Ever-increasing quality for stored video streaming in a mobile wireless interworking environment

• US 20060156347A1
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Li, Jun, Ramaswamy, Kumar, Zhang, Junbiao
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4621 Controlling the complexity of the content stream or additional data, e.g. lowering the resolution or bit-rate of the video stream for a mobile client with a small screen arrangements for using the results of monitoring on user's side in broadcast systems H04H60/65; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• 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 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64792 Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

There is provided a method for managing the downloading and display of a video program using a mobile device in an networking environment that includes a first radio access network and a second radio access network that has a faster transfer rate than the first network. A layer of video program that has been encoded into multiple layers is downloaded via the first or second network. The downloaded video program is displayed at a playback rate that corresponds to a display quality. Excess portion of the downloaded video program that result when a rate at which the video program is displayed are buffered. The number of layers being downloaded and the playback rate at which the video program is displayed are increased to increase the display quality, when the buffered excess portions exceeds a threshold level.

Claims

1. A method for downloading and displaying a program using a mobile terminal in an interworking environment that includes a first radio access network having a first data transfer rate and a second radio access network having a second data transfer rate that is faster than the first data transfer rate, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading, via the first or second radio access networks, a layer of a program encoded into multiple layers, the program being downloaded at the second data transfer rate when the mobile terminal is in the coverage area of the second radio access network;

displaying the downloaded video program at a playback rate that corresponds to a display quality;

buffering excess portions of the downloaded program that result when a rate at which the video program is being downloaded exceeds a rate at which the video program is displayed; and

increasing the number of layers being downloaded, and the playback rate at which the video program is displayed to thereby increase the display quality, when the buffered excess portions of the downloaded program exceeds a threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold level corresponds to a time duration of a remainder of the program to be played back multiplied by a difference between a current playback rate and the first data transfer rate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the increasing step comprises the step of limiting the playback rate to a maximum value that is equal to a sum of the first data transfer rate and a quotient resulting from dividing the buffered excess portions of the downloaded program by a time duration of the remainder of the program to be played back.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the increasing step comprises increasing the playback rate by an amount that corresponds to the number of layers being downloaded, such that each additional layer being downloaded results in an incremental change to the playback rate.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of continuing to download the program from the first radio access network while maintaining a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the program, when the mobile terminal is again within the coverage area of the first radio access network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the layered media, when the mobile terminal is again within the coverage area of the first radio access network and the entire program has been completely downloaded.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the increasing step comprises the step of transmitting to a source of the program a request to increase the number of layers being transmitted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first radio access network is a 3G network and the second radio access network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

9. A mobile terminal for downloading and displaying a program in an interworking environment that includes a first radio access network having a first data transfer rate and a second radio access network having a second data transfer rate that is faster than the first data transfer rate, the mobile terminal comprising:

a receiver for downloading, via the first or second radio access networks, a layer of a program encoded into multiple layers, the program being downloaded at the faster data transfer rate when the mobile terminal is in the coverage area of the second radio access network;

a display for displaying the downloaded video program at a playback rate that corresponds to a display quality;

a memory device for buffering excess portions of the downloaded program that result when a rate at which the program is being downloaded exceeds a rate at which the video program is displayed; and

a processor, coupled to the receiver, display and memory device, for increasing the number of layers being downloaded, and the playback rate at which the program is displayed to increase the display quality, when the buffered excess portions of the downloaded program exceeds a threshold level.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the threshold level corresponds to a time duration of a remainder of the video program to be played back multiplied by a difference between the playback rate and the first data transfer rate.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the processor limits the playback rate to a maximum value that is equal to a sum of the first data transfer rate and a quotient resulting from dividing the buffered excess portions of the downloaded program by a time duration of the remainder of the program to be played back.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the processor increases the playback rate by an amount that corresponds to a number of layers being downloaded, such that each additional layer being downloaded results in an incremental change to the playback rate.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the receiver continues to download the program from the first radio access network while the processor maintains a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the program, when the mobile terminal is again within a coverage area of the first radio access network.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the processor maintains a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the layered media, when the mobile terminal is again within a coverage area of the first radio access network and the program has been completely downloaded.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 9, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting to a source of the program a request to increase the number of layers being transmitted, in respond to a command issued by the processor.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the first radio access network is a 3G cellular network and the second radio access network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

17. A method for downloading and displaying a program using a mobile device in an interworking environment that includes a first radio access network having a first data transfer rate and a second radio access network having a second data transfer rate that is faster than the first data transfer rate, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading, via the first or second radio access networks, a layer of a video program encoded into multiple layers, the video program being downloaded at the faster data transfer rate when the mobile terminal is in the coverage area of the second radio access network;

displaying the downloaded video program at a playback rate that corresponds to a display quality;

downloading a current layer and a next layer of the video program at the same time when the mobile terminal enters the coverage area of the second radio access network; and

increasing the playback rate at which the video program is displayed to increase the display quality, when the next layer has been completely downloaded.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the multiple layers comprise a base layer and at least one subsequent layer, each of the at least one subsequent layer being associated with an incremental change to the playback rate, and wherein said increasing step increases the playback rate by an amount that corresponds to the next layer.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of continuing to download the video program from the first radio access network while maintaining a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the video program, when the mobile terminal is again within the coverage area of the first radio access network.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of maintaining a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the layered media, when the mobile terminal is again within the coverage area of the first radio access network and the entire video program has been completely downloaded.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the second downloading step comprises downloading the next layer starting from a current playback point.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first radio access network is a 3G cellular network and the second radio access network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

23. A mobile terminal for downloading and displaying a video program in an interworking environment that includes a first radio access network having a first data transfer rate and a second radio access network having a second data transfer rate that is faster than the first data transfer rate, the mobile terminal comprising:

a receiver for downloading, via the first or second radio access networks, a layer of a video program encoded into multiple layers, the video program being downloaded at the faster data transfer rate when the mobile terminal is in the coverage area of the second radio access network, the receiver downloading a current layer and a next layer of the video program at the same time when the mobile terminal enters the coverage area of the second radio access network even if a preceding layer of the video program is still being downloaded;

a display for displaying the downloaded video program at a playback rate that corresponds to a display quality; and

a processor, coupled to the receiver, and display, for increasing the playback rate at which the video program is displayed to thereby increase the display quality when the next layer has been completely downloaded.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the multiple layers comprise a base layer and at least one subsequent layer, each of the at least one subsequent layer being associated with an incremental change to the playback rate, and wherein the display increases the playback rate by an amount that corresponds to the next layer.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the processor maintains a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the video program, when the mobile terminal is again within a coverage area of the first radio access network.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the processor maintains a last playback rate from the second radio access network for a duration of playing back the layered media, when the mobile terminal is again within a coverage area of the first radio access network and the entire video program has been completely downloaded.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the receiver downloads the next layer of the video program starting from a current playback point.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the first radio access network is a 3G cellular network and the second radio access network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).