment of the invention;
[0058] FIG. 3 presents in a schematic manner the structure of a
device for involvement in at least one application session
according to an embodiment of the invention and the structure of a
device for processing an item of information indicative of a desire
for involvement in at least one session according to an embodiment
of the invention;
[0059] FIG. 4 presents in a schematic manner the method for
processing an item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement in at least one application session in progress
according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0060] FIGS. 5 and 6 present the diagrams of the streams exchanged
between the terminals of a user and the telecommunication network
in a first exemplary implementation of the first embodiment of the
invention;
[0061] FIGS. 7 and 8 present the diagrams of the streams exchanged
between the terminals of a user and the telecommunication network
in a second exemplary implementation of the first embodiment of the
invention; and
[0062] FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 present the diagrams of the streams
exchanged between the terminals of a user and the telecommunication
network in an exemplary implementation of the second embodiment of
the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0063] In conjunction with FIG. 1, a user A of a telecommunications
network 1 is considered. This user A has a plurality of terminals
UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2, UE.sub.3 registered in the network. These
terminals may be mobile or fixed terminals of varied types, such as
for example a television, a PC, a mobile telephone or a fixed
telephone, provided that they have an IP connection to the
telecommunications network 1. It is assumed that the terminal
UE.sub.1 is a mobile terminal, such as for example a mobile
telephone, personal digital assistant PDA, smartphone, etc and that
the terminals UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3 are fixed terminals such as,
for example, a fixed telephone, a computer PC, a television set and
an audio player.
[0064] It is assumed that the terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and
UE.sub.3 access the telecommunications network 1 via access
networks 21, 22. The access network 21 is for example a mobile
access network of UMTS, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, I-WLAN type, etc. and in
this case, the terminal UE.sub.1 accesses the telecommunications
network 1 via a radio base station or else in the I-WLAN case via a
Wifi access point. It is assumed that the access network 22 is a
fixed access network of x-DSL, FTTH type, etc. and that the fixed
terminals UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3 access the network 1 via a
residential gateway or a router modem.
[0065] It will be noted that the invention is not limited to these
examples of access technologies nor of types of terminals and that
the invention extends to any other access technology allowing any
type of IP terminal to connect to the telecommunications network
1.
[0066] It is assumed that the user A has taken out a subscription
with the operator of the telecommunications network 1 which allows
him to open one or more multimedia sessions with the network 1. The
expression multimedia session refers to any continuous
communication period during which a user accesses one or more
media, such as voice, text, image, video or the like, from a
terminal. By way of example, a multimedia session can correspond to
a simple telephone conversation, a videocommunication, the
broadcasting of an audiovisual program, a conversation by instant
messaging, etc. It will be noted that such a multimedia session may
involve one or more other users.
[0067] The telecommunications network 1 comprises an application
system 10 intended to manage the establishment and tracking of all
the multimedia sessions relating to the user on his terminal
(initiated session or session destined for the user as in the case
of an incoming session intended for the user). The application
system 10 can for example be a system of the IP Multimedia or IMS
("IP Multimedia Subsystem") sub-domain which is a known
standardized architecture for next generation networks NGN ("Next
Generation Networking") for the telecommunications operators and
which makes it possible to provide fixed and mobile multimedia
services. This system relies on various technologies for
transporting media streams, including voice over IP ("Internet
Protocol") network technology based on a standardized 3GPP ("3rd
Generation Partnership Project") implementation of the SIP
("Session Initiation Protocol") signaling protocol operating on an
IP standard protocol. The IMS architecture supports existing
telephone systems and allows the users to use multimedia services
both on the move in an outside environment ("roaming" situation)
and from a domestic environment. For this purpose, the IMS
architecture uses the IP standard protocols defined by the IETF
("Internet Engineering Task Force").
[0068] The architecture of an IMS system, the various entities of
such a system, the registration of the equipment of the users with
an IMS system as well as the establishment of a multimedia session
in an IMS system are in particular described in detail in the
documents 3GPP TS 23.228 V8.8.0 (2009-03), 3rd Generation
Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and
System Aspects; IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS); Stage 2 (Release
8)>>available at the Web address
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/specs/archive/23_series/23.228/, and
<< 3GPP TS 24.229 V8.6.0 (2008-12), 3rd Generation
Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Core Network and
Terminals; IP multimedia call control protocol based on Session
Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Session Description Protocol (SDP);
Stage 3 (Release 8)>> available at the Web address
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/archive/24_series/24.229/. The SIP
protocol is described in the document RFC 3261 of the IETF working
group (working group on the Internet network or Internet
Engineering Task Force), available at the Internet address
http://www.ietf.org/rfc.
[0069] After connecting to the communication network 1, the user A
registers with the application system 10. More precisely, to be
able to avail himself of the multimedia services to which the user
A has subscribed through his operator, the user A registers at the
IMS which is the application system instantiation chosen in this
example. Attachment to the IMS is achieved by registering the user
via the SIP process "Register" as defined in RFC 3261 specified by
the IETF. One of the items of data used as parameter is the public
identity of the user which serves to identify this user to the
third party users (the user can have several public identities).
