System for scheduling multimedia sessions among a plurality of endpoint systems wherein endpoint systems negotiate connection requests with modification parameters

A method for scheduling a multimedia session including a plurality of end point computers connected by a network, comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving a user generated session connection request in any one of said plurality of end point computers including a plurality of quality of service parameters and a session time;
• (b) negotiating between said plurality of end point computers to establish connection reservation between two or more of said plurality of computers in response to said session connection request, said negotiating including sending a request with communication parameters from said any one end-point computer, receiving said request by said other end-point computers, testing other end point computer resource availability and responding by said other end point computers with an acceptance message, rejection message or provisional acceptance with communication parameter modification message, and replying by said first end point computer with an acceptance message or a rejection message if said other computer response is a communication parameter modification message;
• (c) storing network connection reservation information including the quality of service required for the multimedia session in each of said two or more computers;
• and
• (d) reading the stored network connection reservation information for the multimedia session and commencing the multimedia session at the session time.

A control element for directing the operation of a computer and initiating a multimedia session, having storage means for retaining signals recognizable by the computer and controlling the operation thereof, the signals comprising:

• (a) means for use with the computer to receive a user generated session connection request including a plurality of quality of service parameters and a session time;
• (b) means for use with the computer to establish a network connection reservation with at least a second computer in response to said session connection request, said first computer sending a reservation request having reservation parameters and said second computer responding with an acceptance, rejection or provisional acceptance with reservation parameter modification depending on said second computer resource availability, said first computer responding with acceptance or rejection of any reservation parameter modification request;
• (c) means for use with the computer and the at least second computer to store network connection reservation information for the multimedia session;
• and
• (d) means for use with the computer and the at least second computer to read the stored network connection reservation information for the multimedia session and commence the multimedia session at the session time .