Communication method, radio base station apparatus and radio terminal apparatus

• US 6,816,704 B1
• Filed: 01/27/1999
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Kunio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMOS FELICIANO, ELISEO
• Application Number:
  US09/237,924
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• Field of Search: 455/20, 455/22, 455/23, 455/556-558, 455/517, 455/66, 455/426, 455/13.3, 455/11.1, 455/140, 455/500, 455/7, 455/13.1, 455/15, 455/16, 455/454, 455/426.1, 455/526, 455/132, 455/133, 455/136, 709/219, 709/328, 709/329
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• 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 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64707 for transferring content from a first network to a second network, e.g. between IP and wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

By receiving and demodulating at least one designated signal out of a plurality of broadcasting signals transmitted in respectively different formats or communication signals and by converting the demodulated received signal into a predetermined radio transmission format for radio transmission, relay-transmission of at least one signal out of the plurality of the broadcasting signals or communication signals is carried out to a communication terminal corresponding to the radio transmission format. Thus, it is possible for a movable terminal to carry out favorable reception of various kinds of data such as a digital broadcast, an Internet broadcast or the like.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

relay means including;

first receiving means having a plurality of receivers for receiving simultaneously a plurality of communication signals in data packet form transmitted by a plurality of different transmission systems including a satellite transmission system, a ground antenna transmission system, and a cable transmission system,

control means for selecting one of said plurality of receivers in response to a request signal,

selecting means for selecting, in response to said request signal, a desired program from one of said plurality of communication signals received by said selected one of said plurality of receivers,

converting means for mapping said desired program selected by said selecting means into a plurality of slots to form a radio signal corresponding to a specific radio transmission format, wherein said radio signal includes an Internet broadcast and content information, and

radio transmission means for transmitting said radio signal using a vacant band; and

terminal means including;

second receiving means for receiving said radio signal corresponding to said specific radio transmission format, and

request signal generating means for generating said request signal and request signal transmission means for transmitting said request signal to said relay means.

2. The communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said terminal means is formed of a terminal apparatus body and a card detachable from said terminal apparatus body, and said request signal transmission means and said second receiving means are provided on said card.

3. The communication system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said one of said plurality of communication signals received by one of said first and second receiving means is coded data coded by a first format,

said relay means includes coding means for coding said coded data by a second format different from said first format, and

said converting means converts an output signal from said coding means into a radio signal corresponding to said specific radio transmission format.

4. A relay apparatus in a communication system comprising:

receiving means including a plurality of receivers for receiving simultaneously a plurality of communication signals in data packet form transmitted by a plurality of different transmission systems including a satellite transmission system, a ground antenna transmission system, and a cable transmission system;

control means for selecting one of said plurality of receivers in response to a request signal;

selecting means for selecting, in response to said request signal, a desired program from one of said plurality of communication signals received by said selected one of said plurality of receivers;

converting means for mapping said desired program selected by said selecting means into a plurality of slots to form a radio signal corresponding to a specific radio transmission format, wherein said radio signal includes an Internet broadcast and content information; and

radio transmission means for transmitting said radio signal using a vacant band to terminal means using said specific radio transmission format, wherein said request signal is transmitted by said terminal means using said specific radio transmission format.

5. The relay apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said one of said plurality of communication signals received by said receiving means is coded data coded by a first format.

6. The relay apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

coding means for coding said coded data by a second format different from said first format, wherein said converting means converts an output signal of said coding means into said radio signal corresponding to said specific radio transmission format.