Communication system and method

A method for participating in a communication session having multiple streams between a first near-end terminal and a far-end terminal, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a first instance of a client application executing on the first near-end terminal, information identifying a second near-end terminal executing a second instance of the client application, the information including one or more capabilities of the second near-end terminal;
• selecting the second near-end terminal to generate or consume a first stream of the multiple streams of the communication session based on the one or more capabilities of the second near-end terminal;
• and
• generating control signals for the second instance of the client application executing on the second near-end terminal to cause the second near-end terminal to generate or consume the first stream of the communication session.

Apparatus for use in a first near-end terminal, the apparatus comprising:

• an interface to a communication channel;
• a processing apparatus coupled to the interface;
• a memory coupled to the processing apparatus, the memory including a first instance of a client application which, when executed by the processing apparatus configures the processing apparatus to:
• receive, via the interface, information identifying a second near-end terminal executing a second instance of the client application, the information including one or more capabilities of the second near-end terminal;
• select the second near-end terminal to generate or consume a first stream of multiple streams of a communication session based on the one or more capabilities of the second near-end terminal;
• and
• generate control signals for the second instance of the client application executing on the second near-end terminal to cause the second near-end terminal to generate or consume the first stream of the communication session.

A computer program product comprising code embodied on a computer-readable storage device and configured so as when executed on a first near-end terminal to perform operations comprising:

• receiving information identifying a second near-end terminal executing a second instance of the client application, the information including one or more capabilities of the second near-end terminal;
• selecting the second near-end terminal to generate or consume a first stream of multiple streams of a communication session based on the one or more capabilities of the second near-end terminal;
• and
• generating control signals for the second instance of the client application executing on the second near-end terminal to cause the second near-end terminal to generate or consume the first stream of the communication session.