Application services coordinated satellite multicast content delivery

• US 20050289629A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Nadarajah, Dinesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,810,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6162 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18

Abstract

A method of distributing content includes receiving at least one request for a particular content item. Based on the at least one request, a number of users who are to receive the particular content item and are capable of receiving the particular content item via a wireless link is determined. Based on the number of users, at least one of a wireline link and the wireless link from which the users are to receive the particular content item is selected. The particular content item is distributed to the users via the selected at least one link.

Claims

1. A method of distributing content comprising:

receiving at least one request for a particular content item;

based on the at least one request, determining a number of users who are to receive the particular content item and are capable of receiving the particular content item via a wireless link;

based on the number of users, selecting at least one of a wireline link and the wireless link from which the users are to receive the particular content item, the wireline link comprising a fiber optic path to a node location proximate to a subscriber; and

distributing the particular content item to the users via the selected at least one link.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the number of users to a preset threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said selecting comprises selecting the wireless link if the number of users is greater than the preset threshold.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said selecting comprises selecting the wireline link if the number of users is less than the preset threshold, and wherein the wireline link is a fiber to the node (FTTN) connection.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless link comprises a satellite link.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

requesting a satellite content management server to allocate bandwidth for distributing the particular content item;

receiving, from the satellite content management server, a channel and a time slot identifying the satellite link for distributing the particular content item; and

transferring the particular content item to the satellite content management server;

wherein said distributing comprises the satellite content management server distributing the particular content item to the users over the channel and the time slot.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

sending information indicating the channel and the time slot to the users.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

authorizing devices associated with the users to receive the particular content item, wherein said authorizing comprises distributing licenses to enable the devices associated with the users to receive the particular content item.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

authorizing devices associated with the users to use the particular content item, wherein said authorizing comprises distributing licenses to enable the devices associated with the users to use the particular content item.

10. A system for distributing content, the system comprising:

an application server programmed to receive at least one request for a particular content item, to determine a number of users who are to receive the particular content item and are capable of receiving the particular content item via a wireless link, to select at least one of a wireline link and the wireless link from which the users are to receive the particular content item based on the number of users, and to communicate the particular content item to at least one of a satellite content management server and a landline fiber to the node (FTTN) network to distribute the particular content item to the users via the selected at least one link.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the application server is to select by comparing the number of users to a preset threshold.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the application server is to:

request a satellite content management server to allocate bandwidth for distributing the particular content item; and

receive, from the satellite content management server, a channel and a time slot identifying the satellite link for distributing the particular content item.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the application server is to send information indicating the channel and the time slot to the users.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the application server is to authorize devices associated with the users to receive the particular content item, wherein the application server authorizes the devices by distributing licenses to enable the devices associated with the users to receive the particular content item.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the application server is to authorize devices associated with the users to play back the particular content item, wherein the application server authorizes the devices by distributing licenses to enable the devices associated with the users to play back the particular content item.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one of the licenses is distributed after distributing the particular content item.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the application server is to authorize devices associated with the users to use the particular content item, wherein the application server authorizes the devices by distributing licenses to enable the devices associated with the users to use the particular content item.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the particular content item comprises computer software.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein the particular content item comprises video content.

20. A method comprising:

receiving at least one request for a particular content item;

based on the at least one request, determining a number of users who are to receive the particular content item and are capable of receiving the particular content item via a satellite link;

selecting at least one of a fiber to the node (FTTN) link and the satellite link from which the users are to receive the particular content item, wherein the satellite link is selected if the number of users is greater than a preset threshold, and wherein the FTTN link is selected if the number of users is less than the preset threshold; and

when the satellite link is selected, requesting a satellite content management server to allocate bandwidth for distributing the particular content item, receiving, from the satellite content management server, a channel and a time slot identifying the satellite link for distributing the particular content item, and transferring the particular content item to the satellite content management server.

21. A telecommunications network comprising:

at least one sub-network for supporting at least one telecommunications service;

at least one fiber-optic network selected from the group consisting of an FTTC network, an FTTH/P network, and a hybrid network; and

at least one end-user sub-network.