Session Server Data Flow Processing for Conference Resource Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing conferences with multiple participants requires significant computing resources from session servers due to the processing and transmission of audio/video data streams, which increases with the number of participants, leading to resource overload.
Innovation Solution
A method implemented by a session server processor that identifies and encodes multimedia streams using a common codec for recipient terminals, decodes and encrypts streams as necessary, and aggregates encoding operations to reduce computational load, particularly by treating streams from multiple terminals as a single stream when CPU utilization is high, and optimizing operations for scenarios with only one or two active participants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the session server processes and transmits audio/video data streams for multiple participants, then the conference functionality is maintained, but the computing resources required increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges encoding operations by identifying groups of destination terminals that implement the same encoding/decoding codec, then encoding the mixed multimedia stream only once per group rather than separately for each terminal. This combining of identical operations significantly reduces CPU utilization while maintaining the ability to serve multiple participants with different codec requirements.
2Reliability
If the session server decodes and mixes multimedia streams from multiple transmitting terminals, then all participants receive the complete conference audio, but the CPU utilization rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing approach by conditionally decoding streams based on the number of active transmitting terminals. When only one terminal is transmitting, the stream is forwarded without decoding. When two terminals are transmitting, streams are exchanged between terminals without server decoding. Decoding and mixing only occurs when three or more terminals are active, thereby reducing unnecessary CPU utilization while ensuring complete audio delivery when needed.
3Manufacturing precision
If the session server encodes multimedia streams separately for each destination terminal, then each terminal receives optimally encoded streams, but the encoding operations consume excessive computing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines encoding operations by grouping destination terminals that use the same encoding/decoding codec. The mixed multimedia stream is encoded once per group rather than separately for each terminal, maintaining encoding quality for each terminal while dramatically improving encoding efficiency and reducing overall computing resource consumption.
4Ease of operation
If the session server processes each multimedia stream independently, then stream processing is straightforward, but the computational load increases with the number of participants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic processing strategies that adapt to the number of active transmitting terminals. The system dynamically switches between different processing modes: direct forwarding when one terminal is active, terminal-to-terminal exchange when two terminals are active, and server-mediated decoding/mixing when three or more terminals are active. This dynamic approach maintains operational simplicity while reducing computational load across different conference scenarios.
Data Source
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AI summary
Examples present a method for processing multimedia streams emitted by terminals participating in a conference and encapsulated according to an internet protocol for the session server which distributes the multimedia streams to the recipient terminals participating in the conference, the method comprising: identifying the encoding code implemented by each of the terminals participating in the conference; and when the session server receives a plurality of streams from a corresponding plurality of sending terminals participating in the conference, decoding data packets from the plurality of streams received from the sending terminals; mixing data packets from received streams so that a mixed stream is transmitted to the recipient terminals; and encoding data packets from the mixed stream once for each group of recipient terminals implementing the same encoding/decoding code.