The registering of the user in the application system 10 allows him
to receive, in particular, requests for establishing multimedia
sessions initiated by third party users (originating either from a
fixed or mobile network) such as a request for establishing a
conversational session ("chat") for example.
[0070] The case is considered for example where a user has an
application session in progress from his mobile terminal with
another user of the communication network. It is assumed that the
user has sent him a video clip that he has just downloaded and that
he now desires to view. As he has just returned home, the user A
would like to view the video clip from his television so as to
enable other members of his family to benefit therefrom and control
the stream transfer with the aid of his television's remote
control.
[0071] The procedures making it possible to transfer media streams
between various terminals of one and the same user, in an IMS
network, are described in the document TR 23.838. The orchestration
of this service is ensured by a dedicated application server SCC AS
110. This is the application service in charge of service
continuity ("Service Centralization and Continuity Application
Server" or SCC AS). The IMS architecture is described in TS.
23.228. The detailed use of SIP in the IMS architecture is
described in TS 24.229.
[0072] Now, as mentioned previously, 3GPP imposes according to TR
23.838 that a single terminal has control of a multimedia session
in progress. In the present case, this is the mobile terminal
UE.sub.1. It is therefore not possible according to the 3GPP
standard for the television to request the transfer of the session
in progress over to the user's mobile terminal.
[0073] An embodiment of the invention allows another terminal of
the user A to make known to the controller terminal UE.sub.1 the
desire thereof to be involved in the session in progress on the
controller terminal UE.sub.1. It relies on a mechanism for event
notification between the terminals of the user. This event
notification mechanism may be implemented with the aid of
SUBSCRIBE/NOTIFY SIP signaling messages as defined in the document
RFC 3265. TR 23.838 describes several solutions based on this
mechanism which allow a user's terminals to discover the user's
other registered terminals and to ascertain their availability as
well as the types of media that they support.
[0074] An embodiment of the invention consists in extending this
mechanism so as to allow a terminal of the user to indicate to the
other terminals of this user his desire to be the target of a
transfer of at least one media stream of a session in progress
and/or to take control of at least one session. An embodiment of
the invention therefore consists in exchanging via the
SUBSCRIBE/NOTFY mechanism information allowing a terminal to
indicate its desire to recover either the control of at least one
session in progress, or one, several or all the streams of this
session, or both control and also one or more streams: A terminal
which desires to become the target of a transfer updates the item
of information regarding its state with a particular value which
signifies that it desires to be the target of a transfer. This
particular value may furthermore comprise an indicator specifying
whether the terminal wishes to have control of the communication
transferred to it, and a list of types of media that it wishes to
have transferred to it. It will be noted that it may request only
the transfer of control of a session in progress.
[0075] In an advantageous manner, an embodiment of the invention
furthermore allows a terminal involved in one or more sessions to
communicate its involvement to the other terminals. For each
communication in which the terminal is involved, the terminal
indicates: [0076] the identifier of the communication, [0077] for
each media stream of the communication in which the terminal is
involved, the characteristics of this stream and an identifier of
this stream, [0078] the identity of the remote user with whom the
communication is established. If this identity is unavailable or
anonymous, the terminal indicates "anonymous identity" or
unavailable identity as the case may be, [0079] whether or not it
has control of this communication.
[0080] In a variant, this item of information is provided only by
the terminals having control of a communication. In this case, for
each communication of which it has control, the terminal indicates:
[0081] the identifier of the session, [0082] for each media stream
of the session, the characteristics of this stream, an identifier
of this stream and the identity of the terminal which carries this
stream, [0083] the identity of the remote user with whom the
session has been established. If this identity is unavailable or
anonymous, the terminal indicates "anonymous identity" or
unavailable identity as the case may be.
[0084] It will be noted that the provision of the information
relating to the sessions in progress is optional and is not
indispensable to the invention. It is also possible to provide only
part of the information mentioned hereinabove.
[0085] According to an embodiment of the invention, two cases are
therefore possible: [0086] The terminal which desires to indicate
its desire to be the target of a transfer has the information
provided by the other terminals via the event notification
mechanism (information described at 1.). In this case, the terminal
uses this information received to designate the session or one or
more media streams that it desires to have transferred to it. The
information regarding its state then comprises the following items
of information: [0087] An indicator signifying that it wishes to be
the target of a transfer [0088] The identifier(s) of the session(s)
concerned in the transfer [0089] For each session concerned in the
transfer, zero, one or more media stream identifiers, corresponding
to the media stream(s) that it wishes to have transferred to it
[0090] For each session concerned in the transfer, indication of
whether or not the transfer of the control of this session is
requested. [0091] The terminal has no information relating to the
sessions and media streams in progress. In this case, the terminal
simply indicates its desire to be the target of a transfer. Its
state information then comprises the following items of
information: [0092] An indicator signifying that it wishes to be
the target of a transfer [0093] Zero, one or more types of media
that the terminal wishes to have transferred to it [0094] An
indicator indicating whether it wishes control of a session to be
transferred to it
[0095] The event notification mechanism allows the controller
terminal controlling the session concerned to be notified
immediately thereof, and by combining this item of information with
the preferences (configured in the terminal) of the user and other
possible parameters, the latter decides to initiate the
transfer.
