DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC BROADCAST

• US 20130311669A1
• Filed: 04/04/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Reimers, Ulrich, PALKA, Piotr, Bremer, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 9,967,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/423 Transmitter side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast space, i.e. broadcast channels, broadcast stations or broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

A dynamic broadcast system and a spectrum management device for use in a dynamic broadcast system. A dynamic white space database unit stores and dynamically updates a dynamic white space database of frequency resources that are assigned for broadcasting broadcast content but can locally not be used for broadcasting. One or more white space devices can access the frequency resources included in the dynamic white space database. A spectrum server dynamically manages the frequency resources included in the dynamic white space database for access by the one or more white space devices.

Claims

1. A dynamic broadcast system for providing content to terminals comprising:

a broadcast transmitter that broadcasts content via a broadcast network;

a broadband server that provides content via a broadband network;

a controller that dynamically controls transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths for broadcasting content via the broadcast network and providing content via the broadband network;

a dynamic white space database unit that stores and dynamically updates a dynamic white space database of frequency resources, which are assigned for broadcasting broadcast content but can locally not be used for broadcasting;

processing circuitry that dynamically decides transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths for broadcasting and providing content;

one or more white space devices that access frequency resources that are included in the dynamic white space database; and

a spectrum server that dynamically manages frequency resources that are included in the dynamic white space database for access by the one or more white space devices.

2. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the spectrum server revokes a frequency resource granted to the one or more white space devices if the broadcast transmitter requests the frequency resource for broadcasting broadcast content.

3. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the broadcast transmitter reduces a transmission power of a broadcast channel or switches off a broadcast channel if a frequency resource corresponding to the broadcast channel is entered into the dynamic white space database.

4. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the spectrum server dynamically grants and revokes frequency resources based on a prioritization of potential requesters of a particular frequency resource requesting the particular frequency resource.

5. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the dynamic white space database unit registers potential requesters of frequency resources stored in the dynamic white space database, the potential requesters including at least one of one or more white space devices and one or more broadcast transmitters.

6. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 5, wherein

the dynamic white space database unit stores requester-specific information including at least one or more of a geographical location, transmit power and bandwidth requirements associated with a registered potential requester.

7. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the dynamic white space database unit stores time information in association with a frequency resource, the time information indicating at least one of a start time, end time and duration of availability of the frequency resource as white space.

8. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 7, wherein

the spectrum server identifies a frequency resource to grant to a requestor based on the time information.

9. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 8, wherein

the spectrum server identifies the frequency resource to grant to the requestor based on a bandwidth of the frequency resource, a permitted transmit power of the frequency resource, a geographical corresponding to the frequency resource and the time information.

10. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the spectrum server dynamically manages frequency resources based on a frequency resource request including at least one of a device type, a database ID, a signature for authentication, an IP address for push-messages, a geographical position, an accuracy of the geographical position, a maximum transmit power, a lowest frequency usable, a lower white space band edge, a highest frequency usable, a higher white space band edge, a minimum required bandwidth of white space, a white space bandwidth, an earliest time of white space, a white space start time, a latest time of white space, a white space end time, a minimum required duration of white space, and a white space duration.

11. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the processing circuitry dynamically decides transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths based on monitoring data including information indicating at least one of user specific content usage, transmission quality data indicating a quality of a transmission link between the broadband server and the terminal, and a reception of content broadcast by the broadcast transmitter.

12. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the dynamic white space database unit automatically updated the dynamic white space database when the broadcast transmitter reduces a transmission power of a broadcast channel or switches off a broadcast channel.

13. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the processing circuitry dynamically decides transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths for broadcasting and providing content based on information provided by the spectrum server corresponding to spectrum requests by white space devices.

14. The dynamic broadcast system according to claim 1, wherein

the one or more white space devices are at least one of a terminal, a broadband server and a service provider providing a service in a predetermined area.

15. A dynamic broadcast method for providing content to terminals, the method comprising:

broadcasting content via a broadcast network;

providing content via a broadband network;

controlling transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths for broadcasting content via said broadcast network and providing content via said broadband network;

storing and dynamically updating a dynamic white space database of frequency resources, which are assigned for broadcasting broadcast content but can locally not be used for broadcasting;

deciding transmission parameters, transmission times and transmission paths for broadcasting and providing content based on monitoring data including information indicating at least one of user specific content usage, transmission quality of a transmission link between the broadband server and a terminal and reception of content broadcast by the broadcast transmitter; and

dynamically managing frequency resources that are included in the dynamic white space database for access by one or more white space devices that access the frequency resources included in the dynamic white space database.

16. A spectrum management device comprising:

a dynamic white space database unit that stores and dynamically updates a dynamic white space database of frequency resources, which are assigned for broadcasting broadcast content but can locally not be used for broadcasting; and

a spectrum server that dynamically manages frequency resources included in the dynamic white space database for access by one or more white space devices that access the frequency resources included in the dynamic white space database.

17. A spectrum management method comprising:

storing and dynamically updating a dynamic white space database including frequency resources that are assigned for broadcasting broadcast content but can locally not be used for broadcasting; and

dynamically managing frequency resources included in the dynamic white space database for access by one or more white space devices that access the frequency resources included in the dynamic white space database.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when carried out on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as claimed in claim 17.