Media distribution via a scalable ad hoc geographic protocol

• US 10,075,893 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert J., Jamison, Richard Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopata, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US14/987,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 370338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/023 Limited or focused flooding to selected areas of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

Media is distributed via a scalable ad hoc geographic routing/broadcast protocol. Media can be transmitted from a mobile device to a cluster of mobile devices that are geographically located in a particular region. Devices that are located between the source and the intended target can act as routers with the ability to forward data packets toward the intended destination. In essence, a geocast network cloud is established, allowing any device within the cloud to communicate with any other device in the cloud. Devices in the network can constantly change position and the transmission path through the network can be constantly changing. The geocast protocol adapts to the changing conditions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via an ad hoc network, a message at a device, the message comprising a media segment and an indication of a geocast region of intended reception;

accepting the message if the device is within the geocast region;

determining a first distance from the device to a point in the intended reception area of the message;

determining a plurality of distances between the point and each of a plurality of sources from which the device previously had received the message;

rendering the media segment if the media segment is valid; and

retransmitting the message to another device via the ad hoc network based on the first distance being less than each of the plurality of distances.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message further comprises an indicator of an intended recipient device, the method further comprising:

processing the message if the device is the intended recipient device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of segments of media via a plurality of messages;

for each of the plurality of media segments, determining whether the media segment is a valid media segment or an invalid media segment; and

rendering the valid media segments.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the media segment is valid comprises:

determining where in a sequence of other media segments the media segment is positioned.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the media segment is valid based on the media segment being later in sequence than previously received media segments.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein retransmitting the message is performed in accordance with a geocast protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the message was received at least a predetermined number of times by the device,

wherein retransmitting the message is based on the message not having been received the predetermined number of times.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

retransmitting the message is based on the message having been sent from a location closer than or equal to the predetermined minimum distance from a device location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

retransmitting the message is based on a nearest neighbor of an originator of the message having received the message less than a predetermined number of times.

10. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that causes the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving, via an ad hoc network, a message comprising a media segment and an indication of a geocast region of intended reception of the message in accordance with a geocast protocol;

accepting the message based on the mobile device being within the region;

determining a first distance from the mobile device to a point in the intended reception area of the message;

determining a plurality of distances between the point and each of a plurality of sources from which the mobile device previously had received the message;

determining whether the media segment is valid; and

retransmitting the message to another device via the ad hoc network, based on the first distance being less than each of the plurality of distances.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

based on the media segment being valid, rendering the media segment.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

based on the media segment being invalid, ignoring the media segment.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, the message indicative of an intended recipient device, the operations further comprising:

not accepting the message based on the mobile device not being the intended recipient device.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

determining a reverse message path; and

providing a response to the message via the reverse message path.

15. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein

retransmitting the message is based on the message having been sent from a location farther than a predetermined minimum distance from a location of the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein

retransmitting the message is based on a nearest neighbor of the originator of the message having not received the message at least a predetermined number of times.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause a processor executing the instructions to perform operations comprising:

receiving by a device, via an ad hoc network, a message comprising an indication of a geocast region of intended reception of the message in accordance with a geocast protocol;

accepting the message based on the device being within the region;

determining a first distance from the device to a point in the intended reception area of the message;

determining a plurality of distances between the point and each of a plurality of sources from which the device previously had received the message;

determining, upon receipt of the message, if the message is valid;

further processing the message via the device based on the message being valid;

and retransmitting the message to another device via the ad hoc network based on the first distance being less than each of the plurality of distances.