SEAMLESSLY SWITCHING AMONG UNICAST, MULTICAST, AND BROADCAST MOBILE MEDIA CONTENT

• US 20150087224A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Quickplay Media Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maharajh, Kavi, MacNeil, Bart, Walker, Torin
• Application Number:
  US14/554,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20150087224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7867 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title and artist information, manually generated time, location and usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0244 Optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/308 Route determination based on user's profile, e.g. premium users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• 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: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 : adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 : intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 : Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 : Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 : Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/53 : using mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/61 : based on the service used
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 : involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 : Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 : Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 : involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 : involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 : Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• 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

In embodiments, the present invention provides a method and system for switching between broadcast and unicast content on a mobile device. The method and system involves making unicast content available to the mobile device, making broadcast content available to the mobile device; and providing an application on the mobile device which allows for switching between the unicast and broadcast content.

Claims

1. A method of switching between broadcast and unicast content on a mobile device, comprising:

determining a location of the mobile device;

determining a black out rule based on an aspect of the determined location;

receiving unicast content over a network that complies with the black out rule;

presenting the unicast content in a user interface of the mobile device; and

switching presentation of content in the user interface from the received unicast content to broadcast content wherein the receiving and the switching are dependent on the determined black out rule.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the location of the mobile device to provide recommendations.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the location of the mobile device to administer the black out rule.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the location of the mobile device with information regarding the broadcast content to deliver advertisements.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising using the location of the mobile device with information regarding the unicast content to deliver advertisements.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the location of the mobile device includes at least one of current location information, historical location information, and future predicted location information.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein switching in response to the determined location of the mobile device is facilitated by metadata corresponding to the broadcast content and stored in a file with the discovered unicast content.

8. A system for switching between broadcast and unicast content on a mobile device, comprising:

data indicating a location of the mobile device;

a content access blackout rule based on an aspect of the location data;

unicast content that complies with the blackout rule and is available to the mobile device; and

a user interface of the mobile device for switching presentation of content from the available unicast content to broadcast content based on the blackout rule.

9. The system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a facility through which broadcast content can be discovered based on the unicast content.

12. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the location of the mobile device includes at least one of current location information, historical location information, and future predicted location information.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the location of the mobile device includes current location information, historical location information, and future predicted location information.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein switching in response to the determined black out rule is facilitated by metadata corresponding to the broadcast content and stored in a file with the broadcast content.

10. The system as recited in claim 10, further comprising making the discovered broadcast content available over the network.

11. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein switching in response to the determined location of the mobile device is facilitated by metadata corresponding to the discovered broadcast content and stored in a file with the discovered broadcast content.

15. A method of switching between broadcast and unicast content on a mobile device, comprising:

determining a location of the mobile device;

determining a black out rule based on an aspect of the determined location;

receiving unicast content that complies with the black out rule;

presenting the unicast content in a user interface of the mobile device;

receiving broadcast content that is discoverable based on the unicast content; and

switching presentation of content in the user interface from the received unicast content to the discovered broadcast content wherein the receiving and the switching are dependent on the determined black out rule.

16. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising using the location of the mobile device to administer the black out rule.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising using the location of the mobile device with information regarding the broadcast content to deliver advertisements.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising using the location of the mobile device with information regarding the unicast content to deliver advertisements.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein switching in response to the determined black out rule is facilitated by metadata corresponding to the broadcast content and stored in a file with the discovered broadcast content.