Patent ID: 8296442

Claim:
A method for minimizing bandwidth usage between a media device and a communication server in a communication system, the method comprising: at the communication server: receiving, from a first client, a request to access a first session and a first floor request for a camera at the media device; receiving, from a second client, a request to access a second session and a second floor request for the camera; granting the requests for the first and second sessions, wherein the first session is separate from the second session; determining that the first and second floor requests are for the same camera; receiving media from the camera using a single media stream established using floor control signaling; in response to the first floor request, delivering the media to the first client during the first session; in response to the second floor request, delivering the media to the second client during the second session; sending floor control signaling from the communication server to the camera to establish a single media stream from the camera; exchanging floor control signaling between the communication server and the first client; and exchanging floor control signaling between the communication server and the second client.