Simultaneously multi-networked handheld multimedia gateways

• US 20070091855A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Whitley, Noel
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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

A user may simultaneously access sources of multimedia information via multiple wireless networks using a handheld multimedia gateway. A user interface may support the selection of information services that are each provided separate, but possibly overlapping, viewing spaces. Circuitry in the multimedia gateway manages the operation of the multiple wireless communication paths, and enables the display of visual information through two or more display devices. The user may customize the display, the size, and the location within a display of regions in which the information is presented.

Claims

1. A communication device for the exchange of multimedia information, the device comprising:

two or more wireless communication interfaces, wherein each interface communicates separate streams of multimedia information via independent radio frequency communication networks;

at least one visual display device for the display of text and images;

a controller adapted to establish and maintain communication via the radio frequency communication networks;

memory for storing data and program code accessible by the controller; and

wherein the program code supports consumption of each of the streams of multimedia information within associated user-defined regions of the at least one visual display.

2. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless communication interfaces are compatible with a wireless wide area network protocol.

3. The communication device according to claim 2 wherein the wireless wide area network protocol comprises one of the following:

a code divisional multiple access (CDMA) cellular protocol, a time division multiple access (TDMA) cellular protocol, an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 protocol, and a Digital Video Broadcast—

Handhelds (DVB-H) protocol.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein the wireless wide area network protocol is compatible with a wireless local area network protocol.

5. The communication device according to claim 4 wherein the wireless local area network protocol comprises one of the following:

an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol, an IEEE 802.15.3a protocol, and a Bluetooth compatible protocol.

6. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one visual display comprises two visual displays.

7. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein the controller adjusts at least one transmit interval of the two or more wireless communication interfaces to minimize interference between the radio frequency communication networks.

8. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein each of the two or more wireless communication interfaces are configurable to operate, at any point in time, using any one of two or more incompatible wireless network protocols.

9. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display controller operably coupled to the at least one visual display, wherein the display controller employs parameters defining user-defined display regions.

10. The communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a user input device for activating the exchange of streams of multimedia information via independent radio frequency communication networks.

11. The communication device according to claim 1 wherein multimedia information comprises at least one of the following:

streaming video, broadcast video, digitized audio, a digitized still image, and text.

12. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating a handheld communication device supporting simultaneous exchange of separate streams of multimedia information via at least two radio frequency communication networks, the code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:

establishing a first communication session using a first of the at least two radio frequency communication networks;

associating a first user-definable display region with the first communication session;

establishing a second communication session, concurrent with the first communication session, using a second of the at least two radio frequency communication networks;

associating a second user-definable display region with the second communication session; and

simultaneously exchanging multimedia information using the first and second user-definable display regions, via the first and second communication networks, respectively.

13. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein establishing a communication session comprises:

determining a bandwidth requirement for exchange of multimedia information;

selecting a wireless network based upon the bandwidth requirement; and

exchanging messaging via the selected wireless network to establish the communication session.

14. The machine-readable storage according to claim 13, wherein selecting a wireless network comprises:

i) identifying a wireless network that supports the bandwidth requirement, and that is supported by the code sections for operating the handheld communication device;

ii) determining whether sufficient battery power remains to permit operation of the handheld communication device on the identified network;

iii) employing the identified wireless network, if remaining battery power is sufficient to permit operation of the handheld communication device on the identified network;

iv) repeating (i) through (iii) if remaining battery power is not sufficient to permit operation of the handheld communication device on the identified network; and

(v) notifying a user, if remaining battery power is not sufficient to permit operation of the handheld communication device on any wireless network supported by the code sections for operating the handheld communication device.

15. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein associating a user-definable display region with a communication session comprises:

allocating a region of a display device; and

setting parameters to cause display, within the allocated region of the display device, of at least a portion of multimedia information exchanged during the communication session.

16. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein multimedia information comprises at least one of the following:

streaming video, broadcast video, digitized audio, a digitized still image, and text.

17. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein one of the radio frequency communication networks operates according to one of the following:

a code divisional multiple access (CDMA) cellular protocol, a time division multiple access (TDMA) cellular protocol, an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 protocol, and a Digital Video Broadcast—

Handhelds (DVB-H) protocol.

18. The machine-readable storage according to claim 12, wherein one of the radio frequency communication networks operates according to one of the following:

an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol, an EEE 802.15.3a protocol, and a Bluetooth compatible protocol.

19. A system supporting simultaneous exchange of separate streams of multimedia information via a plurality of independent radio frequency communication networks, the system comprising:

at least one handheld communication device having circuitry for transmitting and receiving multimedia information via the plurality of radio frequency communication networks, the at least one handheld communication device comprising at least one visual display for presenting user-definable display regions, each display region associated with the exchange of multimedia information via one of the plurality of radio frequency communication networks; and

wherein the at least one handheld communication device supports user establishment of simultaneous exchange of independent streams of multimedia information between the at least one handheld device and at least two of the plurality of radio frequency communication networks.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein multimedia information comprises at least one of the following:

streaming video, broadcast video, digitized audio, a digitized still image, and text.

21. The system according to claim 19 wherein each of the at least one handheld communication device selects from the plurality of radio frequency communication networks based upon a bandwidth requirement for communication of multimedia information.

22. The system according to claim 21 wherein the selection is based upon a capacity of a battery used for operation of the at least one handheld communication device.

23. The system according to claim 19 wherein the at least one visual display comprises two display devices, and wherein each display device is functional to display images and text.

24. The system according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the following:

the display region size, the display region location, and the conditions under which the display region is visible is determined using input from a user of the handheld communication device.