MULTICASTING IN A WIRELESS DISPLAY SYSTEM

• US 20130139210A1
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Xiaolong, Raveendran, Vijayalakshmi R., Kim, Doo Seok, Shaukat, Fawad, Wang, Xiaodong
• Granted Patent: US 8,887,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• 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

Abstract

This disclosure relates to techniques to establish a multicast communication session between a source device and multiple sink devices in a Wireless Display (WD) system. Two or more sink devices may be interested in receiving the same media data from the source device. According to the techniques, the source device establishes a multicast session with the sink devices in the WD system, and sends a single copy of multicast media data for the multicast session to the interested sink devices using a receiving multicast port. The source device selects a receiving multicast port number as a destination identifier for each multicast session. The sink devices interested in receiving the media data of a given multicast session bind on the receiving multicast port for the multicast session. This disclosure describes several exemplary multicast subscription procedures to ensure correct binding on the receiving multicast port at each of the sink devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing one or more multicast communication sessions between a source device and two or more sink devices in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including advertising availability of multicast media data for the multicast sessions and receiving requests from the sink devices to join the multicast sessions;

selecting, with the source device, a receiving multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions; and

sending a single copy of the multicast media data for each of the multicast sessions to the sink devices using the selected receiving multicast port number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a receiving multicast port number comprises selecting a predefined multicast port number for one or more of the multicast sessions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a receiving multicast port number comprises selecting a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on available port numbers at the sink devices, further comprising advertising the selected multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions to the sink devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, receiving a signal at the source device from each of the sink devices indicating that the particular sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device, wherein selecting a receiving multicast port number comprises selecting a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at all the sink devices.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a signal from a new sink device indicating that the new sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data and indicating port numbers that are available at the new sink device; and

when the selected multicast port number for at least one of the multicast sessions is not available at the new sink device, revising the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at all the sink devices, including the new sink device, regardless of whether the new sink device is interested in joining the one of the multicast sessions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, receiving a signal at the source device from each of the sink devices indicating that the particular sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device, wherein selecting a receiving multicast port number comprises selecting a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at the sink devices that are interested in the particular multicast session.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a signal from a new sink device indicating that the new sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for the one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the new sink device; and

when the selected multicast port number for at least one of the multicast sessions is not available at the new sink device and the new sink device is interested in the one of the multicast sessions, revising the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at the sink devices that are interested in the particular multicast session, including the new sink device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the multicast sessions comprises

establishing a communication channel between the source device and each of the sink devices for a multicast subscription protocol;

and

establishing the multicast sessions using the multicast subscription protocol over the communication channel.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a unicast communication session between the source device and a first sink device in the WD system;

establishing a multicast communication session between the source device and a new sink device; and

switching the unicast session between the source device and the first sink device to the multicast session.

10. A method comprising:

establishing, with a sink device, one or more multicast communication sessions with a source device in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including receiving advertisements of multicast media data for the multicast sessions from the source device and sending requests to the source device to join one or more of the multicast sessions;

binding, with the sink device, on a selected receiving multicast port number for one of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining; and

receiving, with the sink device, a copy of the multicast media data for the one of the multicast sessions on the selected receiving multicast port number to which the sink device is bound.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein binding on a selected receiving multicast port number comprises binding on a predefined multicast port number for one or more of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving an advertisement of the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions from the source device, wherein the source device selects the multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on available port numbers at the sink devices, and wherein binding on a selected receiving multicast port number comprises binding on the advertised selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, sending a signal to the source device indicating that the sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for any of the multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, when the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions is not available at a new sink device, receiving an advertisement of a revised selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at all the sink devices, including the new sink device, regardless of whether the new sink device is interested in joining the one of the multicast sessions.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, sending a signal to the source device indicating that the sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, when the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions is not available at a new sink device and the new sink device is interested in joining the one of the multicast sessions, receiving an advertisement of a revised selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at the sink devices that are interested in the one of the multicast sessions, including the sink device and the new sink device.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein establishing the multicast sessions comprises:

establishing a communication channel between the source device and each of the sink devices for a multicast subscription protocol; and

establishing the multicast sessions using the multicast subscription protocol over the communication channel.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

establishing a unicast communication session between the source device and the sink device in the WD system; and

switching the unicast session between the source device and the sink device to a multicast communication session upon establishment of the multicast session between the source device and a new sink device in the WD system.

