Multi-users real-time transcoding system and method for multimedia sessions
A method an system for establishing a multi-user communication session, having a session description, between terminals with incompatible media characteristics, in which users with terminals having incompatible media characteristics are invited to participate in the communication session. A transcoding session is set up for enabling transcoding between the incompatible media characteristics of the terminals based on information about the terminals of the users having accepted the invitation, this information comprising the media characteristics of the users' terminals. The session description is established according to the transcoding session and, during the communication session, media streams from the terminal of one user are transcoded according to the transcoding session and the transcoded media streams are transmitted according to the session description to the other users participating in the communication session, using the media characteristics of the terminals of those other users.
1. A method for conducting a multi-user communication session between at least three participating terminals, at least some of the participating terminals having one or more incompatible media characteristic, the method comprising:
employing at least one processor for:
(a) at any given time, granting permission to only one of the participating terminals to send a media stream to other participating terminals;
(b) upon another participating terminal joining the multi-user communication session, and upon a participating terminal leaving the multi-user communication session:
(b-1) determining the one or more incompatible media characteristic between the participating terminals;
(b-2) provided the one or more incompatible media characteristic has been determined, updating description of the multi-user communication session for at least one of the participating terminals so as to accommodate media capabilities of the participating terminals; and
(b-3) transcoding media streams between the participating terminals according to respective updated descriptions of the multi-user communication session for the participating terminals.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (b-3) further comprises transcoding the media streams at a transcoding server, which is inserted in a communication path between the participating terminals, and configured to act as a proxy server.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step (b-3) further comprises inserting the transcoding server upstream or downstream a central network element.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step (b-3) further comprises inserting the transcoding server between a local network element of a local network of a participating terminal and a central network element, or between a participating terminal and a local network element of a local network of the participating terminal.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the steps (a) and (b) at one of the following:
a central network element; or
a local network element of a local network of a participating terminal.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the step (b-3) at:
a sending participating terminal; or
both sending and receiving participating terminals.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising directing the media streams:
from the participating terminals directly to a transcoding server;
from the participating terminals to a transcoding server through a central network element; or
from the participating terminals to a transcoding server through respective local network elements of local networks of corresponding participating terminals.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising exchanging session control communications for the multi-user communication session between:
the participating terminals and a central network element; or
the participating terminals and respective local network elements of local networks of corresponding participating terminals.
9. A method for conducting a multi-user communication session between participating terminals, at least some of the participating terminals having at least one incompatible media characteristic, the method comprising:
employing at least one processor for:
(a) at any given time, granting permission to only one of the participating terminals to send a media stream to other participating terminals;
(b) establishing a communication session between two participating terminals;
(c) upon another participating terminal joining the communication session, establishing the multi-user communication session, comprising:
(c1) determining the at least one incompatible media characteristic between the participating terminals;
(c2) provided the at least one incompatible media characteristic have been determined, updating a description of the multi-user communication session for at least one of the participating terminals so as to accommodate media capabilities of the participating terminals; and
(c3) transcoding media streams between the participating terminals according to respective updated descriptions of the multi-user communication session for the participating terminals; and
(d) upon a participating terminal leaving the multi-user communication session:
(d1) determining the at least one incompatible media characteristic between remaining participating terminals;
(d2) provided the at least one incompatible media characteristic between the remaining participating terminals has been determined, further updating a description of the multi-user communication session for at least one of the remaining participating terminals so as to accommodate media capabilities of the remaining participating terminals; and
(d3) transcoding media streams between the remaining participating terminals according to respective further updated descriptions of the multi-user communication session for the remaining participating terminals.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the steps (c3) and (d3) further comprise transcoding the media streams at a transcoding server, which is inserted in a communication path between the participating terminals, and configured to act as a proxy server.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the steps (c3) and (d3) further comprise inserting the transcoding server upstream or downstream a central network element.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the steps (c3) and (d3) further comprise inserting the transcoding server between a local network element of a local network of a participating terminal and a central network element, or between a participating terminal and a local network element of a local network of the participating terminal.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising performing the steps (a), (b) and (c) at one of the following:
a central network element; or
a local network element of a local network of a participating terminal.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising performing the steps (c3) and (d3) at:
a sending participating terminal; or
both sending and receiving participating terminals.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising directing the media streams:
from the participating terminals directly to a transcoding server;
from the participating terminals to a transcoding server through a central network element; or
from the participating terminals to a transcoding server through respective local network elements of local networks of corresponding participating terminals.
16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising exchanging session control communications for the multi-user communication session between:
the participating terminals and a central network element; or
the participating terminals and respective local network elements of local networks of corresponding participating terminals.
17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured to cause the at least one processor to transcode the media streams at a transcoding server, which is inserted in a communication path between the participating terminals, and configured to act as a proxy server.
18. A system for conducting a multi-user communication session between at least three participating terminals, at least some of the participating terminals having one or more incompatible media characteristic, the system comprising:
at least one processor; and
computer readable instructions stored in at least one memory device for execution by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
(a) at any given time, grant permission to only one of the participating terminals to send a media stream to other participating terminals;
(b) upon another participating terminal joining the multi-user communication session, and upon a participating terminal leaving the multi-user communication session:
(b-1) determine the one or more incompatible media characteristic between the participating terminals;
(b-2) provided the one or more incompatible media characteristic has been determined, update description of the multi-user communication session for at least one of the participating terminals so as to accommodate media capabilities of the participating terminals; and
(b-3) transcode media streams between the participating terminals according to respective updated descriptions of the multi-user communication session for the participating terminals.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the computer readable instructions are further configured to cause the at least one processor to transcode the media streams at a transcoding server, which is inserted in a communication path between the participating terminals, and configured to act as a proxy server.
20. A system for conducting a multi-user communication session between participating terminals, at least some of the participating terminals having at least one incompatible media characteristic, the system comprising:
at least one processor; and
computer readable instructions stored in at least one memory device for execution by the at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to:
(a) at any given time, grant permission to only one of the participating terminals to send a media stream to other participating terminals;
(b) establish a communication session between two participating terminals;
(c) upon another participating terminal joining the communication session, establish the multi-user communication session, comprising:
(c1) determining the at least one incompatible media characteristic between the participating terminals;
(c2) provided the at least one incompatible media characteristic have been determined, updating a description of the multi-user communication session for at least one of the participating terminals so as to accommodate media capabilities of the participating terminals; and
(c3) transcoding media streams between the participating terminals according to respective updated descriptions of the multi-user communication session for the participating terminals; and
(d) upon a participating terminal leaving the multi-user communication session:
(d1) determine the at least one incompatible media characteristic between remaining participating terminals;
(d2) provided the at least one incompatible media characteristic between the remaining participating terminals has been determined, further update a description of the multi-user communication session for at least one of the remaining participating terminals so as to accommodate media capabilities of the remaining participating terminals; and
(d3) transcode media streams between the remaining participating terminals according to respective further updated descriptions of the multi-user communication session for the remaining participating terminals.