SIP-Based Session Control Among A Plurality OF Multimedia Devices

Abstract

These exemplary embodiments utilize Sessions Initiation Protocol (SIP) for admission control among a plurality of multimedia devices. The use of the SIP allows a SIP server to perform admission control functions. 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 other multimedia devices 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 first multimedia device to request a media stream, the invitation further comprising a first private communications address for communicating with the first multimedia device;   communicating the session initiation protocol invitation to a multimedia content server via a communications network;   receiving a session initiation protocol update from the multimedia content server via the communications network to access the media stream from a second multimedia device;   communicating the session initiation protocol invitation from the first multimedia device to the second multimedia device;   receiving a session initiation protocol confirmation from the second multimedia device to communicate the media stream, the confirmation further comprising a communications identifier for identifying the media stream; and   communicating the media stream from the second multimedia device to the private communications address of the first multimedia device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting the media stream to the first multimedia device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 during communication of the media stream from the second multimedia device to the first multimedia device, receiving a media control function from the first 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 second multimedia device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 if the media control function comprises a presentation control function, then:
 communicating a modified media stream in accordance with the presentation control function, and 
 presenting the modified media stream to the first 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 3 , 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 second multimedia device, and 
 communicating the communications response to the private communications address of the first 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 second multimedia device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising displaying a notification to the first 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 first multimedia device, the redirected notification comprising a message explaining that communication of the media stream to the first 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 source. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein 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 receiving the session initiation protocol update from the unicast source via the communications network comprises receiving the session initiation protocol update from the at least one session initiation protocol server to a residential gateway, the residential gateway further communicating with the first multimedia device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia content server is a multicast source. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein 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 receiving a session initiation protocol update from the multicast source via the communications network comprises receiving an internet group management protocol update via the communications network, the update further comprising a second private communications address of the second multimedia device. 
     
     
         15 . A method for providing a media stream to a multimedia system comprising:
 initiating an order for a media stream from a first multimedia device via a session initiation protocol invitation over a communications network, wherein at least one multicast multimedia content server identifies a second multimedia device as a media stream content source;   communicating an internet group management protocol update, the update identifying a second private communications address of the second multimedia device for accessing, ordering and otherwise managing a media stream;   communicating the internet group management protocol update from the at least one multicast multimedia content server via the communications network to a first multimedia device;   using the update to communicate an updated session initiation protocol invitation from the first multimedia device to the second multimedia device;   communicating and identifying the media stream from the second multimedia device to the first multimedia device; and presenting the media stream to the first multimedia device.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a media stream source in communication with a multimedia content server, wherein the media stream source comprises one of a unicast source, a multicast source, and a second multimedia device;   the multimedia content server for processing a session initiation protocol invitation from a first multimedia device to access the media stream source; and   at least one processing device using a session initiation protocol communication of the first multimedia device to order the media stream source from the multimedia content server via a communications network.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a distribution network over which the multimedia content server communicates with the at least one processing device.