Technique for video broadcasting in wireless LAN

• US 7,761,048 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2003
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Bichot, Guillaume, Ramaswamy, Kumar, Zhang, Junbiao, Wang, Charles Chuanming
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse; Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US10/564,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174288A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,563 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.06, 455/3.04, 455/414.1, 455/3.02, 455/3.03, 455/3.05, 455/66.1, 455/552.1, 455/426.1, 455/344, 725/81
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26616 for merging a unicast channel into a multicast channel, e.g. in a VOD application, when a client served by unicast channel catches up a multicast channel to save bandwidth data multicast over packet-switching network H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A wireless Local Area Network provides data service through a data LAN and also provides video broadcast service through a video LAN. A wireless LAN subscriber accesses the video LAN through one of a plurality of Video Access Points (VAPs) that broadcast multiple video programs on a channel having a frequency different than the frequency over which the subscriber accesses the data LAN. Each VAP maintains the video channel in a one-way broadcast-only mode to prevent a wireless LAN subscriber from seeking to uplink information on that channel. In this way, the wireless LAN can employ a common protocol for both data and video transmission, and deliver the video streams at the maximum permissible downlink transmission rate.

Claims

1. A method for providing video to at least one subscriber in a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) comprising the steps of

receiving video from at least one source,

encoding the video into at least one prescribed format;

broadcasting the video on a video channel having an RF carrier frequency different from a carrier frequency of a wireless data channel over which data is transmitted to and from an access point, wherein the video channel provides both downlink and uplink capability; and

maintaining the video channel in a one-way broadcast-only mode at least while the video channel carries video, thereby precluding a subscriber from uplinking information on the video channel.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein wireless LAN utilizes at least one of the IEEE 802.11 and ETSI/Hiperlan2 protocols and wherein the broadcast-only mode of the video channel is maintained by adjusting at least one parameter specified by the at least one protocol.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the wireless LAN utilizes the IEEE 802.11 protocol and wherein the broadcast-only mode of the video channel is maintained by adjusting at a wireless access point a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) present in frames carrying the broadcasted video.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the wireless LAN utilizes the ETSI/Hiperlan2 protocol and wherein the broadcast-only mode of the video channel is maintained by removing access to a Random Channel.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the video is received from multiple sources.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the video is encoded in accordance with one of the MPEG 2 and JVT (MPEG 4 part 10/H.264) formats.

7. Apparatus for providing video to at least one subscriber in a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) comprising of

a receiver for receiving video from at least one source,

an encoder for encoding the video from the receiver into at least one prescribed format;

a video broadcast network for broadcasting the video from the encoder on a video channel having a frequency different from a wireless data channel over which data is broadcast from an access point, wherein the video channel provides both downlink and uplink capability, while maintaining the video channel in a broadcast-only mode, thereby precluding a subscriber from uplinking information on the video channel.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the video broadcast system comprises:

a video Local Area Network (LAN) connected to encoder; and

at least one Video Access Point (VAP) connected to the Video LAN for broadcasting the video carried by the video LAN from the encoder and for maintaining the video channel in the broadcast-only mode.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one VAP utilizes at least one of the IEEE 802.11 and ETSI/Hiperlan2 protocols and wherein the VAP maintains the broadcast-only mode of the video channel by adjusting at least one parameter of the broadcasted video in accordance with the at least one protocol.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the at least one VAP utilizes the IEEE 802.11 protocol and wherein the VAP maintains the broadcast-only mode of the video channel by adjusting a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) present in frames carrying the broadcasted video.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the VAP utilizes the ETSI/Hiperlan2 protocol and wherein the VAP maintains the broadcast-only mode of the video channel by removing a Random Channel.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the encoder encodes the video in accordance with one of the MPEG 2 and JVT (MPEG 4 part 10/H.264) formats.

13. A method for receiving broadcast video at a mobile wireless communications device, comprising the steps of:

initiating selection of a video Local Area Network (LAN) upon user actuation of the device, wherein the video LAN provides both downlink and uplink capability; and

detecting transmission of the video broadcast from video LAN without trying to uplink traffic to said video LAN; and

providing a bi-directional wireless data channel for a data LAN separate and distinct from the video LAN and in communication with the mobile communication device.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of setting up different protocol layers with a minimum static configuration within the mobile wireless communication device.