Method and system for communicating information in a wireless communication system

• US 20070070180A1
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rooven, Pieter
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/24 Arrangements for distribution of identical information via broadcast system and non-broadcast system
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/90 Wireless transmission systems
• 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 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Methods and systems for communicating information in a wireless communication system are disclosed herein and may include determining at least a bit-error-rate (BER) for at least a DVB-H downlink communication path utilized for communicating multimedia content in a communication system. The communication system may include a plurality of downlink communication paths, at least two of the plurality of downlink communication paths may use different communication protocols, and at least one of the plurality of downlink communication paths may include the DVB-H downlink communication path. At least a portion of the multimedia content may be communicated via at least one of the plurality of downlink communication paths to at least one mobile communication device based on at least the determined at least the BER.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information in a network, the method comprising:

determining at least a bit-error-rate (BER) for at least a DVB-H downlink communication path utilized for communicating multimedia content in a communication system, said communication system comprising a plurality of downlink communication paths, at least two of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols, and at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths comprising said DVB-H downlink communication path; and

communicating at least a portion of said multimedia content via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths to at least one mobile communication device based on at least said determined at least said BER.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determined at least said BER comprises at least one of the following:

a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR), a power level, and a signal gain corresponding to said multimedia content communicated via said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of downlink communication paths comprises at least one of the following:

said DVB-H downlink communication path, a cellular downlink communication path, an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) communication path, and an IEEE 802.16 wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) communication path.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least said BER is determined by at least one of the following:

a base station communicatively coupled to said mobile communication device via said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path, and said mobile communication device communicatively coupled to said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising apportioning delivery of said multimedia content via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols to said mobile communication device based on said determined at least said BER for said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising delivering said multimedia content to said mobile communication device via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols based on said apportioning.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising delivering at least one of:

a text portion, a video portion, and an audio portion of said multimedia content to said mobile communication device via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols based on said apportioning.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating said at least said portion of said multimedia content via said at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths based on at least one of the following:

a user profile, a mobile communication device type, and prior usage history.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said user profile and said prior usage history are stored within said mobile communication device.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting a bit rate of at least one of the following:

a video portion of said multimedia content and an audio portion of said multimedia content, based on said at least said BER.

11. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for communicating information in a network, the at least one code section being executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

determining at least a bit-error-rate (BER) for at least a DVB-H downlink communication path utilized for communicating multimedia content in a communication system, said communication system comprising a plurality of downlink communication paths, at least two of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols, and at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths comprising said DVB-H downlink communication path; and

communicating at least a portion of said multimedia content via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths to at least one mobile communication device based on at least said determined at least said BER.

12. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said determined at least said BER comprises at least one of the following:

a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR), a power level, and a signal gain corresponding to said multimedia content communicated via said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of downlink communication paths comprises at least one of the following:

said DVB-H downlink communication path, a cellular downlink communication path, an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) communication path, and an IEEE 802.16 wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) communication path.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, wherein said at least said BER is determined by at least one of the following:

a base station communicatively coupled to said mobile communication device via said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path, and said mobile communication device communicatively coupled to said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, further comprising code for apportioning delivery of said multimedia content via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols to said mobile communication device based on said determined at least said BER for said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 15, further comprising code for delivering said multimedia content to said mobile communication device via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols based on said apportioning.

17. The machine-readable storage according to claim 15, further comprising code for delivering at least one of:

a text portion, a video portion, and an audio portion of said multimedia content to said mobile communication device via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols based on said apportioning.

18. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, further comprising code for communicating said at least said portion of said multimedia content via said at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths based on at least one of the following:

a user profile, a mobile communication device type, and prior usage history.

19. The machine-readable storage according to claim 18, wherein said user profile and said prior usage history are stored within said mobile communication device.

20. The machine-readable storage according to claim 11, further comprising code for adjusting a bit rate of at least one of the following:

a video portion of said multimedia content and an audio portion of said multimedia content, based on said at least said BER.

21. A system for communicating information in a network, the system comprising:

circuitry that determines at least a bit-error-rate (BER) for at least a DVB-H downlink communication path utilized for communicating multimedia content in a communication system, said communication system comprising a plurality of downlink communication paths, at least two of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols, and at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths comprising said DVB-H downlink communication path; and

said circuitry communicates at least a portion of said multimedia content via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths to at least one mobile communication device based on at least said determined at least said BER.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said determined at least said BER comprises at least one of the following:

a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR), a power level, and a signal gain corresponding to said multimedia content communicated via said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein said plurality of downlink communication paths comprises at least one of the following:

said DVB-H downlink communication path, a cellular downlink communication path, an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) communication path, and an IEEE 802.16 wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN) communication path.

24. The system according to claim 21, wherein said at least said BER is determined by at least one of the following:

a base station communicatively coupled to said mobile communication device via said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path, and said mobile communication device communicatively coupled to said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein said circuitry apportions delivery of said multimedia content via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols to said mobile communication device based on said determined at least said BER for said at least said DVB-H downlink communication path.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said circuitry delivers said multimedia content to said mobile communication device via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols based on said apportioning.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein said circuitry delivers at least one of:

a text portion, a video portion, and an audio portion of said multimedia content to said mobile communication device via at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths using different communication protocols based on said apportioning.

28. The system according to claim 21, wherein said circuitry communicates said at least said portion of said multimedia content via said at least one of said plurality of downlink communication paths based on at least one of the following:

a user profile, a mobile communication device type, and prior usage history.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said user profile and said prior usage history are stored within said mobile communication device.

30. The system according to claim 21, wherein said circuitry adjusts a bit rate of at least one of the following:

a video portion of said multimedia content and an audio portion of said multimedia content, based on said at least said BER.