[0096] Various solutions are possible for exchanging the
information relating to the state of a user or of one of his
terminals by using the subscription/notification mechanism. They
will be presented in greater detail in the subsequent
description.
[0097] An embodiment of invention therefore relates to a method of
involvement in at least one application session in progress, which
will now be described in conjunction with FIG. 2. Such a method is
advantageously implemented by a terminal of the user A that is not
involved in any application session in progress. This is for
example the terminal UE.sub.2. At E1, the terminal UE.sub.2
registers in the IMS with the aid of an SIP Register message, as
defined in RFC 3261 of the IETF. In a step E.sub.2, it may
subscribe optionally to a mechanism for notifying of an event
relating to a state of the user A.
[0098] At E.sub.4, the terminal UE.sub.2 sends a notification of an
event relating to the presence state of the user A comprising an
item of information indicative of a desire to be the target of the
transfer of at least one type of media stream of an application
session in progress. This notification is addressed to the
terminals of the user which have previously subscribed thereto. In
this regard, it is necessary for the terminal UE.sub.1, the
controller of the session in progress, to have fulfilled this
condition.
[0099] According to a first embodiment of the invention, this
subscription/notification mechanism is implemented by way of a
presence server SP 120 of the application system 10 of the
telecommunications network 1. Such a server is represented in FIG.
1. Step E2.sub.1 then consists, as far as the terminal UE.sub.2 is
concerned, in subscribing to the mechanism for notification of the
presence state of the public identity associated with the user A
implemented by the presence server SP according to an embodiment of
the invention. If several public identities of this user are
registered for a user terminal UE, the default identity of this
user must be used, as specified in TS 24.229. The procedures of
this subscription are described in RFC 3856.
[0100] At E4.sub.1, the terminal UE.sub.2 publishes the item of
information ICT indicative of a desired level of involvement in an
application session in progress at the presence server SP 120,
which will notify those terminals of it which have subscribed to
the presence state of the terminal UE.sub.2.
[0101] According to a variant of the first embodiment of the
invention, the terminal UE.sub.2 subscribes at E2.sub.1 to the
state of registration of the public identity of the user A with an
entity 100 of S-CSCF (Serving-Call Session Control Function) type
according to the mechanism of the package reg event described in
RFC 3680 and in the document draft-ietf-sipping-gruu-reg-event.
This mechanism allows it to obtain the GRUU URI identities of the
user's other registered terminals associated with a public identity
of the user A. According to this variant, step E2.sub.1 consists,
as far as the terminal UE.sub.2 is concerned, in subscribing to the
presence state of the other terminals of the user A, by specifying
their GRUU URI identities that it has previously obtained.
[0102] At E4.sub.1, the terminal UE.sub.2 publishes the item of
information ICT at the presence server SP 120, which will notify
those terminals of it which have subscribed to the presence state
of the user A on the terminal UE.sub.2.
[0103] According to a second embodiment of the invention, step
E2.sub.2 of subscription to the reg event notification mechanism is
implemented subsequent to the registration step E.sub.1. This
mechanism allows the terminal UE.sub.2 of the user A to obtain the
GRUU URI identities of the other terminals registered in the
network and associated with a public identity of the user A. In a
step E.sub.3, the terminal UE.sub.3 receives and processes requests
for subscription to the notification of events relating to its
state originating from other terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 of the
user A. The other terminals UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.3 of the user A use
the GRUU URI of the terminal UE.sub.2 to address their subscription
request to it. At E4.sub.2, the terminal UE.sub.2 directly sends a
notification comprising the item of information ICT to the
terminals which have subscribed to the events relating to its
presence state in the previous step.
[0104] It will be noted that in this second embodiment, the
invention envisages the definition of a new type of event,
notification of which is intended to be performed by way of the
SUBSCRIBE/NOTIFY mechanism. This new type of event, that could be
called "UE status", relates to at least the item of information ICT
indicative of a level of involvement desired by the terminal
UE.sub.3 in an application session in progress. Such an item of
information can for example take the form of an indicator with two
values, to indicate whether or not the terminal wishes to be the
target of a transfer. It may advantageously be supplemented with
the indication of a number of types of media stream desired. It can
also comprise an indication of a desire to take control of the
session in progress.
[0105] According to one embodiment of the invention, the method of
requesting transfer of at least one type of media stream is
implemented in a device 210 for involvement in a session in
progress, which will now be described in conjunction with FIG. 3.
It comprises the hardware elements that are routinely found in a
conventional computer or a specialized router, namely a processor
211, a random-access memory of RAM type 212, a read-only memory of
ROM type 213 and means 214 of telecommunication with the network
1.
[0106] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the
device 210 comprises a memory 215 which constitutes a recording
support in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. This
support stores the computer program in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. This program comprises instructions
for the execution of the steps of the transfer request method,
which has just been described with reference to FIG. 2, in
accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0107] In an advantageous manner the device for involvement in a
session in progress according to an embodiment of the invention is
implemented in a user terminal UE.sub.3, UE.sub.2, UE.sub.1.
