Service discovery mechanism in broadcast telecommunication network

• US 7,903,574 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Auranen, Tommi, Vare, Jani, Vesma, Jussi, Pekonen, Harri
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefcheck; Gregory B
• Application Number:
  US11/686,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20080225778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts

Abstract

Aspects of the invention are directed to service discovery in a digital broadcast network. A service discovery descriptor, which may be electronic service guide-provider and cell specific, provides mapping between a service identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a physical channel, which may be characterized by a frame identifier and a slot identifier, that is, each physical channel may have one or more slots within one or more frames. A neighboring service discovery descriptor provides mapping for the service available within neighboring cells. Aspects of the invention are directed to an encapsulation protocol that encapsulates variable length data, including, but not limited to, the service discovery descriptor and the neighboring service discovery descriptor, into fixed length data stream packets.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a receiver device, a fixed size data stream protocol packet that comprises a payload;

inspecting, by a processor, a payload type of the fixed size data stream protocol packet;

determining that the payload type indicates that the payload includes service discovery descriptor data, and, in response, decapsulating the fixed size data stream protocol packet;

determining to receive at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet of the payload type;

repeating the receiving, inspecting, and decapsulating for the at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet, resulting in a plurality of service discovery descriptor data that includes service discovery descriptor data of the fixed size data stream protocol packet and additional service discovery descriptor data of the at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet; and

generating, at the receiver device, a service discovery descriptor based on the plurality of service discovery descriptor data, wherein the service discovery descriptor identifies at least one service available for data streaming from a current cell or from at least one neighboring cell, wherein a length of the service discovery descriptor differs from a length of the fixed size data stream protocol packet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fixed size data stream protocol packet is configured to carry variable length signaling descriptors.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining to receive at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet of the payload type is based on a fragmentation index and a last fragment indicator from the fixed size data stream protocol packet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving a fixed size data stream protocol packet that comprises a payload includes receiving the fixed size data stream protocol packet within a repetition interval.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a different fixed size data stream protocol packet within the repetition interval, the different fixed size data stream protocol packet including a payload type that is different than the payload type of the fixed size data stream protocol packet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to receive at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet of the payload type is based on an analysis of the fixed size data stream protocol packet.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed, cause the apparatus to at least;

receive a fixed size data stream protocol packet that comprises a payload,

inspect a payload type of the fixed size data stream protocol packet,

determine that the payload type indicates that the payload contains service discovery descriptor data, and, in response, decapsulate the fixed size data stream protocol packet,

determine to receive at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet of the payload type,

in response to determining to receive at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet of the payload type, repeat the receiving, inspecting, and decapsulating for the at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet, resulting in a plurality of service discovery descriptor data that includes service discovery descriptor data of the fixed size data stream protocol packet and additional service discovery descriptor data of the at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet, and

generate a service discovery descriptor based on the plurality of service discovery descriptor data, wherein the service discovery descriptor identifies at least one service available for data streaming from a current cell or from at least one neighboring cell, wherein a length of the service discovery descriptor differs from a length of the fixed size data stream protocol packet.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fixed size data stream protocol packet is configured to carry variable length signaling descriptors.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is part of a system that includes a second apparatus, the second apparatus comprising:

a second processor; and

a second computer readable medium that contains computer executable instructions that when executed cause the second apparatus to at least;

encapsulate second signaling metadata and second digital broadcast content into second encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets, wherein the second signaling metadata includes a second service discovery descriptor that identifies at least one service available for data streaming from the current cell or from the at least one neighboring cell, wherein a length of the second service discovery descriptor differs from a length of at least one of the second fixed size data stream protocol packets; and

cause output of the second data stream protocol packets for transmission over a digital broadcast network.

