Intermediary Server for Video Conferencing Call Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing VoIP call managers lack adequate functionality for controlling video conferencing sessions, including failover determination, resource availability, and authorization, which are essential for ensuring seamless and reliable video conferencing calls.

Innovation Solution

A server is introduced to provide additional functionality for exercising control over video conferencing calls, performing failover determination, call authorization, resource availability determination, and resource assignment, ensuring that video conferencing sessions can be established and managed effectively by connecting to nodes and end points within the IP network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing VoIP call managers are used for video conferencing calls, then basic call facilitation is provided, but adequate control functionality for failover determination, resource availability, and authorization is lacking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall control reliabilityVSAvoidcall manager functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

A server is introduced as an intermediary component between endpoints and the call manager. This server provides specialized video conferencing control functions including failover determination, resource availability checking, and authorization, while the call manager continues to handle basic call facilitation. This intermediary approach allows existing call managers to be used without modification while adding the needed control functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The call control functionality is segmented into distinct components: the call manager handles basic call setup and facilitation, while a separate server handles video-specific control functions such as failover determination, resource management, and authorization. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its specific function, improving overall system reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If additional control functionality is added to manage video conferencing calls, then call control reliability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo conferencing controlVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The server acts as an intermediary that adds control functionality without requiring modifications to existing call managers or endpoints. By positioning the server as a middle layer, the system gains enhanced video conferencing control capabilities while maintaining the simplicity of existing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The server provides multiple control functions (failover determination, resource availability checking, authorization) within a single component. This multi-functionality approach consolidates the added complexity into one universal controller rather than distributing it across multiple modified components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9113031B2Call control for conferencing calls

Publication Date: 2015.08.18 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

A server device may receive information, associated with a request for a conferencing call, from a call manager, which is responsible for establishing and handling conferencing calls. The server device is a different device than the call manager. The server device may further determine to permit the conferencing call based on the received information, and provide an instruction to the call manager to permit the conferencing call in response to determining to permit the conferencing call.