[0108] Once notification of the item of information ICT indicative
of a desire for involvement in a session in progress has been
effected in the network by the requesting terminal UE.sub.3, it is
processed according to an embodiment of the invention by the method
for processing an item of information indicative of a desire for
involvement in a session in progress which will now be described in
conjunction with FIG. 4. Such a method is advantageously
implemented by the controller terminal UE.sub.1.
[0109] It is assumed that the terminal UE.sub.1 has subscribed at
F.sub.1 to an event notification mechanism such as those described
previously. At F.sub.2, it receives an event notification. The
latter relates to a state of the user A on the terminal UE.sub.2
and comprises the item of information ICT indicative of a desire of
the terminal UE.sub.2 to be the target of a media stream transfer.
It may originate from the presence server SP 120 or directly from
the requesting terminal, depending on the notification mechanism
used. At F.sub.3, the terminal UE.sub.1 decides whether such a
transfer request must be accepted. According to an embodiment of
the invention, several decision criteria may be considered,
including among them, in a nonlimiting manner: [0110] the existence
of a stream of the requested type; indeed, it may happen that
several people, for example the members of one and the same family,
use the public identity of one and the same subscriber and that the
user of the terminal UE.sub.3 has no knowledge of the sessions in
progress on the other terminals associated with this public
identity; [0111] the configuration of the controller terminal
UE.sub.1. It may be configured so as to accept or refuse all the
transfer requests; [0112] the type of medium or type of session.
For example, the controller terminal could refuse the transfer of
media streams attached to a particular session, for example a
professional session, for confidentiality reasons; [0113] the type
of requesting terminal. The controller terminal could partially
consent to involve the requesting terminal, granting it media
stream transfer only for a predetermined stream type, for example a
video stream for a television terminal.
[0114] Once the decision has been made, if it is positive, the
controller terminal sends at F.sub.4 an involvement command to the
network 1, for the requesting terminal UE.sub.2. By way of example,
this may be a request for media stream transfer of the session in
progress to the terminal UE.sub.2. In an advantageous manner, in
the IMS, it is the application server SCC-AS 110 in charge of
managing the mobility of the users which processes such a request,
as specified in the document TR 23.838.
[0115] According to one embodiment of the invention, the method for
processing a desire for involvement in an application session is
implemented in a device 220 for processing an item of information
indicative of a desire for involvement, which will now be described
in conjunction with FIG. 3. It comprises the hardware elements that
are routinely found in a conventional computer or a specialized
router, namely a processor 221, a random-access memory of RAM type
222, a read-only memory of ROM type 223 and means 224 of
telecommunication with the network 1.
[0116] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the
device 220 comprises a memory 225 which constitutes a recording
support in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. This
support stores the computer program in accordance with an
embodiment of the invention. This program comprises instructions
for the execution of the steps of the method for processing a
transfer request, which has just been described with reference to
FIG. 4, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0117] In an advantageous manner the device for processing an item
of information indicative of a desire for involvement in an
application session according to an embodiment of the invention is
implemented in a user terminal UE.sub.3, UE.sub.2, UE.sub.1.
[0118] By way of exemplary implementation in an IMS architecture,
the signaling messages exchanged between the terminals UE.sub.1,
UE.sub.2 of the user A, the terminal UE.sub.1' of the user B and
the telecommunication network 1 according to the first embodiment
of the invention will now be described in greater detail in
conjunction with the stream diagrams of FIGS. 5 and 6.
The user A has terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3.
[0119] By way of reminder, the user A uses his terminal UE.sub.1 to
call a user B who has the terminal UE.sub.1'. A media session is
therefore established between the terminals UE.sub.1(A) and
UE.sub.1'(B).
[0120] The user A decides to request the transfer of the
communication over to his terminal UE.sub.2 by acting on the
latter.
[0121] It will be noted that all the SIP messages exchanged sent or
received by the terminals UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.2 of the user A pass
through an entity P-CSCF (Proxy-Call Session Control Function). The
same holds for the terminal UE.sub.1' of the user B. For the sake
of simplification, these entities P-CSCF are not represented.
[0122] It will be noted that SIP entities other than those
represented may be situated on the signaling path between the
terminal UE.sub.1'(B) and the entity S-CSCF. They are not
represented in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Registration of the Terminal UE.sub.1(A) in the Network 1:
[0123] Message 1: the terminal UE.sub.1 registers successfully with
the entity S-CSCF (IMS network). The S-CSCF 100, in the response
200 OK to the REGISTER message, returns the URI identity of GRUU
type that it has associated with this terminal. The mechanism for
allocating this URI is defined in the document TS 24.229; [0124]
Message 2: the terminal UE.sub.1 subscribes to the state of
registration of the user (reg event package) as specified in the
document TS 24.229. This subscription allows the terminal UE.sub.1
to be informed of the other terminals UE registered in the network
1 and associated with the same public identity and to thus obtain
their GRUU URI identities. It is assumed that at the moment the
terminal UE.sub.1 is the only registered terminal associated with
the public identity of the user A. [0125] Messages 3 and 4: The
entity S-CSCF 100 informs the application server 110 SCC AS of the
registration of the terminal UE.sub.1 by sending it the information
relating to this registration. This procedure is described in the
document TS 24.229. [0126] Messages 5, 6, 7 and 8: the terminal
UE.sub.1 publishes the presence information relating to it at the
presence server SP 120. Among this information, the terminal
UE.sub.1 indicates that it is available and gives the types of
media supported.
