Providing service selection and obtaining services

• US 20060285508A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vermola, Larri, Naumi, Tero
• Granted Patent: US 7,843,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• 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 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/04 Scheduled access hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

Plural service providers each provide services to one or more multicast service systems, which forward service sets formed by bundling received services to a respective multicast operator. The service sets are then multicast in IP datacasting bursts, and can be received by a mobile terminal. Each service includes one or more service components, which have different media formats, e.g. audio, video, game, software, chat, offline web page, etc. The service components include content data and service identification data. A service set schedule giving timing information relating to the transmission of the IP datacasting burst and the transmission frequency is created. An IP burst begins with ESG data. The service set schedule may be part of the ESG data or it may be transmitted separately. The mobile terminal can use the timing information to tune the appropriate channel at the appropriate time to receive and then to decode service identification data relating to a required service, and subsequently obtain required service components thereof. The service components are stored in portions of the memory. Service selection is enabled by a user interface.

Claims

1. A method of providing service selection at a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

transmitting a plurality of services, each of the services comprising one or more service components, at least some of the service components having different media formats, the service components for a given service being transmitted in a time-sliced manner on a given channel;

generating service identification data relating service components to services on that channel;

repeatedly transmitting the service identification data on the channel; and

repeatedly transmitting information relating to the timing of transmissions of the service identification data.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the generating service identification data step includes generating data identifying the media format of each service component.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the channel is at a given frequency.

4. A method:

as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service components for a given service are transmitted in a time-sliced manner at a given frequency;

wherein the generating step comprises generating service identification data relating service components at a given frequency to services and identifying the media format of each service component; and

wherein repeatedly transmitting the service identification data comprises repeatedly transmitting at the frequency carrying the corresponding service components.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising transmitting the timing information in a network different to that used for the service identification data information transmitting step.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the timing information transmitting step is performed in response to an enquiry from a mobile terminal.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the timing information transmitting step is performed in response to an enquiry transmitted from the mobile terminal using the different network.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising using the service identification data to generate a service guide for one or more services.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the service identification data at a mobile terminal; and

at the mobile terminal, hierarchically arranging the services including the service components from the received service identification data.

10. A system for providing service selection at a mobile terminal, the system comprising:

means for transmitting a plurality of services, each of the services comprising one or more service components, at least some of the service components having different media formats, the service components for a given service being arranged to be transmitted in a time-sliced manner on given channel;

means for transmitting service identification data relating service components on the channel to services;

means for repeatedly transmitting the service identification data on the channel; and

means for repeatedly transmitting information relating to the timing of transmissions of the service identification data;

whereby a mobile terminal can use the timing information to tune to an appropriate channel at an appropriate time to decode service identification data relating to a required service and subsequently obtain required service components thereof.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, in which the channel is on a given frequency.

12. A system as claimed in claim 10, in which the generating service identification data means includes means for generating data identifying the media format of each service component.

13. A system:

as claimed in claim 10, wherein the service components for a given service are arranged to be transmitted in a time-sliced manner at a given frequency;

wherein the means for transmitting service identification data comprises means for transmitting service identification data relating service components at a given frequency to services and identifying the media format of each service component; and

wherein the means for repeatedly transmitting the service identification data comprises means for repeatedly transmitting the service identification data at the frequency carrying the corresponding service components;

whereby a mobile terminal can use the timing information to tune to an appropriate frequency at an appropriate time to decode service identification data relating to a required service and subsequently obtain required service components thereof.

14. A system as claimed in claims 10, comprising means for transmitting timing information in a network different to that used for the service identification data information transmission.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the timing information is transmitted in response to an enquiry from the mobile terminal.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the enquiry from the mobile terminal uses the different network.

17. A system as claimed in claim 10, comprising a mobile terminal arranged to use the service identification data to generate a service guide for one or more services.

18. A system as claimed in claim 10, in which a or the mobile terminal is arranged to receive the service identification data, and to use it to arrange hierarchically the services including the service components.

19. A mobile terminal, comprising:

means for receiving at least one repeated transmission of information relating to the timing of transmissions of service identification data;

means for using the timing information to tune to an appropriate channel at an appropriate time to decode service identification data, the service identification data relating service components on the channel to services; and

means for subsequently obtaining, from service components transmitted in a time-sliced manner on the channel, required service components of a service.

20. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 19, in which the service identification data relates service components on the channel to services.

21. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 19, in which the channel is at a given frequency.

22. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 19 wherein the

means for using the timing information to tune comprises means for using the timing information to tune to an appropriate frequency at an appropriate time to decode service identification data, the service identification data relating service components at the frequency to services and identifying the media format of each service component;

and

wherein the means for subsequently obtaining the required service components of a service comprises means for obtaining the service components from service components transmitted in a time-sliced manner at the given frequency.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, in which the channel is at a given frequency.

23. A method of operating a mobile terminal, comprising:

receiving at least one repeated transmission of information relating to the timing of transmissions of service identification data;

using the timing information to tune to an appropriate channel at an appropriate time to decode service identification data, the service identification data relating service components at the frequency to services; and

subsequently obtaining, from service components transmitted in a time-sliced manner on the channel, required service components of a service.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, in which the service identification data relates service components on the channel to services.

26. A method:

as claimed in claim 23,

wherein using the timing information comprises using the timing information to tune to an appropriate frequency at an appropriate time to decode service identification data, the service identification data relating service components at the frequency to services and identifying the media format of each service component; and

the step of subsequently obtaining, required service components of a service comprises obtaining the required service components of a service from service components transmitted in a time-sliced manner at the given frequency.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, comprising using the service identification data to generate a service guide for one or more services.

29. A method as claimed in claims 23, in which the arranging step comprises using data items describing the various service components for categorising received content items.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, in which the content items are categorised according to content type.

31. A method as claimed in claims 23, comprising arranging the services in an order according to their timing.

32. A method of receiving a content item, comprising:

providing service selection data using the method of claims 23; and

following selection of a displayed service set, service or service component, tuning to the correct channel at the appropriate time when the selected service set, service or service component is being transmitted.

38. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 32, in which the controller categorises the services in an order according to their timing.

28. A method of providing service selection data on a display, comprising:

receiving service identification data relating service components at a given frequency to services and relating services at the given frequency to service sets;

hierarchically arranging services including the appropriate service components; and

displaying the different service sets, services or service components.

33. A mobile terminal comprising:

means arranged to receive service identification data relating service components on a given channel to services and relating services on the given channel to service sets;

a controller arranged to order hierarchically services including the appropriate service components; and

means arranged to display the different service sets, services or service components.

34. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 33, in which the channel is at a given frequency.

35. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 33 wherein the means arranged to receive service identification data relating service components at a given frequency to services and relating services at the given frequency to service sets.

36. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 33, in which the controller is arranged to use data items describing the various service components to categorise received content items.

37. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 36, in which the content items are categorised according to content type.

39. A mobile terminal as claimed in claim 33, arranged to be responsive to the selection of a displayed service set, service or service component, to tune to the correct channel at the appropriate time when the selected service set, service or service component is being transmitted.