Method and system for providing broadcast services through a cellular and/or wireless network to a plurality of mobile devices via service provider integration

• US 20060128420A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: van Rooyen, Pieter Gert Wessel
• Granted Patent: US 7,444,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/24 Arrangements for distribution of identical information via broadcast system and non-broadcast system
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/33 via the broadcast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/64315 DVB-H

Abstract

A method and system for communicating information via a plurality of different networks may comprise circuitry in a mobile terminal that receives broadcast information via a VHF/UHF broadcast communication path and simultaneously receives in the mobile terminal, cellular information via a cellular communication path. The system may further comprise circuitry in the mobile terminal that switches between processing of the broadcast information received via the VHF/UHF broadcast communication path and the cellular information received via the cellular communication path based on a measured broadcast signal statistic associated with a signal bearing the broadcast information and a measured cellular signal statistic associated with a signal bearing the cellular information. The broadcast information and the cellular information may be the same information. The broadcast information and the cellular information may comprise video data. The cellular information may comprise voice data.

Claims

14-1. The machine-readable storage according to claim 14, further comprising code for receiving an input that selects at least a portion of content associated with said broadcast information and at least a portion of said content associated with said cellular information.

27. A system for communicating information via a plurality of different networks, the system comprising:

circuitry in a mobile terminal that receives broadcast information via a VHF/UHF broadcast communication path;

circuitry in said mobile terminal that simultaneously receives and transmits cellular information comprising via a cellular communication path; and

circuitry in said mobile terminal that switches between processing of said broadcast information received via said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path and said cellular information received via said cellular communication path based on a measured broadcast signal statistic associated with a signal bearing said broadcast information and a measured cellular signal statistic associated with a signal bearing said cellular information.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said broadcast information and said cellular information comprises the same data.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein said broadcast information comprises video data and said cellular information comprises video data.

30. The system according to claim 27, wherein said cellular information comprises voice data.

31. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that selects content from at least said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path for consumption based on said measured broadcast signal statistic associated with a signal bearing said broadcast information and said measured cellular signal statistic associated with said signal bearing said cellular information.

32. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that receives an input that selects at least a portion of content associated with said broadcast information and at least a portion of said content associated with said cellular information.

33. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that displays a user interface that facilitates said switching.

34. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that displays an indication of content available via at least one of said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path and said cellular communication path.

35. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that receives said broadcast information at a lower bit rate at said mobile terminal than a bit rate at which said broadcast information is transmitted from a broadcaster that originally broadcasts said broadcast information that is received via said VHF/UHF communication path.

36. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that stores at least a portion of said received broadcast information and at least a portion of said received cellular information in a commonly accessible memory.

37. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry that coordinates communication of information associated with said received broadcast communication and said received cellular information via a communication interface integrated in said mobile terminal that handles said processing of said broadcast information and said cellular information.

38. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry that generates a request via said cellular communication path to receive said broadcast information via said broadcast communication path, said request generated utilizing a communication interface integrated in said mobile terminal that handles said processing of said broadcast information and said cellular information.

39. The system according to claim 27, further comprising circuitry that generates a request via said cellular communication path to receive at least a portion of said broadcast information via said broadcast communication path and at least a remaining portion of said broadcast information via said cellular communication path, said request generated utilizing a communication interface integrated in said mobile terminal that handles said processing of said broadcast information and said cellular information.

40. A method for communicating information via a plurality of different networks, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast information in a mobile terminal via a VHF/UHF broadcast communication path;

receiving cellular information comprising voice and data in said mobile terminal from a bidirectional cellular communication path;

receiving Internet information in said mobile terminal via a downlink only cellular communication path; and

transmitting uplink Internet related information via an uplink path of said bidirectional cellular communication path.

41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising receiving said Internet information from a service provider.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein said service provider determines whether to deliver said Internet information via said downlink only cellular communication path or said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein said service provider is integrated with a wireless service provider that handles said bidirectional cellular communication path and said downlink only cellular communication path.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein said service provider is integrated with a broadcast service provider that handles said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

45. The method according to claim 41, further comprising generating a request by said mobile terminal that instructs said service provider to deliver said requested Internet information via said downlink only cellular communication path.

46. The method according to claim 40, further comprising:

requesting via said uplink path, said Internet information from said mobile terminal; and

receiving said requested Internet information via said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

47. The method according to claim 46, further comprising generating a request by said mobile terminal that instructs said service provider to deliver said requested Internet information via said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

48. The method according to claim 40, further comprising selecting between receiving said broadcast information, said cellular information, or said Internet information.

49. The method according to claim 40, further comprising selecting between transmitting said Internet related information or said cellular information.

50. The method according to claim 40, wherein said mobile terminal comprises a common interface that facilitates communication between at least one cellular processor that processes said cellular information and said Internet information, and a broadcast processor that processes said broadcast information.

51. A system for communicating information via a plurality of different networks, the system comprising:

circuitry in a mobile terminal that receives broadcast information via a VHF/UHF broadcast communication path;

circuitry in said mobile terminal that receives cellular information comprising voice and data from a bidirectional cellular communication path;

circuitry in said mobile terminal that receives Internet information via a downlink only cellular communication path; and

circuitry in said mobile terminal that transmits uplink Internet related information via an uplink path of said bidirectional cellular communication path.

52. The system according to claim 51, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that receives said Internet information from a service provider.

53. The system according to claim 52, wherein said service provider determines whether to deliver said Internet information via said downlink only cellular communication path or said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

54. The system according to claim 52, wherein said service provider is integrated with a wireless service provider that handles said bidirectional cellular communication path and said downlink only cellular communication path.

55. The system according to claim 52, wherein said service provider is integrated with a broadcast service provider that handles said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

56. The system according to claim 52, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that generates a request that instructs said service provider to deliver said requested Internet information via said downlink only cellular communication path.

57. The system according to claim 51, further comprising:

circuitry in said mobile terminal that requests via said uplink path, said Internet information; and

circuitry in said mobile terminal that receives said requested Internet information via said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

58. The system according to claim 57, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that generates a request that instructs said service provider to deliver said requested Internet information via said VHF/UHF broadcast communication path.

59. The system according to claim 51, further comprising circuitry for in said mobile terminal that selects between receiving said broadcast information, said cellular information, or said Internet information.

60. The system according to claim 51, further comprising circuitry in said mobile terminal that selects between transmitting said Internet related information or said cellular information.

61. The system according to claim 51, wherein said mobile terminal comprises a common interface that facilitates communication between at least one cellular processor that processes said cellular information and said Internet information, and a broadcast processor that processes said broadcast information.