Registration of the Terminal UE.sub.2 in the Network:
[0126] [0127] Message 9: the terminal UE.sub.2 registers
successfully with the entity S-CSCF 100 of the IMS architecture.
The entity S-CSCF 100, in the response 200 OK to the REGISTER
message, returns the URI identity of GRUU type that it has
associated with this terminal. [0128] Message 10: the terminal
UE.sub.2 subscribes to the state of registration of the user (reg
event package) as specified in [TS 24.229]. This subscription
allows the terminal UE.sub.2 to be informed of the other terminals
UE registered in the network 1 and associated with the same user
public identity or identities and to obtain their GRUU URI
identities. The terminal UE.sub.2 thus obtains the item of
information according to which the terminal UE.sub.1 is registered
in the network 1, as well as its GRUU URI identity. [0129] Messages
11 and 12: The entity S-CSCF 100 informs the application server SCC
AS 110 of the registration of the terminal UE.sub.2 by sending it
the information relating to this registration. This procedure is
described in the document TS 24.229. [0130] Messages 13, 14, 15 and
16: the terminal UE.sub.2 publishes the presence information
relating to it at the presence server SP 120. It indicates in
particular that it is available and gives the types of the media
that it supports.
Subscription to the Presence Information of the Other
Terminals:
[0130] [0131] Messages 17, 18, 19 and 20: UE.sub.2 subscribes to
the presence information relating to the user A. According to a
variant, it may subscribe to the presence information of the user A
on the particular terminal UE.sub.1, by specifying the GRUU URI
identifier of UE.sub.1. [0132] Messages 21, 22, 23 and 24: the
presence server SP 120 notifies the terminal UE.sub.2 of the
current state of the presence information relating to the terminal
UE.sub.1. The terminal UE.sub.2 learns that UE.sub.1 is available
and takes cognizance of its types of media supported. [0133]
Messages 26, 27, 28 and 28: the S-CSCF 100 notifies the terminals
UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.2 of the change of the information regarding
registration of the user A subsequent to the registration of
UE.sub.2. The terminal UE.sub.1 is therefore informed that UE.sub.2
is now registered and knows its GRUU URI. [0134] Messages 29, 30,
31, 31 and 32: The terminal UE.sub.1 subscribes with the presence
server SP 120 to the presence information relating to the user A on
UE.sub.2, identified by the GRUU URI of UE.sub.1. [0135] Messages
33, 34, 35 and 36: the presence server SP 120 notifies UE.sub.1 of
the current state of the presence information relating to UE.sub.2.
The terminal UE.sub.1 learns that the terminal UE.sub.2 is
available and takes cognizance of its types of media supported. The
user A, by using his terminal UE.sub.1, establishes a call with the
user B using UE.sub.3: [0136] Messages 37, 38, 39 and 40: The user
A, via his terminal UE.sub.1, sends a call destined for the user B
by dispatching an INVITE request. [0137] Messages 41, 42, 43 and
44: The terminal UE.sub.1'(B) informs UE.sub.1(A) that the user B
has been alerted of the arrival of the call by dispatching an SIP
response 180 Ringing. [0138] Messages 45, 46, 47 and 48: The
terminal UE.sub.1'(B) informs UE.sub.1 that the user B has accepted
the call by dispatching a response 200 OK. [0139] Messages 49, 50,
51 and 52: The terminal UE.sub.1(A) acknowledges receipt of the
response 200 OK by dispatching a message ACK. [0140] Message 53:
the session is established between the user A and B via their
respective terminals UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.1'. [0141] Messages 54,
55, 56 and 57: The terminal UE.sub.1 informs the presence server SP
120 that it is now involved in a session, by specifying: [0142] the
identifier of this session. This identifier is generated by the
terminal UE.sub.1 and must make it possible to distinguish this
session from the other sessions in which the terminal UE.sub.1
might be involved. In this example, it is assumed that the terminal
UE.sub.1 allocates the value 1 to this session; [0143] the public
identity of the remote user: identity of B and the types of media
used in this session. [0144] Messages 58, 59, 60, 61: subsequent to
the change, due to its involvement in a session, of the presence
information for UE.sub.1, the presence server SP 120 notifies
UE.sub.2 of this change. The terminal UE.sub.2 learns that the
terminal UE.sub.1 is involved in a session with the characteristics
of this session. The user A, via his terminal UE.sub.2, requests
the transfer of the entire communication and of control thereof
over to the terminal UE.sub.2: [0145] Messages 66, 67, 68, 69:
subsequent to the request by the user A to transfer the entire
communication with control thereof over to the terminal UE.sub.2,
the latter updates its presence information with the presence
server so as to indicate that it desires that session number 1 be
transferred to it from UE.sub.1. In a variant, UE.sub.2 indicates
solely that it desires to be the target of a session transfer by
optionally specifying its type. [0146] Messages 70, 71, 72, 73, 74,
75, 76 and 77: subsequent to the change of the presence information
relating to UE.sub.2, the presence server SP 120 notifies the
terminals of the user A that have subscribed to the event
notification, of this change. In particular, the terminal UE.sub.1
learns that UE.sub.2 desires to recover session number 1 in which
UE.sub.1 is involved. Transfer of the Session from UE.sub.1 to
UE.sub.2 [0147] Messages 78, 79: the terminal UE.sub.1, on receipt
of the information item indicating that the terminal UE.sub.2
desires to recover its session No. 1, decides to transfer this
session to UE.sub.2 by dispatching a REFER request to the SCC AS
110 asking it to transfer the session to UE.sub.2. In such a
request, the terminal UE.sub.2 is identified by its GRUU URI.