10. A method comprising:

encapsulating, by a processor, signaling metadata and digital broadcast content into encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets, the signaling metadata and the digital broadcast content being encapsulated into payloads of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets, wherein the signaling metadata includes a service discovery descriptor that identifies at least one service available for data streaming from a current cell or from at least one neighboring cell, wherein a length of the service discovery descriptor differs from a length of at least one of the fixed size data stream protocol packets, and wherein a first packet of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets includes a first portion of the service discovery descriptor in the payload and a payload type indicating that the payload includes service discovery descriptor data and a second packet of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets includes a second portion of the service discovery descriptor in the payload and a payload type indicating that the payload includes service discovery descriptor data, the first portion and the second portion being different portions of the service discovery descriptor; and

causing output of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets for transmission over a digital broadcast network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the service discovery descriptor is electronic service guide-provider specific and cell specific.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the service discovery descriptor provides a mapping between a service identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a physical channel.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the service discovery descriptor is a neighboring service discovery descriptor that provides a mapping for one or more services available within one or more neighboring cells.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the apparatus to at least;

encapsulate signaling metadata and digital broadcast content into encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets, the signaling metadata and the digital broadcast content being encapsulated into payloads of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets, wherein the signaling metadata includes a service discovery descriptor that identifies at least one service available for data streaming from a current cell or from at least one neighboring cell, wherein a length of the service discovery descriptor differs from a length of at least one of the fixed size data stream protocol packets, and wherein a first packet of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets includes a first portion of the service discovery descriptor in the payload and a payload type indicating that the payload includes service discovery descriptor data and a second packet of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets includes a second portion of the service discovery descriptor in the payload and a payload type indicating that the payload includes service discovery descriptor data, the first portion and the second portion being different portions of the service discovery descriptor; and

cause output of the encapsulated data stream protocol packets for transmission over a digital broadcast network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the service discovery descriptor is electronic service guide-provider specific and cell specific.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the service discovery descriptor provides a mapping between a service identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a physical channel.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the neighboring service discovery descriptor provides a mapping for one or more services available within one or more neighboring cells.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of causing output of the encapsulated data stream protocol packets for transmission over a digital broadcast network includes:

causing output of encapsulated data stream protocol packets that include service discovery descriptor data in the payload according to a repetition interval, wherein the repetition interval identifies a time period in which at least one encapsulated data stream protocol packet that includes service discovery descriptor data in the payload is caused to be transmitted.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to at least:

receive a fixed size data stream protocol packet that comprises a payload;

inspect a payload type of the fixed size data stream protocol packet;

determine that the payload type indicates that the payload contains service discovery descriptor data, and, in response, decapsulate the fixed size data stream protocol packet;

determine to receive at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet of the payload type;

in response to determining to receive at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet of the payload type, repeat the receiving, inspecting, and decapsulating for the at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet, resulting in a plurality of service discovery descriptor data that includes service discovery descriptor data of the fixed size data stream protocol packet and additional service discovery descriptor data of the at least one additional fixed size data stream protocol packet; and

generate a service discovery descriptor based on the plurality of service discovery descriptor data, wherein the service discovery descriptor identifies at least one service available for data streaming from a current cell or from at least one neighboring cell, wherein a length of the service discovery descriptor differs from a length of the fixed size data stream protocol packet.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the service discovery descriptor is electronic service guide-provider specific and cell specific.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the service discovery descriptor provides a mapping between a service identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a physical channel.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the service discovery descriptor is a neighboring service discovery descriptor that provides a mapping for one or more services available within one or more neighboring cells.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed cause an apparatus to at least:

encapsulate signaling metadata and digital broadcast content into encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets, the signaling metadata and the digital broadcast content being encapsulated into payloads of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets, wherein the signaling metadata includes a service discovery descriptor that identifies at least one service available for data streaming from a current cell or from at least one neighboring cell, wherein a length of the service discovery descriptor differs from a length of at least one of the fixed size data stream protocol packets, and wherein a first packet of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets includes a first portion of the service discovery descriptor in the payload and a payload type indicating that the payload includes service discovery descriptor data and a second packet of the encapsulated fixed size data stream protocol packets includes a second portion of the service discovery descriptor in the payload and a payload type indicating that the payload includes service discovery descriptor data the first portion and the second portion being different portions of the service discovery descriptor; and

cause output of the encapsulated data stream protocol packets for transmission over a digital broadcast network.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the service discovery descriptor is electronic service guide-provider specific and cell specific.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the service discovery descriptor provides a mapping between a service identifier, a logical channel identifier, and a physical channel.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the service discovery descriptor is a neighboring service discovery descriptor that provides a mapping for one or more services available within one or more neighboring cells.