Patent ID: 8611258
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for enabling subscribers to join an instant messaging application session in a communication network, comprising: establishing, via a processor of a session controller, a video session and the instant messaging session by a first subscriber of the subscribers; inviting, via the processor, a second subscriber of the subscribers, after the video session is established by the first subscriber, to participate in viewing the video session, wherein the video session that is established comprises a movie, wherein the inviting the second subscriber to participate in the video session that is established comprises: sending a video session invitation to the second subscriber; establishing a second video session to the second subscriber who has accepted the video session invitation; and sending a same video content that is being viewed by the first subscriber to be viewed by the second subscriber who has accepted the video session invitation, wherein the same video content associated with the video session is sent via a video on demand server; inviting, via the processor, the second subscriber to participate in the instant messaging session initiated by the first subscriber, wherein the inviting the second subscriber to participate in the instant messaging session comprises: sending an instant messaging session invitation to the second subscriber who has participated in the video session that is established to participate in the instant messaging session initiated by the first subscriber; and enabling instant messaging communications between the first subscriber and the second subscriber who has accepted the instant messaging session invitation, wherein the instant messaging communications are enabled via an instant messaging server between the first subscriber and the second subscriber who has previously participated in the video session that is established; enabling, by the processor, each subscriber of the subscribers who participates in both the video session that is established and the instant messaging session to independently join the video session that is established with the instant messaging session into a single joined video and instant messaging session; wherein the video session that is established and the instant messaging session are active simultaneously on a per subscriber basis; and enabling, by the processor, the single joined video and instant messaging session to display video content of the video session that is established with text content of the instant messaging session in a single display frame.