[0148] Messages 80 and 81: the SCC AS 110 accepts the REFER
request. [0149] Messages 82, 83: the SCC AS 110 dispatches an
INVITE request destined for the GRUU URI of the terminal UE.sub.2.
[0150] Messages 84, 85: The terminal UE.sub.2 accepts the
establishment of this session by dispatching a message 200 OK.
[0151] Messages 86, 87: The SCC AS 110 acknowledges the response
200 OK. [0152] Messages 88, 89: The SCC AS 110 dispatches a
so-called "re-INVITE" request (INVITE request in an already
established SIP dialog) to the terminal UE.sub.1'(B) so as to
update its session with the SDP parameters received from the
terminal UE.sub.2 in the message 85. [0153] Messages 90, 92: The
terminal UE.sub.1' accepts the re-INVITE request. [0154] Message
91: the media streams are established between the terminal
UE.sub.2(A) and the terminal UE.sub.1'(B). [0155] Messages 93, 94:
The SCC AS 110 acknowledges the response 200 OK. [0156] Messages
95, 96, 97, 98: The SCC AS 110 releases its sessions with UE.sub.1.
[0157] Messages 99, 100: As specified in RFC 3515, the SCC AS 110
informs the terminal UE.sub.1(A) of the success of the transfer of
the session.
[0158] In conjunction with FIGS. 7 and 8, another exemplary
implementation of the first embodiment of the invention is now
presented:
The user A has three terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3. The
user A, with his terminal UE.sub.1, is in communication with
another user (or a service) B. This communication uses two media:
audio and video. The user A, with his terminal UE.sub.2, is in
communication with another user (or a service) C. This
communication uses a single medium: audio. The user A transfers the
video stream from his terminal UE.sub.1 to UE.sub.3 by acting on
the latter. The terminal UE.sub.1 retains control of the
communication and the audio stream.
Registration of the Terminals UE to the Network:
[0159] Each of the terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3
registers to the network, subscribes to the state of registration
of the user (reg event package) and dispatches the presence
information relating to it to the presence server, just as
described in the previous example.
Subscription to the Presence Information of the Other
Terminals:
[0160] Each of the terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3
subscribes to the presence information of the other 2 terminals,
each identified by their GRUU URI identifiers obtained by the
subscription to the state of registration of the user, just as
described in the previous example. [0161] Messages 1, 2, 3 and 4:
The user A, via his terminal UE.sub.1, dispatches an INVITE request
destined for B, for a session with 2 media streams, an audio stream
and a video stream. [0162] Messages 5 to 16: The establishment of
the SIP session continues in a standard manner. [0163] Messages 17,
18: the communication is established between the user A (via his
terminal UE.sub.1) and B with an audio stream and a video stream.
It is assumed here that UE.sub.1 does not provide the other
terminals of A with the characteristics of the session established.
