ICE Protocol Extension for Media Multiplexing Negotiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for multiplexing multiple media types in IP multimedia sessions cannot fully specify the 5-tuple for multiplexing until they determine that the destination device supports the SDP grouping mechanism, leading to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses an extension to the ICE protocol to specify an IP transport address for multiplexing multiple media types, allowing negotiation of a 5-tuple without requiring destination device support for the SDP grouping mechanism, enabling both multiplexing and non-multiplexing indications in a single message.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing SDP grouping mechanisms are used to negotiate multiplexing, then multiplexing capability can be achieved, but multiple SDP offer/answer exchanges are required and compatibility with legacy devices is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The ICE candidate attribute is extended to serve dual purposes: it functions as a standard connectivity indicator for legacy devices while simultaneously encoding multiplexing capability information for advanced devices. This allows a single message format to serve both legacy and modern negotiation scenarios without requiring separate protocols or multiple exchange cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended ICE candidate attribute acts as an intermediary carrier that translates multiplexing capability information into a format compatible with existing SDP negotiation frameworks. By embedding multiplexing indicators within the standardized ICE candidate structure, the patent enables advanced functionality to be communicated through an established negotiation channel that all devices can parse.
2Speed
If multiplexing is implemented without determining destination device support, then negotiation speed increases, but interoperability with legacy devices decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The source device performs preliminary capability assessment by examining the destination device's response to the extended ICE candidate attribute. This preliminary check allows the source device to determine whether to proceed with multiplexing in subsequent negotiations, enabling fast negotiation paths for capable devices while maintaining fallback options for legacy devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The ICE candidate attribute is modified to include additional parameters that indicate multiplexing capability. By changing the parameter structure of an existing attribute rather than creating a new message type, the patent enables faster negotiation through familiar SDP processing paths while carrying enhanced capability information for reliable interoperability decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of negotiation of media between a source communication device and a destination communication device for multiplexing multiple media types on an IP transport address comprises the source communication device generating an offer message comprising an extension to the ICE protocol according to RFC 5245 to specify the IP transport address whereon the multiple media types can be multiplexed, wherein the offer message comprising the extension indicates support for both the multiplexing and a non-multiplexing of the multiple media types, and sending the offer message from the source communication device to the destination communication device.