VIDEO TRANSMISSION SYSTEM HAVING UNICAST AND MULTICAST MODES AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH

• US 20150128202A1
• Filed: 01/12/2015
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Chen, Sherman (Xuemin), Dove, Michael, Rosmann, David, Quigley, Thomas J., Gordon, Stephen E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• 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 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A video transmission system includes a video server module that selectively operates in a unicast mode and a multicast mode, wherein the video server module generates a video signal that includes a unicast video signal when the video server module is in the unicast mode and that includes a multicast video signal when the video server module is in the multicast mode. A wireless access device transmits the video signal to at least one mobile video device.

Claims

1. A video server comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory configured to;

select a unicast mode in response to a request for video content from a single mobile video device via a network and that receives location data from a plurality of mobile video devices via the network;

select a multicast mode in response to multiple requests for the video content from the plurality of mobile video devices and an analysis of the location data that indicates that the plurality of mobile video devices are within a common proximity; and

generate a video signal for transmission to the single mobile video device via the network when the unicast mode is selected and for transmission to the plurality of mobile video devices via the network when the multicast mode is selected.

2. The video server of claim 1 wherein the video signal includes a mode indication that indicates one of:

the unicast mode or the multicast mode.

3. The video server of claim 2 wherein a wireless access device (WAD) wirelessly transmits the video signal in accordance with a unicast WAD mode when the mode indication indicates the unicast mode.

4. The video server of claim 3 wherein the wireless access device wirelessly transmits the video signal in accordance with a multicast WAD mode when the mode indication indicates the multicast mode.

5. The video server of claim 4 wherein the wireless access device employs a first transmit power level in the unicast WAD mode, and a second transmit power level in the multicast WAD mode.

6. The video server of claim 4 wherein the wireless access device employs a first antenna beam pattern in the unicast WAD mode, and a second antenna beam pattern in the multicast WAD mode.

7. The video server of claim 1 wherein the processor selects the multicast mode based on correlating the location data to roads located in a vicinity of the plurality of mobile devices.

8. The video server of claim 1 wherein the processor selects the multicast mode based on correlating the location data to places of interest located in a vicinity of the plurality of mobile devices.

9. A method comprising:

selecting, via a video server, a unicast mode in response to a request for video content from a single mobile video device;

receiving, via a video server, multiple requests for the video content and location data from a plurality of mobile video devices;

analyzing, via a video server, in response to the multiple requests, the location data to determine when the plurality of mobile video devices are within a common proximity;

selecting, via a video server, a multicast mode when the plurality of mobile video devices are within the common proximity; and

generating, via a video server, a video signal for transmission that includes a unicast video signal when the unicast mode is selected and that includes a multicast video signal when the multicast mode is selected.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein selecting the multicast mode includes correlating the location data to roads located in a vicinity of the plurality of mobile devices.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein selecting the multicast mode includes correlating the location data to places of interest located in a vicinity of the plurality of mobile devices.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the video signal includes a mode indication, and the method further comprises:

selecting one of;

a unicast wireless access device (WAD) mode and a multicast WAD mode, in response to the mode indication.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

selectively adjusting a WAD transmit power level based on a selection of either the unicast WAD mode, or the multicast WAD mode.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

selectively adjusting a WAD antenna beam pattern based on a selection of either the unicast WAD mode, or the multicast WAD mode.

15. A video transmission system comprising:

a video server module that selectively operates in a unicast mode in response to a request for video content from a single mobile video device via a network and that receives location data from a plurality of mobile video devices via the network and that selectively operates in a multicast mode in response to multiple requests for the video content from the plurality of mobile video devices and an analysis of the location data that indicates that the plurality of mobile video devices are within a common proximity;

wherein the video server module generates a video signal that includes a unicast video signal when the video server module is in the unicast mode and that includes a multicast video signal when the video server module is in the multicast mode; and

wherein the video server module sends the video signal to the single mobile video device via the network in the unicast mode and to the plurality of mobile video devices via the network in the multicast mode.

16. The video transmission system of claim 15 wherein the video signal includes a mode indication that indicates one of:

the unicast mode or the multicast mode.

17. The video transmission system of claim 16 wherein a wireless access device (WAD) wirelessly transmits the video signal in accordance with a unicast WAD mode when the mode indication indicates the unicast mode and wherein the wireless access device wirelessly transmits the video signal in accordance with a multicast WAD mode when the mode indication indicates the multicast mode.

18. The video transmission system of claim 17 wherein the wireless access device employs a first transmit power level in the unicast WAD mode, and a second transmit power level in the multicast WAD mode.

19. The video transmission system of claim 15 wherein the video server module selects the multicast mode based on correlating the location data to roads located in a vicinity of the plurality of mobile devices.

20. The video transmission system of claim 15 wherein the video server module selects the multicast mode based on correlating the location data to places of interest located in a vicinity of the plurality of mobile devices.