SIP-Based Session Control

Abstract

These exemplary embodiments utilize Sessions Initiation Protocol (SIP) for admission control. The use of the SIP allows a SIP server itself to perform the admission control function. The use of RSVP linkages is reduced. The use of SIP for admission control allows an application to communicate, or “talk,” to a network and to request that resources within the network be reserved. Any communications device that uses sessions may utilize the SIP protocol for admission control. The SIP protocol may be used for unicast and multicast media sessions including video-on-demand and/or multicast video access control.

1 . A method for providing media delivery services comprising:
 receiving a session initiation protocol invitation from a multimedia device to request a media stream, the invitation further comprising a private communications address for communicating with the multimedia device;   communicating the session initiation protocol invitation to a multimedia content server via a communications network;   receiving a session initiation protocol confirmation from the multimedia content server via the communications network to communicate the media stream, the confirmation further comprising a communications identifier for identifying the media stream;   receiving and identifying the media stream from the multimedia content server via the communications network; and   communicating the media stream to the private communications address of the multimedia device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating the confirmation to the multimedia device; and   presenting the media stream to the multimedia device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 during communication of the media stream to the multimedia device, receiving a media control function from the multimedia device, the media control function for controlling at least one of presentation and communication of the media stream; and   communicating the media control function to the multimedia content server via the communications network.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 if the media control function comprises a presentation control function, then:
 receiving a modified media stream in accordance with the presentation control function and identifying the modified media stream from the multimedia content server via the communications network, 
 communicating the modified media stream to the private communications address of the multimedia device, and 
 presenting the modified media stream to the multimedia device. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the presentation control function comprises a fast-forward function, a rewind function, a pause function, a stop function, a bookmark function, a scene jump function, a status function, and an alternate presentation function. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 if the media control function comprises a communications control function, then:
 receiving a session initiation protocol communications response in accordance with the communications control function and identifying the communications response from the multimedia content server via the communications network, and 
 communicating the communications response to the private communications address of the multimedia device. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the communications control function comprises a command to discontinue communication of the media stream from the multimedia content server. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 displaying a notification to the multimedia device, the notification comprising a message that communication of the media stream has been discontinued.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the communications control function comprises a command to redirect the communication of the media stream to an alternate communications address for presentation of the redirected media stream to an alternate multimedia device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 displaying a redirected notification to the multimedia device, the redirected notification comprising a message explaining that communication of the media stream to the multimedia device has been discontinued and that communication of the remaining media stream has been redirected to the alternate multimedia device;   communicating the redirected media stream to the alternate communications address of the alternate multimedia device; and presenting of the redirected media stream to the alternate multimedia device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia content server is a unicast multimedia content server, and wherein the step of communicating the session initiation protocol invitation to the unicast source via the communications network comprises communicating the invitation to at least one session initiation protocol server to communicate with the unicast source, and wherein the step of receiving the session initiation protocol confirmation from the unicast source via the communications network comprises communicating the media stream to the at least one session initiation protocol server to communicate with a residential gateway, the residential gateway further communicating with multimedia device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of receiving and identifying the media stream from the unicast source via the communications network comprises receiving and identifying the media stream from the session initiation protocol server to the residential gateway. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia content server is a multicast source, and wherein the step of communicating the session initiation protocol invitation to the multicast source via a communications network comprises translating the session initiation protocol invitation to an internet group management protocol join and communicating the internet group management protocol join to the multicast source via the communications network, and wherein the step of receiving a session initiation protocol confirmation from the multimedia source via the communications network comprises receiving an internet group management protocol acknowledgement via the communications network, the acknowledgement further comprising the communications identifier for identifying the media stream. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a media stream source in communication with a multimedia content server, the media stream source for storing a media stream;   the multimedia content server for accessing the media stream, managing interactive controls of the media stream, and communicating the media stream; and   at least one processing device using a session initiation protocol communication of a multimedia device to order a media stream from a multimedia content server via a communications network, wherein the at least one processing device comprises instructions for receiving the session initiation protocol invitation from the multimedia device to request a media stream, for communicating the session initiation protocol invitation to the multimedia content server via the communications network, for receiving a session initiation protocol confirmation from the multimedia content server via the communications network to communicate the media stream, for receiving and identifying the media stream from the multimedia content server via the communications network, and for communicating the media stream to a private communications address of the multimedia device.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising a distribution network over which the multimedia content server communicates with the at least one processing device. 
     
     
         16 . A storage medium on which is encoded instructions for performing the following:
 receiving a session initiation protocol invitation from a multimedia device to request a media stream, the invitation further comprising a private communications address for communicating with the multimedia device;   communicating the session initiation protocol invitation to a multimedia content server via a communications network;   receiving a session initiation protocol confirmation from the multimedia content server via the communications network to communicate the media stream, the confirmation further comprising a communications identifier for identifying the media stream;   receiving and identifying the media stream from the multimedia content server via the communications network; and   communicating the media stream to the private communications address of the multimedia device.