Demonstration of seamless multimedia session transfer to support pervasive mobile computing

Abstract

In today's media environment, multimedia content is accessed by mobile users in a silo fashion, with content locked to individual point devices and networks. Content, available on one device or one network, may not be accessed from other devices, or over other networks. Users cannot easily share multimedia sessions across devices, such as smartphones and laptops. Media content does not adapt with user mobility. Specifically, users cannot take advantage of the multitude of media devices that they encounter as they move, in order to achieve a "best" possible multimedia experience. In the future, media will transition seamlessly between devices, networks, and access technologies with the user, as the user moves. Session continuity technologies, driven by global standards bodies, will make seamless media mobility possible. Media content will be optimized based on the real-time conditions of the user, including: available networks and bandwidth, available device configurations and rendering capabilities, battery consumption, memory and processing power, location, cost, etc. Our demonstration allows a user to transfer a streaming video session across a collection of laptop and smartphone devices. Specifically, the demonstration includes: a MAC Pro laptop, a MacBook Air laptop, Android Gl / G2 smartphones, and a Blackberry Bold 9000 smartphone. Each terminal device runs a small media application, which presents the user with a set of video clips for viewing. When the user selects a clip, the application server commands the media server to stream the requested video. Each video may be viewed to completion; or, the user may transfer the video session to any of the other terminal devices in the demonstration. With a click or touch of the screen, the media application presents the user with a list of available devices to engage in media transfer sessions. With another click or touch, the user may trigger a media session transfer: • The application server dynamically configures the media server and triggers the target device to get engaged in the streaming session. • The target device initializes its media player, which begins to buffer the video stream. During buffering time, which lasts a few seconds, an advertisement image is displayed (pre-roll canvas). • The originating device continues to play the video, until the video session begins playing on the target device. • The target device notifies the originating device as soon as its initialization is complete and it starts playing the video. Upon receiving the notification, the originating device tears down the video session and returns to the media application home screen.