MULTIPLE BROADCAST CHANNELS FOR WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20070242695A1
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Xu, Xiaode
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• 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 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An access point of a wireless network broadcasts directory information including a schedule on a first broadcast channel about media programs being broadcast on other channels by the access point. The broadcast on the first channel provides for sleep-mode clients to receive the broadcast. A client receives the schedule, and in order to receive a particular media program at a scheduled time switches to a particular one of the other channels and to wakeup state to receive a particular program.

Claims

1. A method in an access point of a wireless network, the method comprising:

(a) wirelessly broadcasting, on a first channel, directory information about one or more media programs being broadcast on one or more other channels, including a schedule of the media programs; and

(b) wirelessly broadcasting the one or more media programs on the one or more other channels according to the schedule of the media programs.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each media program includes one or more of a text message, a voice message, and a video message.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless network conforms to the IEEE 802.11 standard.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one station of the access point is a power save station that alternates between a wakeup state during which the station can wirelessly receive downlink transmissions and a doze state during which the station cannot receive downlink transmissions, and wherein the broadcasting on the first channel occurs in a manner such that power save client stations that are in sleep mode are able to receive the broadcast.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

(c) receiving an indication from a particular client station that the particular client station will be receiving a particular media program according to the schedule in the information about the programs.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

(d) one or more of authenticating, authorizing, and accounting for the particular client station'"'"'s receiving the broadcast.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the programs for broadcasting in (b) are streamed from a program content server, the method further comprising storing in the access point a data structure containing the correspondence between programs being streamed from the program content server to the access point, and the channels in which the programs are broadcast by the access point.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein in the case there is a charge for the particular media program, and the particular media program is sent encrypted, (d) includes sending the particular client station a decryption key for decrypting the particular media program.

9. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the directory information includes for each media program a title, the start time of the media program, the channel number for the broadcast, the repetition interval specifying how often the media program is to be repeated, and the case that there is a charge for the media program, the charge for the program.

10. A method in a client station of an access point of a wireless network, the method comprising:

(a) wirelessly receiving, on a first channel, directory information broadcast from the access point about one or more media programs being broadcast on one or more other channels by the access point, including a schedule of the media programs;

(b) scheduling receiving of a particular media program on a particular channel according to the schedule of the media programs, the particular channel being different than the first channel; and

(c) receiving the particular media program broadcast on the particular channel by the access point.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein each media program includes one or more of a text message, a voice message, and a video message.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein at least the client station is a power save station that alternates between a wakeup state during which the station can wirelessly receive downlink transmissions and a doze state during which the station cannot receive downlink transmissions, wherein the broadcasting on the first channel occurs in a manner such that the power save client station as well as other power save stations can receive the directory information broadcast according to a broadcast power save mechanism, and wherein the scheduling of (b) includes scheduling to be in the wakeup state to receive the particular media program on the particular channel.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

(c) transmitting an indication to the access point of the particular media program according to the schedule in the information about the programs.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

(d) one or more of authenticating, authorizing, and accounting for the client station'"'"'s receiving the broadcast.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein in the case that there is a charge for the particular media program, and the particular media program is sent encrypted, (d) receiving a decryption key for decrypting the particular media program.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

prior to the transmitting of the indication in (c), providing a user with at least some of the directory information on a user interface; and

accepting via the user interface one or more selected programs from the user, including the particular program.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the directory information includes for each media program a title, the start time of the media program, the channel number for the broadcast, the repetition interval specifying how often the media program is to be repeated, and in the case that there is a charge for the media program, the charge for the program.

18. An apparatus in an access point of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

means for wirelessly broadcasting, the means for wirelessly broadcasting configured to wirelessly broadcast, on a first channel, directory information about one or more media programs being broadcast on one or more other channels, including a schedule of the media programs; and

further to wirelessly broadcast the one or more media programs on the one or more other channels according to the schedule of the media programs.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein each media program includes one or more of a text message, a voice message, and a video message.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the wireless network conforms to the IEEE 802.11 standard.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein at least one station of the access point is a power save station that alternates between a wakeup state during which the station can wirelessly receive downlink transmissions, and a doze state during which the station cannot receive downlink transmissions, and wherein the means for broadcasting is arranged, in operation to wirelessly broadcast on the first channel in a manner such that power save client stations that are in sleep mode are able to receive the broadcast.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving, arranged to receive an indication from a particular client station that the particular client station will be receiving a particular media program according to the schedule in the information about the programs.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

means for carrying out one or more of authenticating, authorizing, and accounting for the particular client station'"'"'s receiving the broadcast.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the programs for broadcasting by the means for broadcasting are streamed from a program content server, the apparatus further comprising means for storing in the access point a data structure containing the correspondence between programs being streamed from the program content server to the access point, and the channels in which the programs are broadcast by the access point.

