IPTV Content Manager Server RTSP Session Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IMS-based IPTV architectures face challenges in integrating with legacy RTSP stacks, as they require the ITF to initiate the RTSP session, limiting compatibility and functionality.
Innovation Solution
The content manager server stores IMS session information and establishes an RTSP session with the media server, then returns the RTSP session identifier to the ITF, allowing the ITF to use its legacy RTSP stack for media stream control while ensuring authentication and avoiding duplicate session setups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ITF initiates the RTSP session in existing IMS-based IPTV architectures, then the legacy RTSP stack compatibility is maintained, but the content manager server cannot establish optimized media stream control and authentication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional RTSP session initiation role: instead of the ITF (terminal) initiating the RTSP session as in legacy systems, the content manager server initiates the RTSP session with the media server on behalf of the ITF. This inversion allows the content manager to control session establishment, enabling optimized media stream control and authentication while still supporting legacy RTSP stacks through the ITF's session initiation messages being intercepted and processed by the content manager.
2Reliability
If the ITF initiates the RTSP session, then session establishment follows traditional protocol, but duplicate session setups occur and authentication is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The content manager server acts as an intermediary between the ITF and the media server in the RTSP session establishment process. It receives session initiation messages from the ITF, intercepts them, and instead allows the content manager to establish the RTSP session directly with the media server. This intermediary role prevents duplicate session setups, reduces session management complexity, and enables centralized authentication while maintaining protocol compliance through proper message forwarding.
3Ease of operation
If non-standard RTSP stacks are required for optimized control, then media stream control improves, but compatibility with legacy systems decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The content manager server implements multi-functionality by serving dual roles: it acts as a standard RTSP client when receiving initiation messages from legacy ITFs, and simultaneously as an RTSP server when establishing sessions with media servers. This universal approach allows the system to support both legacy RTSP stacks and optimized media stream control without requiring non-standard implementations, as the content manager adapts its behavior based on the communication direction.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a method and an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content manager server (312) for IPTV service. The server comprises a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) stack adapted to request an establishment of a first RTSP session with an IPTV media server (314) responsive to an IPTV service request (311) from an Internet Protocol Television Terminal (ITF 302). The RTSP stack stores (342) an identifier of the first RTSP session responsive to the request for the establishment of the RTSP session. Subsequently, the RTSP stack receives an RTSP session initiation message (360) from the ITF requesting an establishment of an RTSP session. Upon receipt of the message, the content manager server authenticates the message (356), determines the existence of an existing RTSP session for the ITF, and thus acts to discard the session initiation message received from the ITF and to return the identifier of the first, already established, RTSP session (342).