JP2011254180A - Distribution server and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide means which is capable of associating an RTSP session ID with a SIP session ID without additional extension to SIP.SOLUTION: An embodiment of the invention is a distribution server which comprises a communication control unit for receiving control communication path information from a terminal during a communication management session to establish a control communication path and a data communication path, and a storage unit for associating and storing a first session identifier identifying the communication management session with the received control communication path information. If the communication control unit further receives a stream control session establishment request including the control communication path information from the terminal via a control communication path established during the communication management session identified with the first session identifier, the communication control unit determines a second session identifier of a stream control session relating to the stream control session establishment request and stores, in the storage unit, the determined second session identifier by associating the second session identifier with the first session identifier associated with the received control communication path information.

Description

  The present invention relates to a network control method, and more particularly, to a distribution server and method for associating stream control session identification information with communication management session identification information in data transmission processing via a network.

  At present, international standardization organizations such as TISPAN (Telecommunication and Internet Converged Services and Protocols for Advanced Networking) are discussing video distribution service implementation methods over networks (Non-Patent Document 1). In general, in a management type network such as NGN (Next Generation Network), when performing a video distribution service, it is necessary to establish two communication paths: a stream control communication path and a stream distribution communication path.

  The stream control communication path is a communication path for controlling streams such as reproduction, pause, fast forward, and rewind. As a specific protocol used in the stream control communication path, RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) can be cited.

  On the other hand, the stream delivery communication channel is a communication channel for actually flowing a stream to the terminal. A specific protocol used in the stream delivery communication path is RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol).

  The “communication path” used here represents a path for performing communication between a plurality of terminals.

  In order to establish these two communication paths, a distribution server that provides a terminal and a stream uses a communication management protocol such as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) / SDP (Session Description Protocol), etc. The communication path information such as is mutually transmitted and received, and the communication path is established.

  Here, in the management type network described above, the communication management session ID and the stream control session ID are associated with each other for the two processes of the management of the communication path based on the stream control status and the provision of the presence service regarding the stream control information. Must be held by the distribution server.

  The “session” used here represents a process from the start to the end of communication between a plurality of terminals using a specific protocol.

  The following processing is given as a specific example of communication path management based on the former stream control status. For example, when a stream stop request is received, the distribution server automatically disconnects the communication path. In order to realize this processing, the distribution server needs to determine the corresponding communication management session ID based on the stream control session ID described in the stream control signal, and to disconnect the communication path using the communication path management protocol. is there. As another example, when a failure occurs in stream control, the distribution server automatically disconnects the communication path. In order to realize this processing, the distribution server needs to determine the corresponding communication management session ID based on the stream control session ID in which the failure has occurred, and disconnect the communication path using the communication path management protocol. As yet another example, when the distribution server detects a communication path in which stream distribution is not actually executed even though the stream control communication path and the stream distribution communication path are established, the communication path is automatically detected. Disconnect, and manage bandwidth efficiently. In order to realize this processing, the distribution server needs to determine the corresponding communication management session ID based on the corresponding stream control session ID, and to disconnect the communication path using the communication path management protocol.

  The following processing is given as a specific example of providing the presence service regarding the latter stream control information. A communication management protocol such as SIP is used not only for the establishment of the communication path described above but also for the process of notifying the presence server of information (presence information) regarding the current state of the terminal connected to the established communication path. Is done. Therefore, in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, the video distribution server uses the communication management protocol to control the current stream control status of the user (for example, content being viewed, operations such as playback or pause, viewing time) Etc.) are registered in the presence server. In order to realize this service, the video distribution server needs to maintain a correspondence relationship between the communication management session ID and the stream control session ID. That is, the distribution server associates the communication management session ID with the stream control session ID, and notifies the presence server of the stream control status. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when receiving a request for “fast-forwarding content XX” from a terminal with a stream control session ID: 11111111, the distribution server uses the communication management session ID: YYYYYYYY to The server is informed that “in the session of communication management session ID: YYYYYYYY, the content XXX is currently fast-forwarded”.

ETSI TS 182 027 V2.4.1 (2009-07) Telecommunications and Internet converged Services and Protocols for Advanced Networking (TISPAN); IPTV Architecture; IPTV functions supported by the IMS subsystem ETSI TS 183 063 V2.4.2 (2009-06) Telecommunications and Internet converged Services and Protocols for Advanced Networking (TISPAN); IMS-based IPTV stage 3 specification ETSI TS 183 048 V2.2.1 (2009-08) Telecommunications and Internet converged Services and Protocols for Advanced Networking (TISPAN); Resource and Admission Control System (RACS); Protocol Signaling flows specification; RACS Stage 3

  A case will be described where SIP is used as a communication management protocol, RTSP is used as a stream control protocol, and RTP is used as a stream distribution protocol. In Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, in the video distribution server, the correspondence relationship between the SIP session ID and the RTSP session ID is maintained, so in FIG. 2, a method is described in which the terminal describes the RTSP session ID in the SIP signal. ing.

