METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMENCING SHARED OR INDIVIDUAL TRANSMISSION OF BROADCAST CONTENT IN A WIRELESS TELEPHONE NETWORK

• US 20080076348A1
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Jun, Chen, Tao, Sinnarajah, Ragulan, Hsu, Raymond
• Granted Patent: US 8,611,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless communications network includes roving subscriber-stations and base stations receiving broadcast programs from a content server. A subscriber-station evaluates whether a desired program is available from a subject base station. According to this evaluation, the subscriber-station takes steps to (1) receive the desired program on a shared channel for reception by multiple subscriber-stations, or (2) initiate base station delivery of the desired program to the subscriber-station on an individual channel. Responsive to a message from a subject subscriber-station identifying a desired program, a base station either (1) continues transmitting the desired program upon a shared channel, (2) starts transmitting the desired program on a shared channel, or (3) sends the subject subscriber-station a channel assignment message and commences transmission of the desired program on the assigned individual channel.

Claims

1. A method of operating a subject wireless subscriber-station in a wireless communications network that includes base stations receiving various broadcast programs from a content server, comprising:

the subject subscriber-station conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station; and

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, the subject subscriber-station initiating reception of the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by subscriber-stations by sending a start-service message to the subject base station.

2. A wireless subscriber-station apparatus, comprising:

a multichannel transceiver;

a user interface;

a manager coupled to the transceiver and user interface to manage operation of the transceiver and user interface, and to perform operations to manage receipt of broadcast content services, the operations comprising;

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, initiating reception of the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by subscriber-stations by sending a start-service message to the subject base station.

3. A wireless subscriber-station apparatus, comprising:

first means for multichannel transceiving;

second means for user interface;

third means coupled to the first means and the second means for managing operation of the first and second means, and for performing operations for managing receipt of broadcast content services, the operations comprising;

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, initiating reception of the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by subscriber-stations by sending a start-service message to the subject base station.

4. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processor to perform operations to operating a wireless subscriber-station in a wireless communications network, the operations comprising:

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, initiating reception of the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by subscriber-stations by sending a start-service message to the subject base station.

5. Logic circuitry comprising multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to operate a wireless subscriber-station in a wireless communications network, the operations Including:

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, initiating reception of the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by subscriber-stations by sending a start-service message to the subject base station.

6. A method of operating a subject wireless subscriber station in a wireless communications network that includes base stations receiving various broadcast programs from a content server, comprising:

the subject subscriber-station conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, the subject subscriber-station performing operations including communicating with the base station to initiate transmission of the desired program to the subject subscriber-station on an individual channel for sole use by the subject subscriber-station; and

prior to handoff of the subject subscriber-station to a target base station, the subject subscriber-station receiving from the subject base station an updated broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the target base station.

7. A base station for use in a wireless communications network, comprising:

a transceiver;

a digital data processor, coupled to the transceiver, programmed to perform broadcast content delivery operations including;

transmitting a desired program to a subject subscriber-station on an individual channel for sole use by the subject subscriber station;

updating broadcast program information during subject transmission of the desired program to the subject subscriber-station upon an individual channel, and

prior to handoff of a departing subscriber-station to a target base station, sending the departing subscriber-station an updated broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the target base station.

8. A wireless subscriber-station apparatus, comprising:

a multichannel transceiver;

a user interface;

a manager coupled to the transceiver and user interface to manage operation of the transceiver and user interface, and to perform operations to manage receipt of broadcast content services, the operations comprising;

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, performing operations including;

communicating with the subject base station to initiate transmission of the desired program to the subscriber-station on an individual channel for sole use by the subscriber-station; and

prior to handoff of the subscriber-station to a target base station, receiving from the subject base station an updated broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the target base station.

9. A wireless subscriber-station apparatus, comprising:

first means for multichannel transceiving;

second means for user interface;

third means coupled to the first means and the second means for managing operation of the first and second means, and for performing operations for managing receipt of broadcast content services, the operations comprising;

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, performing operations including;

communicating with the subject base station to initiate transmission of the desired program to the subscriber-station on an individual channel for sole use by the subscriber-station; and

prior to handoff of the subscriber-station to a target base station, receiving from the subject base station an updated broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the target base station.

10. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processor to perform operations to operating a wireless subscriber-station in a wireless communications network, the operations comprising:

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, performing operations including;

communicating with the subject base station to initiate transmission of the desired program to the subscriber-station on an individual channel for sole use by the subscriber-station; and

prior to handoff of the subscriber-station to a target base station, receiving from the subject base station an updated broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the target base station.