19. A source device comprising:

a memory that stores media data; and

a processor configured to establish one or more multicast communication sessions between a source device and two or more sink devices in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including advertising availability of multicast media data for the multicast sessions and receiving requests from the sink devices to join the multicast sessions, select a receiving multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions, and send a single copy of the multicast media data for each of the multicast sessions to the sink devices using the selected receiving multicast port number.

20. The source device of claim 19, wherein the processor selects a predefined multicast port number for one or more of the multicast sessions.

21. The source device of claim 19, wherein the processor selects a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on available port numbers at the sink devices, and advertises the selected multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions to the sink devices.

22. The source device of claim 19, wherein, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, the processor:

receives a signal at the source device from each of the sink devices indicating that the particular sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device; and

selects a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at all the sink devices.

23. The source device of claim 22, wherein the processor:

receives a signal from a new sink device indicating that the new sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data and indicating port numbers that are available at the new sink device; and

when the selected multicast port number for at least one of the multicast sessions is not available at the new sink device, revises the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at all the sink devices, including the new sink device, regardless of whether the new sink device is interested in joining the one of the multicast sessions.

24. The source device of claim 19, wherein, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, the processor:

receives a signal at the source device from each of the sink devices indicating that the particular sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device; and

selects a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at the sink devices that are interested in the particular multicast session.

25. The source device of claim 24, wherein the processor:

receives a signal from a new sink device indicating that the new sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for the one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the new sink device; and

when the selected multicast port number for at least one of the multicast sessions is not available at the new sink device and the new sink device is interested in the one of the multicast sessions, revises the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at the sink devices that are interested in the particular multicast session, including the new sink device.

26. The source device of claim 19, wherein, during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, the processor:

establishes a communication channel between the source device and each of the sink devices for a multicast subscription protocol; and

establishes the multicast sessions using the multicast subscription protocol over the communication channel.

27. The source device of claim 19, wherein the processor:

establishes a unicast communication session between the source device and a first sink device in the WD system;

establishes a multicast communication session between the source device and a new sink device; and

switches the unicast session between the source device and the first sink device to the multicast session.

28. A sink device comprising:

a memory that stores media data; and

a processor configured to establish one or more multicast communication sessions with a source device in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including receiving advertisements of multicast media data for the multicast sessions from the source device and sending requests to the source device to join one or more of the multicast sessions, bind on a selected receiving multicast port number for one the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining, and receive a copy of the multicast media data for the one of the multicast sessions on the selected receiving multicast port number to which the sink device is bound.

29. The sink device of claim 28, wherein the processor binds on a predefined multicast port number for one or more of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining.

30. The sink device of claim 28, wherein the processor:

receives an advertisement of the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions from the source device, wherein the source device selects the multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on available port numbers at the sink devices; and

binds on the advertised selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining.

31. The sink device of claim 28, wherein, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, the processor sends a signal to the source device indicating that the sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for any of the multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device.

32. The sink device of claim 31, wherein, when the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions is not available at a new sink device, the processor receives an advertisement of a revised selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at all the sink devices, including the new sink device, regardless of whether the new sink device is interested in joining the one of the multicast sessions.

33. The sink device of claim 28, wherein, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, the processor sends a signal to the source device indicating that the sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device.

34. The sink device of claim 33, wherein, when the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions is not available at a new sink device and the new sink device is interested in joining the one of the multicast sessions, the processor receives an advertisement of a revised selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at the sink devices that are interested in the one of the multicast sessions, including the sink device and the new sink device.