  According to this conventional method, the following problems may occur. First, in the conventional system, information (RTSP session ID) related to RTSP, which is a different protocol, is described in a SIP signal related to SIP. For this reason, devices that process SIP such as terminals and distribution servers, SIP-related interfaces between the terminals and the distribution server, and the like need to be expanded to process information specific to RTSP. In this case, an extension of one protocol may affect the other protocol. Therefore, when one protocol is extended, it is necessary to extend the function to the other protocol. In the example shown in FIG. 2, when the RTSP signal is extended to the SIP, the SIP signal processing unit may be affected. Therefore, the service is used for a service unrelated to RTSP such as VoIP (Voice over IP). It also becomes necessary to perform functional verification for SIP devices (for example, VoIP terminals).

  In the conventional system, only one RTSP session ID can be described in the SIP signal. Therefore, when a plurality of RTSP sessions are established in one communication path established with a single SIP session ID, the conventional method cannot be appropriately handled.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to enable association of an RTSP session ID and a SIP session ID without performing additional extension to SIP.

  In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a communication management session for establishing a control communication path and a data communication path, in which a server receives control communication path information from a terminal; A step of associating a first session identifier for identifying a communication management session with the received control channel information received in the server, and a control communication established in the communication management session identified by the first session identifier The server receives a stream control session establishment request including the control channel information from the terminal via a path; and the server determines a second session identifier of the stream control session related to the stream control session establishment request. The first session associated with the received control channel information. In association with emissions identifier relates to a method and a step of storing the second session identifier the determined.

  In another aspect of the present invention, a communication control unit that receives control channel information from a terminal in a communication management session for establishing a control channel and a data channel, and specifying the communication management session Control server established in the communication management session specified by the first session identifier, the distribution server having a storage unit that stores the first session identifier to be associated with the received control channel information When further receiving a stream control session establishment request including the control communication path information from the terminal via a path, the communication control unit determines a second session identifier of the stream control session related to the stream control session establishment request, In association with the first session identifier associated with the received control channel information received The second session identifier serial decision on distribution server to be stored in the storage unit.

  According to the above aspect of the present invention, the RTSP session ID and the SIP session ID can be associated with each other without additional extension to SIP.

FIG. 1 shows a data transmission process according to the prior art. FIG. 2 shows a data transmission process according to the prior art. FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a distribution server according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a data transmission process according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a stream control information management table according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows a data transmission process according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows a stream control information management table according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows a data transmission process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The terminal of this embodiment has a communication function for communicating with an external device such as a server via a network. The terminal is typically composed of one or more of various hardware resources such as an auxiliary storage device, a memory device, a CPU, a communication device, a display device, and an input device. The auxiliary storage device is composed of a hard disk, a flash memory, and the like, and stores programs and data for realizing various processes described later. The memory device is composed of a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like, and reads and stores the program from the auxiliary storage device when an instruction to start the program is given. The CPU functions as a processor for processing information, and realizes various functions described later according to a program stored in the memory device. The communication device includes various communication circuits for wired and / or wireless connection with other devices via a network. The communication device further includes a communication interface for connecting to other devices such as a server on the network. The display device is configured by a display or the like, and displays content received from the distribution server, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) by a program, and the like. The input device typically includes an operation button, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and is used by a terminal user to input various operation commands. The terminal used in the following embodiments of the present invention is not limited to the hardware configuration described above, and any other appropriate device having a function for bidirectional communication with a server via a network. It may be.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the terminal 100 uses SIP as a communication management protocol for establishing a communication path with the distribution server 200. The terminal 100 communicates with the distribution server 200 using RTSP as a stream control protocol in a control communication path established by SIP and RTP as a stream distribution protocol in a data communication path established by SIP. Then, data such as video content is acquired. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific protocols, and any other appropriate communication that uses a control communication path and a data communication path to acquire data from an external device such as a server. It may be a protocol.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the terminal 100 includes a user interface unit 110, a communication control unit 120, and a transmission / reception unit 130.

