Methods, systems, and computer program products for transmitting streaming media to a mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with a wireless network

• US 20050130636A1
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Slemmer, John Blake, Schaub, Ryan Lee, Perrella, Ron, Hope, Timothy, Dennisson, Joseph Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,111 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85

Abstract

A communication network is operated by providing a wireless communication network that has bandwidth associated therewith to facilitate communication between one or more mobile terminals and another communication device. Streaming media is transmitted to the one or more mobile terminals using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication network, comprising:

providing a wireless communication network that has bandwidth associated therewith to facilitate communication between at least one mobile terminal and another communication device; and

transmitting streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the streaming media comprises:

transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using third generation (3G) wireless communication technology.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the streaming media comprises:

transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) technology, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) technology, and/or enhanced data GSM (global system for mobile communications) environment technology.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a Wi-Fi communication network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting the streaming media comprises:

transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using IEEE 802.11b technology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming media comprises text and/or audio content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming media comprises video content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a television broadcast, an amplitude modulation (AM) radio broadcast and/or a frequency modulation (FM) radio broadcast.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a video conference and/or a gaming application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the streaming media comprises:

transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network while moving the at least one mobile terminal between cells associated with the wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the following before transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal;

obtaining authorization from a media broadcaster that provides the streaming media to rebroadcast the streaming media over the wireless network; and

obtaining a subscription at the wireless network from the at least one mobile terminal for the streaming media.

12. A communication system, comprising:

means for providing a wireless communication network that has bandwidth associated therewith to facilitate communication between at least one mobile terminal and another communication device; and

means for transmitting streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for transmitting the streaming media comprises:

means for transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using third generation (3G) wireless communication technology.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for transmitting the streaming media comprises:

means for transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) technology, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) technology, and/or enhanced data GSM (global system for mobile communications) environment technology.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a Wi-Fi communication network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the means for transmitting the streaming media comprises:

means for transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using IEEE 802.11b technology.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the streaming media comprises text and/or audio content.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the streaming media comprises video content.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a television broadcast, an amplitude modulation (AM) radio broadcast and/or a frequency modulation (FM) radio broadcast.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a video conference and/or a gaming application.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for transmitting the streaming media comprises:

means for transmitting the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network while moving the at least one mobile terminal between cells associated with the wireless network.

22. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for obtaining authorization from a media broadcaster that provides the streaming media to rebroadcast the streaming media over the wireless network; and

means for obtaining a subscription at the wireless network from the at least one mobile terminal for the streaming media.

23. A computer program product for operating a communication network, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to provide a wireless communication network that has bandwidth associated therewith to facilitate communication between at least one mobile terminal and another communication device; and

computer readable program code configured to transmit streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media comprises:

computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using third generation (3G) wireless communication technology.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media comprises:

computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) technology, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) technology, and/or enhanced data GSM (global system for mobile communications) environment technology.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the wireless communication network comprises a Wi-Fi communication network.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media comprises:

computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using IEEE 802.11b technology.

28. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the streaming media comprises text and/or audio content.

29. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the streaming media comprises video content.

30. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a television broadcast, an amplitude modulation (AM) radio broadcast and/or a frequency modulation (FM) radio broadcast.

31. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a video conference and/or a gaming application.

32. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media comprises:

computer readable program code configured to transmit the streaming media to the at least one mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network while moving the at least one mobile terminal between cells associated with the wireless network.

33. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to obtain authorization from a media broadcaster that provides the streaming media to rebroadcast the streaming media over the wireless network; and

computer readable program code configured to obtain a subscription at the wireless network from the at least one mobile terminal for the streaming media.