METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTENDING CONTENT ACCESS

• US 20180077211A1
• Filed: 09/15/2016
• Published: 03/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.), The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rose, Todd, Greaves, Brian, Chu, Stephen H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,819,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/414 Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method including receiving, by a processing system comprising a processor, media content from a media processor device via a first wireless communication network, where the media content can be received at the media processor device from a subscription media source. The method can include storing the media content received from the media processor device, initiating a first connection to an in-vehicle communication system, accessing a second wireless communication network generated by the in-vehicle communication system, initiating a second connection, via the second wireless communication network, to a media device detected on the second wireless communication network, and transmitting a stream of the media content to the media device via the second wireless communication network, wherein the media device reproduces the media content from the stream of the media content. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations at a storage device, comprising:

detecting a power supply signal;

determining whether the power supply signal is a premises power supply signal or a vehicle power supply signal;

responsive to determining that the power supply signal is the premises power supply signal;

initiating a communication session with a media processor device over a first wireless communication network;

receiving media content from the media processor device via the first wireless communication network, wherein the media content is received at the media processor device from a subscription media source; and

storing the media content received from the media processor device; and

responsive to determining that the power supply signal is the vehicle power supply signal;

accessing a second wireless communication network;

initiating a first connection, via the second wireless communication network, to a media device detected on the second wireless communication network; and

transmitting a stream of the media content to the media device via the second wireless communication network, wherein the media device reproduces the media content from the stream of the media content.

2. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein, further responsive to determining that the power supply signal is the vehicle power supply signal, the operations further comprise:

initiating a second connection to a cellular wireless communication network;

receiving second media content from the cellular wireless communication network; and

transmitting a second stream of the second media content to the media device via the second wireless communication network.

3. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the connection to the cellular wireless communication network is via a cellular transceiver of the storage device.

4. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein the connection to the cellular wireless communication network is via a cellular transceiver of an in-vehicle communication system.

5. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein, further responsive to determining that the power supply signal is the vehicle power supply signal, the operations further comprise:

identifying a subscriber identity module associated with the cellular wireless communication network; and

transmitting authentication information stored at the subscriber identity module to the cellular wireless communication network.

6. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the subscriber identity module is identified at the storage device.

7. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the subscriber identity module is identified at an in-vehicle communication system.

8. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein, further responsive to determining that the power supply signal is the vehicle power supply signal, the operations further comprise generating the second wireless communication network.

9. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the second wireless communication network is generated by an in-vehicle communication system.

10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the media device is a device that is present in a vehicle.

11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the media device is embedded in a vehicle.

12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the vehicle power supply signal is generated by an on-board diagnostics port.

13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the vehicle power supply signal is generated by a vehicle accessory system.

14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein responsive to determining that the power supply signal is the premises power supply signal, the operations further comprise:

detecting a first wireless communication network; and

determining whether a media processor device is present on the first wireless communication network.

15. A storage device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving media content from a media processor device via a first wireless communication network, wherein the media content is received at the media processor device from a subscription media source;

storing the media content received from the media processor device;

accessing a second wireless communication network;

connecting to a vehicle power supply signal;

generating a second wireless communication network responsive to connecting to the vehicle power supply signal;

initiating a first connection, via the second wireless communication network, to a media device detected on the second wireless communication network; and

transmitting a stream of the media content to the media device via the second wireless communication network, wherein the media device reproduces the media content from the stream of the media content.

16. The storage device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

initiating a second connection to a cellular wireless communication network;

receiving second media content from the cellular wireless communication network; and

transmitting a second stream of the second media content to the media device via the second wireless communication network.

17. The storage device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a subscriber identity module associated with the cellular wireless communication network; and

transmitting authentication information stored at the subscriber identity module to the cellular wireless communication network.

18. The storage device of claim 15, wherein the media device is embedded in a vehicle.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processing system including a processor, media content from a media processor device via a first wireless communication network, wherein the media content is received at the media processor device from a subscription media source;

storing, by the processing system, the media content received from the media processor device;

initiating a first connection, by the processing system, to an in-vehicle communication system;

accessing, by the processing system, a second wireless communication network generated by the in-vehicle communication system;

initiating a second connection, by the processing system and via the second wireless communication network, to a media device detected on the second wireless communication network; and

transmitting, by the processing system, a stream of the media content to the media device via the second wireless communication network, wherein the media device reproduces the media content from the stream of the media content.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the media device is a portable device that is present in a vehicle.