  The user interface unit 110 receives various commands from the user and provides a processing result corresponding to the received commands. Specifically, when the user interface unit 110 is instructed by the user to acquire data such as video content from the distribution server 200, the user interface unit 110 transmits the data acquisition request to the communication control unit 120. When the communication control unit 120 acquires the requested data through a process described later and provides it to the user interface unit 110, the user interface unit 110 displays and reproduces the acquired data in response to a request from the user. By providing the same to the user.

  When the communication control unit 120 receives a request for acquiring data such as video content from the distribution server 200 from the user interface unit 110, the communication control unit 120 and the distribution server 200 make a stream control RTSP communication path and stream distribution through a SIP session. And an RTP communication channel for use. Specifically, the communication control unit 120 notifies the distribution server 200 via the transmission / reception unit 130 of the SIP session ID related to the SIP session, the stream control IP address on the terminal 100 side as RTSP communication path information, A port number, a protocol, and the like are transmitted, and an IP address, a port number, and the like for stream distribution on the terminal 100 side are transmitted as RTP channel information. After that, when receiving the SIP session ID and the IP address, port number and protocol for stream control and stream distribution on the distribution server 200 side as a response message from the distribution server 200, the communication control unit 120 Confirm that the RTSP communication path and the RTP communication path are established.

  When the RTSP communication path and the RTP communication path are established in this way, the communication control unit 120 establishes an RTSP session with the distribution server 200, so that the stream control IP address on the terminal 100 side and An RTSP signal including the port number as header information (IP header) is generated, and the generated RTSP signal is transmitted to the distribution server 200 via the transmission / reception unit 130. When the RTSP session ID for stream control is received from the distribution server 200 as a response to the RTSP signal, the communication control unit 120 transmits the stream control requested by the user, for example, from the distribution server 200 using this RTSP session ID. The distribution server 200 is requested via the transmission / reception unit 130 for stream control such as playback, stop, and fast-forward of the video content to be performed. Thereafter, the communication control unit 120 acquires data such as video content from the distribution server 200 via the transmission / reception unit 130 according to the requested stream control, and provides the acquired data to the user interface unit 110.

  Next, a distribution server according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The server of this embodiment typically includes one or more of various hardware resources such as an auxiliary storage device, a memory device, a CPU, and a communication device. The auxiliary storage device is composed of a hard disk, a flash memory, and the like, and stores programs and data for realizing various processes described later. The memory device is composed of a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like, and reads and stores the program from the auxiliary storage device when an instruction to start the program is given. The CPU functions as a processor for processing information, and realizes various functions described later according to a program stored in the memory device. The communication device includes various communication circuits for connecting to other devices via a network. The communication device typically includes a communication interface for connecting to various networks. The distribution server 200 and the presence server 300 described later typically have the hardware configuration as described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and each function described below can be realized. It may have any other suitable hardware configuration.

  FIG. 4 shows the configuration of a distribution server according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the distribution server 200 is connected to the terminal 100, communicates with the terminal 100 using SIP as a communication management protocol, RTSP as a stream control protocol, and RTP as a stream distribution protocol. Provide data such as content. Further, the distribution server 200 is communicatively connected to the presence server 300 and notifies the current stream control status of the terminal 100. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific protocols, and any other appropriate communication protocol that uses a control communication path and a data communication path to provide data to an external device such as a terminal. It may be.

  As illustrated in FIG. 4, the distribution server 200 includes a transmission / reception unit 210, a communication control unit 220, and a stream control information management table storage unit 230.

  The transmission / reception unit 210 exchanges signals with the terminal 100 and the presence server 300 under the control of the communication control unit 220. The transmission / reception unit 210 extracts data from the received signal and provides the data to the communication control unit 220. The transmission / reception unit 210 generates a signal based on the data provided from the communication control unit 220 and transmits the signal to the terminal 100 or the presence server 300.

  The communication control unit 220 establishes an RTSP communication path for stream control and an RTP communication path for stream distribution with the distribution server 200 by the terminal 100 via the SIP session. When the RTSP communication path information such as the IP address, port number, and protocol and the RTP communication path information are transmitted to the distribution server 200, the information is received via the transmission / reception unit 210. The communication control unit 220 transmits the received SIP session ID and the IP address and port number of the RTSP communication path information to the stream control information management table storage unit 230. As a response message for indicating that the RTSP communication path and the RTP communication path have been established, the communication control unit 220 includes the SIP session ID, the IP address for stream control and stream distribution on the distribution server 200 side, and The port number is transmitted to the terminal 100 via the transmission / reception unit 210.