[0164] Messages 36, 37, 38, 39: subsequent to the request of the
user A, UE.sub.3 updates its presence information at the presence
server by including: [0165] an indicator signifying that it wishes
to be the target of a transfer; [0166] the types of media that the
terminal wishes to have transferred to it, for example "video"
only; [0167] an indicator indicating that it does not wish the
control of a communication to be transferred to it. [0168] Messages
40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47: subsequent to the change of the
presence information relating to the terminal UE.sub.3, the
presence server SP 120 notifies the terminals UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.2
of this change, since they have previously subscribed to the
presence notification of the terminal UE.sub.3. The terminals
UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.2 then learn that the terminal UE.sub.3 desires
to have a video stream be transferred to it without control of
communication. This does not entail any action for the terminal
UE.sub.2, since it does not control any communication comprising a
video stream. On the other hand, the terminal UE.sub.1 controls a
communication comprising a video stream. By taking into account the
new presence information of the terminal UE.sub.3, and by combining
it with other decision criteria such as, for example, preferences
(configured in the terminal UE.sub.1) of the user and other
possible parameters, the terminal UE.sub.1 decides to initiate the
transfer of the video stream, while retaining control of the
communication. [0169] Messages 48, 49: The terminal UE.sub.1
dispatches a REFER request to the SCC AS 110 requesting to it to
transfer the video stream of its communication to the terminal
UE.sub.3, UE.sub.3 being identified by its GRUU URI. The indication
that this entails only the transfer of the video stream may be, for
example, accomplished by adding a parameter to the GRUU URI of the
UE.sub.3 situated in the header Refer-To. [0170] Messages 50 and
51: the SCC AS 110 accepts the REFER request. [0171] Messages 52,
53: the SCC AS 110 dispatches an INVITE request destined for the
GRUU URI of the terminal UE.sub.3. [0172] Messages 54, 55: the
terminal UE.sub.3 accepts the establishment of this session by
dispatching a message 200 OK. [0173] Messages 56, 57: The SCC AS
110 acknowledges the response 200 OK. [0174] Messages 58, 59: The
SCC AS 110 dispatches a so-called "re-INVITE" request (INVITE
request in an already established SIP dialog) to B so as to update
the session of the user B with the SDP parameters received from
UE.sub.3 in the message 55. [0175] Messages 60, 62: B accepts the
re-INVITE request. [0176] 61: the video stream is established
between the terminal UE.sub.3(A) and B. The audio stream 17 is
preserved between the terminal UE.sub.1(A) and B. [0177] Messages
63, 64: The SCC AS 110 acknowledges the response 200 OK. [0178]
Messages 65, 66: The SCC AS 110 dispatches a so-called "re-INVITE"
request to UE.sub.1 so as to update the session of UE.sub.1 in
order to delete the video stream (the audio stream and the control
of the communication are preserved). [0179] Messages 67, 68: the
terminal UE.sub.3 accepts this session modification by dispatching
a message 200 OK. [0180] Messages 69, 70: The SCC AS 110
acknowledges the response 200 OK.
[0181] In conjunction with FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, an exemplary
implementation of the second embodiment of the invention is now
presented. By way of reminder, in this second embodiment, the
terminals of the user do not subscribe to the notification of a
presence state of the user with the presence server SP 120, but to
another event notification mechanism, with each of the user's
terminals. The same case of application is considered as in the
example which has just been presented in conjunction with FIGS. 7
and 8: [0182] The user A has three terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and
UE.sub.3; [0183] The user A, with his terminal UE.sub.1, is in
communication with another user (or a service) B. This
communication uses two media: audio and video; [0184] The user A,
with his terminal UE.sub.2, is in communication with another user
(or a service) C. This communication uses a single medium: audio;
[0185] The user A transfers the video stream from UE.sub.1 to
UE.sub.3 by acting on the latter. UE.sub.1 retains control of the
communication and the audio stream.
Registration of the UEs to the Network:
[0186] Each of the terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3
registers to the network, subscribes to the state of registration
of the user (reg event package) as described previously. On the
other hand, the terminals UE.sub.1, UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3 of A do
not subscribe to the presence state of the user with the presence
server SP 120. Indeed, in this solution, the presence mechanism is
not used.
Messages 1, 2, 3 and 4: The user A, via his terminal UE.sub.1,
dispatches an INVITE request destined for B, for a session with two
media streams: audio and video. Messages 5 to 16: The establishment
of the SIP session continues in a standard manner. 17, 18: the
communication is established between the user A (via his terminal
UE.sub.1) and B with an audio stream and a video stream. NB: it is
assumed here that UE.sub.1 does not provide the other terminals of
A with the characteristics of the session established.
Subscription of UE-1 to the "UE-Status Event Package" of the Other
Terminals:
[0187] The terminal UE.sub.1 subscribes to the information about
the state of the other two terminals UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.3 of the
user A, identified by their GRUU URI that it has obtained by the
subscription to the state of registration of the user, as described
hereinbelow: [0188] Messages 19 to 22: The terminal UE.sub.1
subscribes to a new type of event according to an embodiment of the
invention, called "UE status", with the terminal UE.sub.2 itself,
identified by its GRUU URI. An exemplary SUBSCRIBE message
dispatched by the terminal UE.sub.1 to the terminal UE.sub.2 is
presented hereinbelow. In this example, the terminal UE.sub.1
possesses the GRUU URI identity
"sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f82f4fa1-72fc-1131-e2f2-10eec91e-
6fff:UE.sub.1" and the terminal UE.sub.2 the GRUU URI identity
"sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f81d4fae-7dec-11d0-a765-00a0c91e-
6bf6".
