Media Control Node Partial Stream Grouping

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current media gateway protocols, such as H.248, do not allow for partial grouping of media streams, simultaneous application of signals or events to multiple streams, or aggregation of statistics across streams, limiting the flexibility and functionality in multimedia communications networks.

Innovation Solution

A method where a media control node instructs a media resource node to group selected media streams and perform actions on a stream representative, allowing simultaneous signal application, event arming, and statistics collection across grouped streams, with the ability to dynamically choose streams based on grouping semantics, even if not all streams traverse between terminations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If current media gateway protocols (H.248) are used, then basic media stream control is achieved, but partial grouping of media streams and simultaneous application of signals/events to multiple streams is not allowed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemedia stream grouping flexibilityVSAvoidprotocol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments media streams into logical groups using termination groups, allowing selective grouping of specific streams rather than requiring all streams to be grouped together. This enables partial grouping where only certain streams share signals and events, while others remain independent, thus improving flexibility without requiring complete reorganization of the protocol structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces termination groups as intermediary structures between individual media streams and the control protocol. These groups act as mediators that enable simultaneous application of signals and events to multiple streams while maintaining individual stream identities and allowing selective association, thereby resolving the contradiction between versatility and protocol complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If all media streams are grouped together, then simultaneous signal application is enabled, but inability to perform partial grouping limits functionality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal application flexibilityVSAvoidstream handling precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing different termination groups to have different properties and associations. Each group can be selectively configured with specific streams, signals, and events, enabling precise control over which streams receive which signals and events. This ensures that only the intended streams are affected by particular actions, maintaining reliability while enabling flexible signal application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If media streams are grouped for simultaneous event detection, then event arming across streams is enabled, but lack of partial grouping capability restricts application scope

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevent detection capabilityVSAvoidstream selection flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic configuration of termination groups, allowing streams to be added or removed from groups based on operational requirements. This dynamic capability enables flexible event detection where groups can be reconfigured to detect events in different stream combinations without requiring static pre-grouping, thus improving both versatility and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If statistics are collected for all streams individually, then detailed per-stream statistics are obtained, but inability to aggregate statistics across grouped streams increases processing overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestatistics collection efficiencyVSAvoidaggregate statistics availability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges statistics collection by enabling aggregation of statistical data across multiple streams within a termination group. The system maintains individual stream statistics while simultaneously providing aggregated statistics for the entire group, allowing efficient bulk statistics collection without losing detailed per-stream information. This resolves the contradiction by combining both individual and aggregate views.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10171518B2Performing an action on certain media streams in a multimedia communications network

Publication Date: 2019.01.01 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

The invention proposes controlling a media session involving a plurality of media streams within a communications network, wherein the communications network comprises a media resource node (106) and a media control node controlling (102) the media resource node, wherein the media control node performs a method of determining that selected media streams out of the plurality of media streams are associated to each other in a media session, transmitting to the media resource node (106) an instruction to group the selected media streams of the media session, and transmitting to the media resource node (106) an instruction to prepare for performing an action with respect to the selected media streams. The invention further proposes a corresponding method to be performed in a media resource node (106), corresponding nodes (102, 106) and corresponding computer programs.