Patent ID: 7636327
Filing Date: 2009-12-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: during initiation of a real-time media session between a plurality of user stations via a communication server, the communication server directing at least one of the user stations to operate in a particular mode selected from the group consisting of half-duplex mode and full-duplex mode, wherein directing the at least one user station to operate in the particular mode comprises sending an instruction to the at least one user station, the instruction directing the at least one user station to operate in the particular mode, and wherein the method further comprises a given one of the user stations receiving the instruction and responsively operating in the particular mode during the real-time media session, wherein operating in the particular mode during the real-time media session comprises (a) receiving an incoming media stream from the communication server while sending an outgoing media stream to the communication server during the real-time media session, (b) treating the incoming media stream as a floor denial if the particular mode is half-duplex, and (c) playing out the incoming media stream if the particular mode is full-duplex, wherein each user station is (i) a half-duplex capable station or (ii) a half-duplex and full-duplex capable station, and wherein the method further comprises during the real-time media session, the communication server detecting that a half-duplex capable station joins the session and responsively directing each other participating station to operate in the half-duplex mode.