Method, apparatus and system for delivering content

• US 10,177,928 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2015
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Morioka, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pancholi, Rina C
• Application Number:
  US15/303,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20170041158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A content server delivers content items on demand to communications devices, and includes: a network interface configured to receive a content request from each of the communications devices and, in response to the received content requests, to transmit the content item to each of the communications devices following the arrival of a predetermined time using a network and one of a plurality of wireless access interfaces, each of the wireless access interfaces being configured to transmit and/or receive signals using a different radio access technology; and a control unit configured to cause the content transmitter to select one of the wireless access interfaces for transmitting the content item based on the number of content requests received prior to the arrival of the predetermined time; wherein the network interface is configured to transmit a signaling message to each of the communications devices signaling the selected wireless access interface prior to transmitting the content item.

Claims

1. A content server for delivering a content item on demand to communications devices, comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a content request from each of the communications devices and, in response to the received content requests, to transmit the content item to each of the communications devices following a predetermined time using a network and one of a plurality of wireless access interfaces, each of the wireless access interfaces being configured to transmit and/or receive signals using a different radio access technology, the plurality of wireless access interfaces including a cellular wireless access interface, a local wireless access interface, and a broadcast wireless interface; and

a controller configured to select one of the wireless access interfaces for transmitting the content item based on a number of content requests received prior to the predetermined time and cost per data unit associated with a respective wireless access interface,

wherein the network interface is configured to transmit a signalling message to each of the communications devices prior to transmitting the content item, the signalling message including an internet protocol (IP) address of a respective one of the communications devices and indicating which of the cellular wireless access interface, the local wireless access interface, and the broadcast wireless interface is selected by the controller.

2. The content server of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to select the broadcast wireless access interface for the transmission of the content item when the number of content requests received prior to the predetermined time reaches a predetermined threshold number and to select the cellular or local wireless access interface for transmission of the content item when the number of content requests received prior to the predetermined time does not reach the predetermined threshold.

3. The content server of claim 2, wherein when the broadcast wireless access interface is selected, the network interface is configured to transmit a broadcast signalling message to each of the communications devices as the signalling message, the broadcast signalling message comprising instructions to be processed by each of the communications devices to allow each communications device to receive the broadcast content item, and when the cellular or local wireless access interface is selected, the network interface is configured to transmit a download signalling message to each of the communications devices as the signalling message, the download signalling message indicating to each of the communications devices that the content item is to made available for download from the content server using the cellular or local wireless access interface.

4. The content server according to claim 1, wherein the cellular wireless access interface conforms to one of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standards, the local wireless access interface conforms to one of the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth standards or makes use of unlicensed LTE spectrum (LTE-U), and the broadcast wireless access interface conforms to one of the Digital Video Broadcast Handheld (DVB-H) or Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS) standards.

5. A communications device for receiving a content item on demand from a content server, comprising:

a plurality of communications interfaces each configured to transmit and/or receive signals with a different wireless access interface using a different radio access technology, wherein a first one of the plurality of communications interfaces is configured to transmit a content request to the content server, a second one of the plurality of communications interfaces is configured to receive the content item from the content server following a predetermined time, and a third one of the plurality of communications interfaces is configured to receive a signalling message from the content server prior to receipt of the content item by the second communications interface, the signalling message signalling which one of the plurality of communications interfaces is to be the second communications interface for receiving the content item based on a number of content requests received prior to the predetermined time and cost per data unit associated with a respective communication interface, the plurality of communications interfaces including a cellular communications interface, a local communications interface, and a broadcast communications interface; and

a controller configured to select the second communications interface for receiving the content item from the plurality of communications interfaces in accordance with the signalling message, the signalling message including an internet protocol (IP) address of the communications device and indicating which of the cellular communications interface, the local communications interface, and the broadcast communications interface is to be selected for receiving the content item.

6. The communications device of claim 5, wherein:

the first communications interface is one of the cellular and local communications interfaces;

the second communications interface is one of the cellular, local or broadcast communications interfaces; and

the third communications interface is one of the cellular and local communications interfaces.

7. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to select the cellular or local communications interface as the first and/or third communications interface depending on which of the cellular and local communications interfaces are able to communicate with the content server, with preference given to the local communications interface in the case that both the cellular and local communications interfaces are able to communicate with the content server.

8. The communications device according to claim 6, wherein the signalling message is one of a broadcast signalling message and a download signalling message, wherein:

when the signalling message is the broadcast signalling message, the controller is configured to select the broadcast communications interface as the second communications interface, the broadcast signalling message comprising instructions to be processed by the controller to allow the communications device to receive the content item using the broadcast communications interface; and

when the signalling message is the download signalling message, the controller is configured to select one of the cellular and local communications interfaces as the second communications interface, the download signalling message indicating to the controller that the content item is to be made available for download from the content server using the cellular or local communications interface.

9. The communications device according to claim 8, wherein when the content em is to be made available for download from the content server, the cellular or local communications interface is chosen as the second communications interface depending on which of the cellular and local communications interfaces are able to communicate with the content server, with preference given to the local communications interface in the case that both the cellular and local communications interfaces are able to communicate with the content server.

10. The communications device according to claim 6, wherein the cellular communications interface conforms to one of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standards, the local communications interface conforms to one of the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth standards or makes use of unlicensed LTE spectrum (LTE-U), and the broadcast communications interface conforms to one of the Digital Video Broadcast Handheld (DVB-H) or Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS) standards.

11. A system comprising a content server and a communications device, the content server for delivering a content item on demand to the communications device, the content server comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a content request from the communications device and, in response to received content requests, to transmit the content item to the communications device following a predetermined time using a network and one of a plurality of wireless access interfaces, each of the wireless access interfaces being configured to transmit and/or receive signals using a different radio access technology, the plurality of wireless access interfaces including a cellular wireless access interface, a local wireless access interface, and a broadcast wireless interface; and

a controller configured to cause the content transmitter to select one of the wireless access interfaces for transmitting the content item based on a number of content requests received prior to the predetermined time and cost per data unit associated with a respective wireless access interface;

wherein

the network interface is configured to transmit a signalling message to the communications device prior to transmitting the content item, the signalling message including an internet protocol (IP) address of the communications device and indicating which of the cellular wireless access interface, the local wireless access interface, and the broadcast wireless interface is selected by the controller.

12. A method of delivering a content item on demand to communications devices, comprising:

receiving a content request from each of the communications devices and, in response to received content requests, transmitting the content item to each of the communications devices following a predetermined time using a network and one of a plurality of wireless access interfaces, each of the wireless access interfaces being configured to transmit and/or receive signals using a different radio access technology, the plurality of wireless access interfaces including a cellular wireless access interface, a local wireless access interface, and a broadcast wireless interface; and

selecting one of the wireless access interfaces for transmitting the content item based on a number of content requests received prior to the predetermined time and cost per data unit associated with a respective wireless access interface;

wherein

a signalling message is transmitted to each of the communications devices signalling the selected wireless access interface prior to transmitting the content item, the signalling message including an internet protocol (IP) address of a respective one of the communications devices and indicated which of the cellular wireless access interface, the local wireless access interface, and the broadcast wireless access interface is to be selected for receiving the content item.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to claim 12.

14. A method of receiving a content item on demand from a content server, comprising:

transmitting a content request to the content server using a first one of a plurality of communications interfaces each configured to transmit and/or receive signals with a different wireless access interface using a different radio access technology, the plurality of communications interfaces including a cellular communications interface, a local communications interface, and a broadcast communications interface;

receiving the content item from the content server following a predetermined time using a second one of the plurality of communications interfaces;

receiving a signalling message from the content server using a third one of the plurality of communications interfaces prior to receipt of the content item by the second communications interface, the signalling message signalling which one of the plurality of communications interfaces is to be the second communications interface for receiving the content item based on a number of content requests received prior to the predetermined time cost per data unit associated with a respective communications interface; and

selecting the second communications interface for receiving the content item from the plurality of communications interfaces in accordance with the signalling message, the signalling message including an internet protocol (IP) address of the communications device and indicating which of the cellular communications interface, the local communications interface, and the broadcast communications interface is to be selected for receiving the content item.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method according to claim 14.