Method and apparatus for supporting multiple active sessions on a per user basis
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for establishing multiple application sessions, such as video, audio, voice, and data sessions, and displaying them on a video display device such as a television are disclosed. These sessions can be independent of each other or the user can request the network to join these sessions so that a single session is created. For example, a user can request the network to create a video session and a music session and combine them into one session, so the audio portion of the video session is replaced by the user specified music contents and so on.
1. A method for supporting a plurality of application sessions in a communication network, comprising:
receiving a plurality of application session setup requests from a subscriber by the communication network; and
establishing simultaneously with an endpoint device of the subscriber a plurality of active application sessions requested by the subscriber, wherein the plurality of active application sessions comprises at least two of: a video session, a data session, an audio session, and a voice session, wherein the establishing enables the plurality of active application sessions to be active simultaneously for the subscriber.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication network comprises a packet network.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the packet network comprises a service over internet protocol network.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of application session setup requests are received by a session controller.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of active application sessions is established by a session controller via an application session server.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the application session server comprises: a call control element for a voice application session.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the application session server comprises a video on demand server for a video on demand application session.
8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the application session server comprises a broadcast server for a broadcast video application session.
9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the application session server comprises an audio server for an audio application session.
10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the application session server comprises an instant messaging server for an instant messaging application session.
11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for supporting a plurality of application sessions in a communication network, comprising:
receiving a plurality of application session setup requests from a subscriber by the communication network; and
establishing simultaneously with an endpoint device of the subscriber a plurality of active application sessions requested by the subscriber, wherein the plurality of active application sessions comprises at least two of: a video session, a data session, an audio session, and a voice session, wherein the establishing enables the plurality of active application sessions to be active simultaneously for the subscriber.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the communication network comprises a packet network.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein said packet network comprises a service over internet protocol network.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of application session setup requests are received by a session controller.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of active application sessions is established by a session controller via an application session server.
16. An apparatus for supporting a plurality of application sessions in a communication network, comprising:
means for receiving a plurality of application session setup requests from a subscriber by the communication network; and
means for establishing simultaneously with an endpoint device of the subscriber a plurality of active application sessions requested by the subscriber, wherein the plurality of active application sessions comprises at least two of: a video session, a data session, an audio session, and a voice session, wherein the establishing enables the plurality of active application sessions to be active simultaneously for the subscriber.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the communication network comprises a packet network.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the packet network comprises a service over internet protocol network.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of application session setup requests are received by a session controller.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of active application sessions is established by a session controller via an application session server.