25. An apparatus in a client station of an access point of a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

means for wirelessly receiving, arranged in operation to wirelessly receive, on a first channel, directory information broadcast from the access point about one or more media programs being broadcast on one or more other channels by the access point, including a schedule of the media programs; and

means for scheduling the means for wirelessly receiving to receive a particular media program on a particular channel according to the schedule of the media programs, the particular channel being different than the first channel.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein each media program includes one or more of a text message, a voice message, and a video message.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

means for transmitting, arranged in operation to transmit an indication to the access point of the particular media program according to the schedule in the information about the programs.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

means for presenting information to a user, arranged in operation to provide, prior to the transmitting of the indication, at least some of the directory information to the user;

means for accepting information from a user, arranged, on operation on a user interface providing; and

means for accepting information from the user, arranged, in operation, to accept one or more selected programs from the user, including the particular program.

29. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a processing system in an access point of a wireless network, cause the access point to implement a method comprising:

(a) wirelessly broadcasting, on a first channel, directory information about one or more media programs being broadcast on one or more other channels, including a schedule of the media programs; and

(b) wirelessly broadcasting the one or more media programs on the one or more other channels according to the schedule of the media programs.

30. A carrier medium as recited in claim 29, wherein at least one station of the access point is a power save station that alternates between a wakeup state during which the station can wirelessly receive downlink transmissions and a doze state during which the station cannot receive downlink transmissions, and wherein the broadcasting on the first channel occurs in a manner such that power save client stations that are in sleep mode are able to receive the broadcast.

31. A carrier medium as recited in claim 29, the method further comprising:

(c) receiving an indication from a particular client station that the particular client station will be receiving a particular media program according to the schedule in the information about the programs.

32. A carrier medium as recited in claim 31, the method further comprising:

(d) one or more of authenticating, authorizing, and accounting for the particular client station'"'"'s receiving the broadcast.

33. A carrier medium as recited in claim 31, wherein the programs for broadcasting in (b) are streamed from a program content server, the method further comprising storing in the access point a data structure containing the correspondence between programs being streamed from the program content server to the access point, and the channels in which the programs are broadcast by the access point.

34. A carrier medium as recited in claim 32, wherein in the case that there is a charge for the particular media program, and the particular media program is sent encrypted, (d) includes sending the particular client station a decryption key for decrypting the particular media program.

35. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying instructions that when executed by at least one processor of a processing system in a client station of an access point of a wireless network, cause the client station to implement a method comprising:

(a) wirelessly receiving, on a first channel, directory information broadcast from the access point about one or more media programs being broadcast on one or more other channels by the access point, including a schedule of the media programs;

(b) scheduling receiving of a particular media program on a particular channel according to the schedule of the media programs, the particular channel being different than the first channel; and

(c) receiving the particular media program broadcast on the particular channel by the access point.

36. A carrier medium as recited in claim 35, wherein at least the client station is a power save station that alternates between a wakeup state during which the station can wirelessly receive downlink transmissions and a doze state during which the station cannot receive downlink transmissions, wherein the broadcasting on the first channel occurs in a manner such that the power save client station as well as other power save stations can receive the directory information broadcast according to a broadcast power save mechanism, and wherein the scheduling of (b) includes scheduling to be in the wakeup state to receive the particular media program on the particular channel.

37. A carrier medium as recited in claim 35, the method further comprising:

(c) transmitting an indication to the access point of the particular media program according to the schedule in the information about the programs.

38. A carrier medium as recited in claim 37, the method further comprising:

(d) one or more of authenticating, authorizing, and accounting for the client station'"'"'s receiving the broadcast.

39. A carrier medium as recited in claim 37, the method further comprising:

prior to the transmitting of the indication in (d), providing a user with at least some of the directory information on a user interface; and

accepting via the user interface one or more selected programs from the user, including the particular program.

40. A method in a wireless network comprising:

in an access point of a wireless network, broadcasts of directory information including a schedule on a first broadcast channel about media programs being broadcast on other channels by the access point, the broadcast being in a manner that provides for sleep-mode clients to receive the broadcast directory information; and

broadcasting the media programs in the other channels according to the schedule.

41. A method as recited in claim 40, further comprising:

in a client station of the access point, the client station having a doze state and a wakeup state, receiving the directory information including the schedule; and

, in order to receive a particular media program at a scheduled time, switching to a particular one of the other channels and to wakeup state to receive a particular program.