35. The sink device of claim 28, wherein the processor:

establishes a communication channel between the source device and each of the sink devices for a multicast subscription protocol; and

establishes the multicast sessions using the multicast subscription protocol over the communication channel.

36. The sink device of claim 28, wherein the processor:

establishes a unicast communication session between the source device and the sink device in the WD system; and

switches the unicast session between the source device and the sink device to a multicast communication session upon establishment of the multicast session between the source device and a new sink device in the WD system.

37. A source device comprising:

means for establishing one or more multicast communication sessions between a source device and two or more sink devices in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including advertising availability of multicast media data for the multicast sessions and receiving requests from the sink devices to join the multicast sessions;

means for selecting a receiving multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions; and

means for sending a single copy of the multicast media data for each of the multicast sessions to the sink devices using the selected receiving multicast port number.

38. The source device of claim 37, further comprising means for selecting a predefined multicast port number for one or more of the multicast sessions.

39. The source device of claim 37, further comprising:

means for selecting a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on available port numbers at the sink devices; and

means for advertising the selected multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions to the sink devices.

40. The source device of claim 37, further comprising:

means for, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, receiving a signal at the source device from each of the sink devices indicating that the particular sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device; and

means for selecting a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at all the sink devices.

41. The source device of claim 37, further comprising:

means for, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, receiving a signal at the source device from each of the sink devices indicating that the particular sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device; and

means for selecting a multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on the available port numbers at the sink devices that are interested in the particular multicast session.

42. The source device of claim 37, further comprising:

means for establishing a unicast communication session between the source device and a first sink device in the WD system;

means for establishing a multicast communication session between the source device and a new sink device; and

means for switching the unicast session between the source device and the first sink device to the multicast session.

43. A sink device comprising:

means for establishing one or more multicast communication sessions with a source device in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including receiving advertisements of multicast media data for the multicast sessions from the source device and sending requests to the source device to join one or more of the multicast sessions;

means for binding on a selected receiving multicast port number for one of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining; and

means for receiving a copy of the multicast media data for the one of the multicast sessions on the selected receiving multicast port number to which the sink device is bound.

44. The sink device of claim 43, further comprising means for binding on a predefined multicast port number for one or more of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining.

45. The sink device of claim 43, further comprising:

means for receiving an advertisement of the selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions from the source device, wherein the source device selects the multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions based on available port numbers at the sink devices; and

means for binding on the advertised selected multicast port number for the one of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining.

46. The sink device of claim 43, further comprising means for, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, sending a signal to the source device indicating that the sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for any of the multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device.

47. The sink device of claim 43, further comprising means for, in response to a request from the source device during a capability negotiation phase in the WD system, sending a signal to the source device indicating that the sink device is interested in receiving the multicast media data for one or more particular multicast sessions and indicating port numbers that are available at the sink device.

48. The sink device of claim 43, further comprising:

means for establishing a unicast communication session between the source device and the sink device in the WD system; and

means for switching the unicast session between the source device and the sink device to a multicast communication session upon establishment of the multicast session between the source device and a new sink device in the WD system.

49. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed in a source device cause a programmable processor to:

establish one or more multicast communication sessions between the source device and two or more sink devices in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including advertising availability of multicast media data for the multicast sessions and receiving requests from the sink devices to join the multicast sessions;

select, with the source device, a receiving multicast port number for each of the multicast sessions; and

send a single copy of the multicast media data for each of the multicast sessions to the sink devices using the selected receiving multicast port number.

50. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed in a sink device cause a programmable processor to:

establish, with the sink device, one or more multicast communication sessions with a source device in a Wireless Display (WD) system, including receiving advertisements of multicast media data for the multicast sessions from the source device and sending requests to the source device to join one or more of the multicast sessions;

bind, with the sink device, on a selected receiving multicast port number for one of the multicast sessions in which the sink device is interested in joining; and

receive, with the sink device, a copy of the multicast media data for the one of the multicast sessions on the selected receiving multicast port number to which the sink device is bound.