  When the RTSP signal for requesting establishment of an RTSP session is received from the terminal 100 after the establishment of the RTSP communication path and the RTP communication path, the communication control unit 220 determines the RTSP session ID of the requested RTSP session. Further, the communication control unit 220 accesses the stream control information management table storage unit 230 by using the IP address and port number on the terminal 100 side extracted from the header information of the RTSP signal by the transmission / reception unit 210 as a search key. Search for the corresponding record in the control information management table. When the corresponding record is detected, the communication control unit 220 adds the determined RTSP session ID to the detected record. Thereby, it becomes possible to associate the SIP session ID with the RTSP session ID. The communication control unit 220 notifies the terminal 100 of the RTSP session ID as a response message.

  If the corresponding record has already been associated with another RTSP session ID, the communication control unit 220 creates a new record and records the SIP session ID and the RTSP session ID in the record in association with each other. May be. As a result, a plurality of RTSP sessions can be associated with one SIP session.

  Thereafter, upon receiving a request for stream control (playback, pause, fast forward, rewind, etc.) of the video content together with the RTSP session ID notified from the terminal 100, the communication control unit 220 executes the requested stream control, The stream control information management table storage unit 230 is accessed to search for the SIP session ID corresponding to the received RTSP session ID. When detecting the corresponding SIP session ID, the communication control unit 220 manages the communication path established by the SIP session using the detected SIP session ID, and notifies the presence server 300 of the status of the stream control.

  The stream control information management table storage unit 230 stores the SIP session ID received from the communication control unit 220, the IP address and port number on the terminal 100 side, and the RTSP session ID in a stream control information management table as described later. Store in association.

  Note that when the terminal 100 requests a plurality of stream controls in one SIP session, the communication control unit 220 may similarly execute the processing after the establishment of the RTSP communication path and the RTP communication path described above. . In this case, a plurality of RTSP session IDs are associated with one SIP session ID.

  Next, a data transmission process according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, SIP is used as a communication management protocol, RTSP is used as a stream control protocol, and RTP is used as a stream distribution protocol. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific protocols, and any other appropriate use of a control communication path and a data communication path for the server to provide data to an external device such as a terminal. It may be a communication protocol.

  First, in steps 101 to 103, an RTSP communication path for stream control and an RTP communication path for stream distribution are established between the terminal 100 and the distribution server 200 by an SIP session.

  In step 101, the terminal 100 notifies the distribution server 200 of the SIP session ID and information on the RTSP communication path and the RTP communication path. More specifically, the terminal 100, along with the SIP session ID of the SIP session for establishing these communication paths, the stream control IP address and port on the terminal 100 side as RTSP communication path information to the distribution server 200. The number, protocol, etc. are notified, and the IP address, port number, etc. for stream distribution on the terminal 100 side are notified as RTP channel information.

  When NAT / NAPT (Network Address Translation / Network Address Port Translation) for converting an IP address and a port number is executed on a communication path for performing this notification, a server (for example, IMS ( P-CSCF (Proxy-Call Session Control Function) in IP Multimedia Subsystem) may appropriately rewrite information on the communication path (Non-patent Document 3).

  In step 102, the distribution server 200 associates the received SIP session ID with the RTSP communication path information that is the stream control communication path, and stores them in the stream control information management table as shown in FIG.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the stream control information management table includes “SIP session ID”, “IP address of stream control communication path”, “port number of stream control communication path”, and “stream control session ID”. A record having a data item and corresponding to each received data item is stored in a table format. For example, when the distribution server 200 receives “SIP session ID: YYYYYYYY” and “IP address: IPa1” and “port number Pa1” as RTSP communication path information (stream control communication path information) from the terminal 100, the distribution is performed. The server 200 records the received “SIP session ID: YYYYYYYY”, “IP address: IPa1”, and “port number Pa1” in the stream control information management table as shown in FIG. 6 as one record. At this point, since the distribution server 200 has not received the “stream control session ID”, “Null” is input as the data item of the “stream control session ID” in the stream control information management table.

  In step 103, the distribution server 200 notifies the terminal 100 of the SIP session ID and information about the RTSP communication path and the RTP communication path. More specifically, the distribution server 200 notifies the stream message IP address, port number, etc. on the distribution server 200 side as RTSP communication path information as a response message to the terminal 100, and as RTP communication path information, The IP address and port number for stream distribution on the distribution server 200 side are notified. Thereby, an RTSP communication path and an RTP communication path are established between the terminal 100 and the distribution server 200.

