Cross-Process Media Handling in a Voice-Over-Internet Protocol (VOIP) Application Platform

Abstract

A computer-implemented system is provided that facilitates implementation of a voice-over-IP (VOIP) application. The system includes a host system and a user interface (UI) host process residing on the host system. The system also includes an agent host process residing on the host system which is being configured to process a VOIP call received by one or more VOIP applications executable on the host system. A moniker protocol is utilized for redirection of input and output between a media element which is utilized to render media on a display on the system. The redirection enables media processing to be allocated between the UI host process in the foreground and the agent host process in the background to thereby reduce latency perceived by a user during a VOIP experience.

1 . A portable device, comprising:
 one or more processors;   a display;   a wireless modem configured to enable the portable device to communicate over a network;   one or more memory devices storing executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the portable device to   implement a media element as a placeholder for rendered audio-video output associated with a voice-over-Internet protocol (VOIP) call carried on the network;   utilize a dummy moniker configured to redirect input and output to and from the media element;   receive notification of an incoming VOIP call on a push notification channel supported on the network;   responsively to the notification, dispatch the incoming VOIP call to a background agent host process for processing;   launch a foreground user interface (UI) host process to present a UI to a user on the display;   inspect the dummy moniker to ascertain whether input to the media element is provided by the background agent host process; and   responsively to the dummy moniker, accept input at the media element from the background agent host process, the background agent host process configured to write into a texture that is commonly accessible by the foreground UI host process and background agent host process using a shared handle.   
     
     
         2 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the executable instructions further cause the device to composite the texture into the UI using the foreground UI host process. 
     
     
         3 . The portable device of  claim 2  in which the executable instructions further cause the device to render the UI during the VOIP call. 
     
     
         4 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the background agent host process executes for a duration of the VOIP call. 
     
     
         5 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the background agent host process writes video into the texture. 
     
     
         6 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the foreground UI host process terminates when the VOIP call is terminated. 
     
     
         7 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the UI host process generates an incoming call notification that is written into the texture. 
     
     
         8 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the executable instructions further cause the device to allocate hardware resources to the background agent host process to maintain a predetermined level of quality for the VOIP call. 
     
     
         9 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the background agent host process receives and decodes media packets associated with the VOIP call and writes the decoded media packets into the texture. 
     
     
         10 . The portable device of  claim 1  in which the agent host process includes a keep-alive agent for periodically communicating with a VOIP server over the network.