Simulcasting or multicasting of multimedia call sessions in a LAN/WLAN/PAN via a broadband access gateway

• US 7,680,133 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James D., Seshadri, Nambirajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, IV, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHRISS, ANDREW W
• Application Number:
  US11/093,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 370/390
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0007 for multicast or broadcast services, e.g. MBMS multicast or broadcast application services H04W4/06; resource management for broadcast services H04W72/30; connection management for selective distribution or broadcast H04W76/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• 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 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for simulcasting multimedia information via a broadband access gateway and a wireless wide area network, is disclosed. An access device such as, for example, a mobile multimedia handset engaged in a call served by a wireless wide area network may migrate to within the coverage area of an associated broadband access gateway with a wireless interface. The wireless wide area network may simulcast call content to the broadband access gateway via a broadband network. A user in the proximity of the broadband access gateway may be notified of the simulcasting of the call, and may elect to continue the call via a WLAN/PAN-enabled wireless handset or other access device that is compatible with the wired and/or wireless interfaces of the broadband access gateway.

Claims

1. A system supporting simulcasting of a wide area network call via a broadband access gateway, the system comprising:

a gateway communicatively coupled to a broadband network and at least one wireless interface, the gateway operable to selectively communicate multimedia information among the at least one wireless interface and the broadband network, and to communicate with a plurality of access devices via the at least one wireless interface;

the gateway operable to receive from a wireless wide area network via the broadband network, multimedia information also received wirelessly by a first of the plurality of access devices via a simulcast transmission directly from the wireless wide area network, wherein the simulcast transmission to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network according to user-established associations of the first of the plurality of access devices and the gateway and of the gateway to the wireless wide area network, known to the wireless wide area network;

the gateway operable to establish with a second of the plurality of access devices, via the at least one wireless interface, a call path for communication of the multimedia information to the second of the plurality of access devices; and

the gateway operable to communicate the multimedia information to the second of the plurality of access devices, via the at least one wireless interface.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

the gateway operable to notify the second of the plurality of access devices of the establishment of the call path for the communication of multimedia information.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first and second of the plurality of access devices are the same access device.

4. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

the gateway operable to filter multimedia information so as to be compatible with the second of the plurality of access devices.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with the Bluetooth V1.2 or compatible personal area network (PAN) specification.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with one or more of:

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and/or 802.11n standards.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless interface comprises two wireless interfaces.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the broadband network comprises one or more of:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cable network, a satellite network, a local multipoint distribution system (LMDS), and/or the Internet.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the wireless wide area network comprises one or more of:

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, and/or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of access devices comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), and/or a wireless handset.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein the simulcast transmission to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network using information about physical locations of the first of the plurality of access devices and the gateway.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein the gateway causes the second of the plurality of access devices to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein the wireless wide area network causes the first of the plurality of access devices to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.

15. A method supporting simulcasting of wide area network calls via a broadband access gateway, the method comprising:

receiving, from a wireless wide area network via a broadband network, multimedia information also received wirelessly by a first of a plurality of access devices via a simulcast transmission directly from the wireless wide area network, wherein the simulcast transmission to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network according to user-established associations of the first of the plurality of access devices and the gateway and of the gateway and the wireless wide area network, known to the wireless wide area network;

establishing with a second of the plurality of access devices, via at least one wireless interface, a call path for communication of the multimedia information to the second of the plurality of access devices; and

communicating the multimedia information to the second of the plurality of access devices, via the at least one wireless interface.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

notifying the second of the plurality of access devices of the establishment of the call path for the communication of multimedia information.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the first and second of the plurality of access devices are the same access device.

18. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

filtering multimedia information so as to be compatible with the second of the plurality of access devices.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with the Bluetooth V1.2 or compatible personal area network (PAN) specification.

21. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with one or more of:

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and/or 802.11n standards.

22. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless interface comprises two wireless interfaces.

23. The method according to claim 15 wherein the broadband network comprises one or more of:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cable network, a satellite network, a local multipoint distribution system (LMDS), and/or the Internet.