  Next, the terminal 100 requests the distribution server 200 for stream control requested by the user, such as playback, pause, and fast-forward for the video content. In step 104, the terminal 100 requests the distribution server 200 to establish an RTSP session using an RTSP signal by RTSP which is a stream control protocol. In this embodiment, the terminal 100 describes the stream control IP address and port number on the terminal 100 side in the header information (IP header, etc.) of this RTSP signal, and sends a stream control request to the distribution server 200. An RTSP signal is transmitted.

  In step 105, when receiving the RTSP signal for the stream control request, the distribution server 200 first determines the RTSP session ID related to the stream control request. Further, the distribution server 200 extracts the IP address and port number for the stream on the terminal 100 side from the header information of the received RTSP signal, and searches the corresponding record in the stream control information management table using this as a search key. When a corresponding record is detected by this search, the distribution server 200 records the determined RTSP session ID in the RTSP session ID that is a data item of the record, as shown in FIG. Thereby, the distribution server 200 can acquire the correspondence between the SIP session ID and the RTSP session ID.

  In step 106, the distribution server 200 notifies the terminal 100 of the determined RTSP session ID.

  In step 107, the terminal 100 requests desired stream control (playback, pause, fast forward, etc.) using the RTSP session ID notified in step 106.

  In step 108, when receiving the stream control request based on the RTSP session ID from the terminal 100, the distribution server 200 executes the requested stream control and receives the received RTSP session in the stream control information management table updated in step 105. The SIP session ID corresponding to the ID is searched.

  In step 109, the distribution server 200 uses the SIP session ID detected in step 108 to manage the communication path corresponding to the desired stream control (when the stream is stopped, the communication path is disconnected, etc.) ), The presence server 300 is notified of the current state of stream control (presence information).

  According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the SIP session ID and the RTSP session ID are associated with each other based on the information described in the existing SIP signal, specifically, the IP address and the port number. This makes it possible to associate a SIP session with an RTSP session without extending the existing SIP specification. For this reason, the SIP session and the RTSP session can be associated with each other by using the existing terminal and the SIP-related interface between the terminal and the distribution server without any change. It is also possible to avoid the influence of an extension of one protocol on another protocol, and when one protocol is extended, it is only necessary to extend the function unit that processes that protocol. That is, it is not necessary to expand the processing function unit of another protocol.

  Furthermore, according to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the correspondence between the SIP session ID and the RTSP session ID is determined using a globally unique parameter IP address and port number set as a key. Therefore, even when the SIP session ID and the RTSP session ID are not in a one-to-one correspondence, that is, in a case where the SIP session ID is in a one-to-n correspondence.

  As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to the specific embodiment mentioned above, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various deformation | transformation・ Change is possible.

100 terminal 200 distribution server 300 presence server

Claims (8)

In a communication management session for establishing a control communication path and a data communication path, the server receives control communication path information from the terminal; and
Storing the first session identifier for specifying the communication management session and the received control channel information in the server in association with each other;
Receiving a stream control session establishment request including the control communication path information from the terminal via the control communication path established in the communication management session specified by the first session identifier;
The server determines a second session identifier of a stream control session related to the stream control session establishment request, and associates the determined second session with the first session identifier associated with the received control channel information. Storing an identifier; and
Having a method. The server transmitting the determined second session identifier to the terminal;
The server receiving a stream control request including the second session identifier from the terminal and detecting the first session identifier corresponding to the received second session identifier stored in the server;
Executing or notifying stream control related to the received stream control request using the detected first session ID by the server;
The method of claim 1, further comprising:   The method according to claim 1, wherein the control channel information includes address information and port information of the control channel. The communication management session is a SIP session;
The method according to claim 1, wherein the stream control session is an RTSP session. A communication control unit that receives control channel information from a terminal in a communication management session for establishing a control channel and a data channel;
A storage unit that associates and stores the first session identifier that identifies the communication management session and the received control channel information;
A distribution server having
When receiving a stream control session establishment request including the control channel information from the terminal via the control channel established in the communication management session specified by the first session identifier, the communication control unit A second session identifier of a stream control session related to the control session establishment request is determined, and the determined second session identifier associated with the first session identifier associated with the received control channel information is stored in the storage unit. Distribution server to store in.   The communication control unit receives the stream control request including the second session identifier from the terminal after transmitting the determined second session identifier to the terminal, and receives the received second session identifier stored in the storage unit. 6. The distribution server according to claim 5, wherein the first session identifier corresponding to two session identifiers is detected, and stream control related to the received stream control request is executed or notified using the detected first session ID.   The distribution server according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the control channel information includes address information and port information of the control channel. The communication management session is a SIP session;
The distribution server according to claim 5, wherein the stream control session is an RTSP session.

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