11. Logic circuitry comprising multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to operate a wireless subscriber-station in a wireless communications network, the operations including:

conducting evaluation operations to determine whether a desired broadcast program is available from a subject base station;

in accordance with results of the evaluation operations, performing operations including;

communicating with the subject base station to initiate transmission of the desired program to the subscriber-station on an individual channel for sole use by the subscriber-station; and

prior to handoff of the subscriber-station to a target base station, receiving from the subject base station an updated broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the target base station.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the base station providing repeated, universally addressed transmission of a broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the base station.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

the base station providing repeated, universally addressed transmission of an abbreviated broadcast parameters message containing an indicator signaling whether broadcast programs are available from the subject base station on individual channels and omitting any listing of which broadcast programs are available from the base station; and

the base station providing upon request by subscriber-stations information including at least one of the following;

(1) a list of broadcast programs available from the base station, (2) an indication of whether a desired broadcast program is available from the base station.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the base station providing upon request by subscriber-stations information including at least one of the following:

(1) a list of broadcast programs available from the base station, (2) an indication of whether a desired broadcast program is available from the base station.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising updating broadcast program information while the base station is transmitting a desired program to subscriber-stations upon individual channels, the updating comprising at least one of the following:

transmitting a broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the base station, the transmission occurring on a channel available to subscriber-stations even while receiving upon the individual channels;

prior to handoff of a departing subscriber-station to a target base station, sending the departing subscriber-station an updated broadcast parameters message listing broadcast programs available from the target base station;

responsive to subscriber-station requests, transmitting at least some of the broadcast parameters message to the requesting subscriber-station.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the base station receiving broadcast programs from the content server comprises, for each broadcast program, the base station receiving a single incoming information stream; and

the method further comprises the base station replicating the information stream for transmission to each of more than one subscriber-station.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the base station receiving broadcast programs from the content server comprises, for each broadcast program, the base station receiving multiple incoming information streams; and

the method further comprises the base station redirecting each incoming information stream to a different subscriber-station.

12. A method of operating a base station in a wireless communications network, comprising:

receiving a number of broadcast programs from a content server;

receiving a message indicating presence of a subject subscriber-station, the message also including identification of a desired broadcast program;

responsive to receiving the message, deciding between alternative operations including at least;

continuing transmission of the desired program upon a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

starting to transmit the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

sending the subject subscriber-station a message assigning an individual channel for sole use by the subject subscriber-station, and commencing transmission of the desired program on the assigned, individual channel;

performing the chosen alternative.

19. A base station for use in a wireless communications network, comprising:

a transceiver;

a digital data processor, coupled to the transceiver, programmed to perform broadcast content delivery operations including;

receiving a number of broadcast programs from a content server;

receiving a message indicating presence of a subject subscriber-station, the message also including identification of a desired broadcast program;

responsive to receiving the message, deciding between alternative operations including at least;

continuing transmission of the desired program upon a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

starting to transmit the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

sending the subject subscriber-station a message assigning an individual channel for sole use by the subject subscriber-station, and commencing transmission of the desired program on the assigned, individual channel;

performing the chosen alternative.

20. A base station for use in a wireless communications network, comprising:

first means for transceiving;

second means for digital data processing, programmed to perform broadcast content delivery operations including;

receiving a number of broadcast programs from a content server;

receiving a message indicating presence of a subject subscriber-station, the message also including identification of a desired broadcast program;

responsive to receiving the message, deciding between alternative operations including at least;

continuing transmission of the desired program upon a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

starting to transmit the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

sending the subject subscriber-station a message assigning an individual channel for sole use by the subject subscriber-station, and commencing transmission of the desired program on the assigned, individual channel;

performing the chosen alternative.

21. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processor to perform operations to operate a base station to delivery broadcast content in a wireless communications network, the operations comprising:

receiving a number of broadcast programs from a content server;

receiving a message indicating presence of a subject subscriber-station, the message also including identification of a desired broadcast program;

responsive to receiving the message, deciding between alternative operations including at least;

continuing transmission of the desired program upon a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

starting to transmit the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

sending the subject subscriber-station a message assigning an individual channel for sole use by the subject subscriber-station, and commencing transmission of the desired program on the assigned, individual channel;

performing the chosen alternative.

22. Logic circuitry comprising multiple interconnected electrically conductive elements configured to perform operations to operate a base station to delivery broadcast content in a wireless communications network, the operations including:

receiving a number of broadcast programs from a content server;

receiving a message indicating presence of a subject subscriber-station, the message also including identification of a desired broadcast program;

responsive to receiving the message, deciding between alternative operations including at least;

continuing transmission of the desired program upon a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

starting to transmit the desired program on a shared channel for common reception by multiple subscriber-stations;

sending the subject subscriber-station a message assigning an individual channel for sole use by the subject subscriber-station, and commencing transmission of the desired program on the assigned, individual channel;

performing the chosen alternative.