TABLE-US-00001 [0188] SUBSCRIBE
sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f81d4fae-
7dec-11d0-a765-00a0c91e6bf6 SIP/2.0 Via: SIP/2.0/UDP
UE.sub.1-IP-address;branch=z9hG4bK240f34.1 Max-Forwards: 70 Route:
<sip:pcscf1.home1.net;lr>; <sip:scscf1.home1.net;lr>
From: <sip:userA_public1@home1.net>;tag=31415 To: <
sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f81d4fae-7dec-
11d0-a765-00a0c91e6bf6> Call-ID: dre36d2v32gnlgiiomm72445 CSeq:
61 SUBSCRIBE Event: UE-status Supported:gruu Expires: 600000
Accept: application/UE-status-info+xml Contact:
sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f82f4fa1-72fc-
1131-e2f2-10eec91e6ffff Content-Length: 0
[0189] It will be noted that it is not necessary for a terminal
which has no session in progress to subscribe to the "UE-status"
event package. [0190] Messages 23 to 26: the terminal UE.sub.2
notifies the terminal UE.sub.1 of its current state of the
information of the "UE status event package". This information does
not indicate that the terminal UE.sub.2 wishes to be the target of
a media stream transfer. Hereinbelow is an example of the NOTIFY
message dispatched by UE.sub.2 to UE.sub.1:
TABLE-US-00002 [0190] NOTIFY
sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f82f4fal-72fc-1131-
e2f2-10eec91e6ffff SIP/2.0 Via: SIP/2.0/UDP
UE.sub.2-IP-address;branch=karfgtyuo32lmofpli21.1 Max-Forwards: 70
Route: <sip:pcscf1.home1.net;lr>;
<sip:scscf1.home1.net;lr>; <sip:pcscf1.home1.net;lr>
From: <sip:userA_public1@homel.net>;tag=151170 To: <
sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f82f4fa1-72fc-1131-
e2f2-10eec91e6ffff>;tag=31415 Call-ID: dre36d2v32gnlgiiomm72445
CSeq: 83 NOTIFY Subscription-State: active;expires=600000 Event:
UE-status Supported: gruu Content-Type:
application/UE-status-info+xml Contact:
sip:userA_public1@home1.net;gr=urn:uuid:f81d4fae-7dec-
11d0-a765-00a0c91e6bf6 Content-Length: (...) <?xml version
="1.0"?> <UE-status-Info
xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:UE-status-Info" version="1"
state="full"> <status> available </status>
<UE-capabilities> <capability> audio
</capability> <capability> video </capability>
</UE-capabilities> </UE-status-Info>
[0191] Messages 27 to 30: the terminal UE.sub.1 subscribes to the
event "UE status event package" of the terminal UE.sub.3, with the
terminal UE.sub.3 itself, identified by the GRUU URI of UE.sub.3.
[0192] Messages 31 to 34: the terminal UE.sub.3 notifies the
terminal UE.sub.1 of its current state of the information of the
"UE status event package". This information does not indicate that
UE.sub.3 wishes to be the target of a transfer.
Establishment of a Communication Between UE.sub.2 and C
[0193] A new communication, between the terminal UE.sub.2 of the
user A and the user or service C, with a single medium (audio), is
established with the same exchanges as in the previous example,
described in conjunction with FIGS. 8 and 9.
Subscription of the Terminal UE.sub.2 to the "UE-Status Event
Package" of the Other Terminals:
[0194] This procedure is similar to that described previously. The
user A, via his terminal UE.sub.3, requests the transfer of the
video stream from UE.sub.1 to UE.sub.3
[0195] In the case considered, the terminal UE.sub.3 does not have
any information about the sessions in progress.
[0196] It updates its "UE status" information (which is stored in
the terminal UE.sub.3 itself) by including: [0197] An indicator
signifying that it wishes to be the target of a transfer; [0198]
The types of media that the terminal wishes to have transferred to
it, namely "video" only; [0199] An indicator indicating that it
does not wish that control of a session be transferred to it.
[0200] As a variant, the terminal UE.sub.3 could have subscribed
beforehand to the UE-status event package" of the other terminals
UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.2 and could have obtained the identifiers and
characteristics of the sessions in progress on the other terminals
UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.2 of the user A.
[0201] Subsequent to this update, UE.sub.3 must notify the "UE
status event package" of the terminals which have subscribed with
it: [0202] Messages 52 to 55: the terminal UE.sub.3 notifies the
terminals UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.1 of the change of its "UE status"
information, since the terminals UE.sub.2 and UE.sub.1 have
previously subscribed to the "UE status event package" of UE.sub.3.
UE.sub.1 and UE.sub.2 then learn that the terminal UE.sub.3 desires
that a video stream be transferred to it without control of
communication. This does not entail any action for the terminal
UE.sub.2, since UE.sub.2 does not control any communication
comprising a video stream. On the other hand, UE.sub.1 controls a
communication comprising a video stream. By taking into account the
new information item about the state of the terminal UE.sub.3, and
by optionally combining it with other decision criteria, UE.sub.1
decides to initiate the transfer of the video stream, while
retaining control of the communication. An exemplary item of
information dispatched in the body of the NOTIFY messages (messages
52 and 56) is presented hereinbelow:
TABLE-US-00003 [0202] <?xml version="1.0"?>
<UE-status-Info xmlns="urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:UE-status-Info"
version ="1" state="full"> <status> "transfer-desired"
</status> <Desired-transfer> media="video" control="no"
</Desired- transfer> <UE-capabilities>
<capability> audio </capability> <capability>
video </capability> </UE-capabilities>
</UE-status-Info>
Transfer of the video stream from UE.sub.1 to UE.sub.3: the same
procedure as in the example described in conjunction with FIG. 8 is
implemented.
[0203] Although the present disclosure has been described with
reference to one or more examples, workers skilled in the art will
recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without
departing from the scope of the disclosure and/or the appended
claims.
* * * * *
References