24. The method according to claim 15 wherein the wireless wide area network comprises one or more of:

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, and/or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

25. The method according to claim 15 wherein the plurality of access devices comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), and/or a wireless handset.

26. The method according to claim 15 wherein the simulcast transmission to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network using information about physical locations of the first of the plurality of access devices and the gateway.

27. The method according to claim 15 wherein the gateway causes the second of the plurality of access devices to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.

28. The method according to claim 15 wherein the wireless wide area network causes the first of the plurality of access devices to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.

29. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating a gateway supporting simulcasting of wireless wide area network calls via a broadband network, the code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:

receiving a request to establish call communication via a first path;

receiving, at the gateway from a wireless wide area network via the first path, multimedia information also received by a first access device via a simulcast transmission directly from the wireless wide area network using a wireless second path, wherein simulcast transmission of the multimedia information to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network according to user-defined associations of the first access device and the gateway and of the gateway and the wireless wide area network, known to the wireless wide area network;

accepting, at the gateway, a request to establish call communication via a third path; and

transmitting the received multimedia information to one or both of;

the first access device and/or a second access device via the third path.

30. The machine readable storage of claim 29 wherein the code sections executable by a machine further causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:

establishing call communication via the first path.

31. The machine readable storage of claim 29 wherein the code sections executable by a machine further causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:

causing notification of a user of the first access device, of call communication via the first path.

32. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

33. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein the first path comprises one or more of:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cable network, a satellite network, a local multipoint distribution system (LMDS), and/or the Internet.

34. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein the second path comprises one or more of:

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, and/or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

35. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein the third path is compliant with one or more of:

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and/or 802.11n standards.

36. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein the access devices comprise one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), and/or a wireless handset.

37. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein the simulcast transmission to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network using information about physical locations of the first access device and the gateway.

38. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein the gateway causes an access device to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.

39. The machine-readable storage according to claim 29 wherein the wireless wide area network causes the first access device to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.

40. A system supporting simulcasting of a wide area network call via a broadband access gateway, the system comprising:

at least one processor operably coupled to at least one wireless interface and to a broadband network, the at least one processor operable to, at least;

receive from a wireless wide area network via the broadband network, multimedia information also received wirelessly by a first of a plurality of access devices via a simulcast transmission directly from the wireless wide area network, wherein the simulcast transmission to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network according to user-defined associations of the first of the plurality of access devices and the gateway and of the gateway and the wireless wide area network, known to the wireless wide area network;

establish with a second of the plurality of access devices, via the at least one wireless interface, a call path for communication of the multimedia information to the second of the plurality of access devices; and

communicate the multimedia information to the second of the plurality of access devices, via the at least one wireless interface.

41. The system according to claim 40 wherein the at least one processor is operable to, at least:

notify the second of the plurality of access devices of the establishment of the call path for the communication of multimedia information.

42. The system according to claim 40 wherein the first and second of the plurality of access devices are the same access device.

43. The system according to claim 40 wherein the at least one processor is operable to, at least:

filter multimedia information so as to be compatible with the second of the plurality of access devices.

44. The system according to claim 40 wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

45. The system according to claim 40 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with the Bluetooth V1.2 or compatible personal area network (PAN) specification.

46. The system according to claim 40 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with one or more of:

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and/or 802.11n standards.

47. The system according to claim 40 wherein the at least one wireless interface comprises two wireless interfaces.

48. The system according to claim 40 wherein the broadband network comprises one or more of:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cable network, a satellite network, a local multipoint distribution system (LMDS), and/or the Internet.

49. The system according to claim 40 wherein the wireless wide area network comprises one or more of:

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, and/or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

50. The system according to claim 40 wherein the plurality of access devices comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), and/or a wireless handset.

51. The system according to claim 40 wherein the simulcast transmission to the gateway is initiated by the wireless wide area network using information about physical locations of the first of the plurality of access devices and the gateway.

52. The system according to claim 40 wherein the gateway causes the second of the plurality of access devices to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.

53. The system according to claim 40 wherein the wireless wide area network causes the first of the plurality of access devices to periodically alert a user of the simulcasting of the multimedia information to the gateway.