System and method for efficient distribution of multicastable services

• US 20030135594A1
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jarno Leinonen, Lin Xu
• Original Assignee: Jarno Leinonen, Lin Xu
• Inventors: Xu, Lin, Leinonen, Jarno
• Application Number:
  US10/008,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20030135594A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/24 Arrangements for distribution of identical information via broadcast system and non-broadcast system
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/85 which are mobile communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

An improved system and method for the delivery of multicastable services in a geographical area served, for example, by both a web of cells capable of providing multicast links and a web of cells capable of providing only unicast links.

Claims

1. A method for effectively using network resources, comprising:

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the cellular distribution of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link.

13. A method as in any of claims 1-6, wherein said deciding takes into account the bandwidth used and the spectral spectrum efficiency factor of each access system.

15. A method as in any of claims 1-6, wherein said deciding takes into account the bandwidth used and the per-unit-cost of that bandwidth.

17. A method as in any of claims 1-6, wherein said deciding takes into account the percentage of total available link bandwidth used and the percentage of terminals using the link that would be served by using the bandwidth.

19. A method as in any of claims 1-6, further comprising receiving a join indication from a terminal.

21. The method of claim 19, w herein said join indication comprises a specification of the terminal'"'"'s network interfaces.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said join indication comprises a specification of the networks currently available to the terminal.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said join indication comprises a specification of a desired start time for reception of transmissions.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said join indication comprises a specification of a desired stop time for ceasing reception of transmissions.

2. A method for effectively using network resources, comprising:

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the composition of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link.

3. A method for effectively using network resources, comprising:

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group;

selecting from among available cellular distributions for said reception group; and

deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link;

wherein said steps of selecting and deciding are performed upon a change in the physical location of a member of said group.

4. A method for effectively using network resources, comprising:

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group;

selecting from among available cellular distributions for said reception group; and

deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via unicast or via multicast;

wherein said steps of selecting and deciding are performed upon a change in the composition of the reception group.

5. A method for effectively using network resources, comprising:

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the cellular distribution of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link,

wherein said step of deciding further comprises determining the ideality of each option.

6. A method for effectively using network resources, comprising:

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the composition of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link,

wherein said step of deciding further comprises determining the ideality of each option.

7. A system for effectively using network resources, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor operatively connected to said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform the steps of;

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the cellular distribution of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link.

8. A system for effectively using network resources, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor operatively connected to said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform the steps of;

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the composition of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link.

9. A system for effectively using network resources, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor operatively connected to said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform the steps of;

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group;

selecting from among available cellular distributions for said reception group; and

deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link;

wherein said steps of selecting and deciding are performed upon a change in the physical location of a member of said group.

10. A system for effectively using network resources, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor operatively connected to said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform the steps of;

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group;

selecting from among available cellular distributions for said reception group; and

deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link;

wherein said steps of selecting and deciding are performed upon a change in the composition of the reception group.

14. A system as in any of claims 7-12, wherein said deciding takes into account the bandwidth used and the spectrum efficiency factor of each access system.

16. A system as in any of claims 7-12, wherein said deciding takes into account the bandwidth used and the per-unit-cost of that bandwidth.

18. A system as in any of claims 7-12, wherein said deciding takes into account the percentage of total available link bandwidth used and the percentage of terminals using the link that would be served by using the bandwidth.

20. A system as in any of claims 7-12, wherein said processor additionally performs the step of receiving a join indication from a terminal,

25. The system of claim 20, wherein said join indication comprises a specification of the terminal'"'"'s network interfaces.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein said join indication comprises a specification of the networks currently available to the terminal.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein said join indication comprises a specification of a desired start time for reception of transmissions.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein said join indication comprises a specification of a desired stop time for ceasing reception of transmissions.

11. A system for effectively using network resources, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor operatively connected to said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform the steps of;

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the cellular distribution of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link,

wherein said step of deciding further comprises determining the ideality of each option.

12. A system for effectively using network resources, comprising:

a memory having program code stored therein; and

a processor operatively connected to said memory for carrying out instructions in accordance with said stored program code;

wherein said program code, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to perform the steps of;

forwarding to a reception group the service corresponding to said reception group; and

upon a change in the composition of the reception group, deciding whether a subset of said reception group should receive said service via a unicast link or via a multicast link,

wherein said step of deciding further comprises determining the ideality of each option.