Distributing communication of a data stream among multiple devices

• US 10,560,503 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2018
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2012
• 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: Baldwin, Christopher F., Barnes, Bruce, Heinmiller, Wayne R., Kenny, Patrick, Mallian, Dolores J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khurshid, Zia
• Application Number:
  US15/968,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20180248923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 709219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for distributing communication of a data stream among multiple devices are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include receiving a request from a first one of a plurality of devices to establish a shared connection to distribute communication of a first data stream among the plurality of devices. Such example methods also include establishing, in response to the request, respective data connections with the plurality of devices based on device capability information obtained from a system providing service for the plurality of devices. Such example methods further include splitting the first data stream into a plurality of partial data streams to be communicated to the plurality of devices via the respective data connections, the partial data streams, when aggregated, forming the first data stream.

Claims

1. A first electronic device, comprising:

a processor; and

memory including executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations including;

identifying one or more other electronic devices located within a communication range of the first electronic device;

causing a shared connection message to be transmitted from the first electronic device to a service provider, the shared connection message from the first electronic device to identify a target data source and to include information identifying the one or more other electronic devices; and

aggregating respective partial data streams received from respective ones of the one or more other electronic devices to form an aggregated data stream, the respective partial data streams supplied to the one or more other electronic devices in response to the shared connection message.

2. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further include causing the aggregated data stream to be transmitted to an output device.

3. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more other electronic devices are an initial set of electronic devices, and the operations further include detecting a change in a composition of the initial set of electronic devices.

4. The first electronic device of claim 3, wherein the operations further include communicating the change in the composition of the initial set of electronic devices to the service provider.

5. The first electronic device of claim 4, wherein the operations further include requesting modification of a first shared connection with the initial set of electronic devices to establish a second shared connection that accommodates the change in the composition of the initial set of electronic devices.

6. The first electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shared connection message includes a request for a shared connection and includes respective device capacity information for the respective ones of the one or more other electronic devices.

7. The first electronic device of claim 6, wherein the device capacity information includes at least one of a bandwidth limit, a data rate limit, and a transcoding parameter.

8. A method, comprising:

identifying, by executing an instruction with a processor of a first electronic device, one or more other electronic devices located within a communication range of the first electronic device;

initiating transmission of a shared connection message from the first electronic device to a service provider, the shared connection message from the first electronic device identifying a target data source and including information identifying the one or more other electronic devices; and

aggregating, by executing an instruction with the processor, partial data streams received from the one or more other electronic devices to form an aggregated data stream, the partial data streams supplied to the one or more other electronic devices in response to the shared connection message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more other electronic devices are an initial set of electronic devices, and further including detecting a change in a composition of the initial set of electronic devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further including communicating changes the change in the composition of the initial set of electronic devices to the service provider.

11. The method of claim 10, further including requesting modification of a first shared connection with the initial set of electronic devices to establish a second shared connection, the second shared connection to accommodate the change in the composition of the initial set of electronic devices.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the shared connection message includes a request for a shared connection and includes device capacity information for respective ones of the one or more other electronic devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the device capacity information includes at least one of a bandwidth limit, a data rate limit, and a transcoding parameter.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a first electronic device to perform operations including:

identifying one or more other electronic devices located within a communication range of the first electronic device;

generating a shared connection message at the first electronic device, the shared connection message to identify a target data source and to include information identifying the one or more other electronic devices;

causing the shared connection message to be transmitted from the first electronic device to a service provider; and

aggregating respective partial data streams from the one or more other electronic devices to form an aggregated data stream, the respective partial data streams supplied to the one or more other electronic devices in response to the shared connection message.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more other electronic devices form an initial set of electronic devices, and the operations further include detecting a change in a composition of the initial set of electronic devices.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further include communicating the change in the composition of the initial set of electronic devices to the service provider.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further include requesting modification of a first shared connection with the initial set of electronic devices to establish a second shared connection, the second shared connection to accommodate the change in the composition of the initial set of electronic devices.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the shared connection message includes a request for a shared connection and includes respective device capacity information for respective ones of the one or more other electronic devices.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the respective device capacity information includes at least one of a bandwidth limit, a data rate limit, and a transcoding parameter.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further include causing the aggregated data stream to be transmitted to an output device.