Methods, systems, and computer program products for transmitting streaming media to a mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with a wireless network

• US 7,929,904 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Slemmer, John Blake, Schaub, Ryan Lee, Perrella, Ron, Hope, Timothy, Dennisson, Joseph Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/637,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20100091740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 370/338, 370/352, 725/62, 725/68
• US Class Current: 455/3.06
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85

Abstract

A communication network is operated by obtaining a subscription at a wireless network from at least one device for a rebroadcast of streaming media and rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using the wireless network responsive to obtaining the subscription.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication network, comprising:

obtaining a subscription at a wireless network from at least one device for a rebroadcast of streaming media; and

rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using the wireless network responsive to obtaining the subscription.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining authorization from a media broadcaster that provides the streaming media to rebroadcast the streaming media prior to rebroadcasting the streaming media.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the streaming media comprises audio and/or video content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using third generation (3G) wireless communication technology.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) technology, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) technology, and/or enhanced data GSM (global system for mobile communications) environment technology.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi communication network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using IEEE 802.11b technology.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the streaming media further comprises text.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a television broadcast, an amplitude modulation (AM) radio broadcast and/or a frequency modulation (FM) radio broadcast.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a video conference and/or a gaming application.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network while moving the at least one device between cells associated with the wireless network.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a wireless network that is configured to receive a subscription request from at least one device for a rebroadcast of streaming media and to rebroadcast the streaming media to the at least one device responsive to receiving the subscription request.

13. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the wireless network is further configured to obtain authorization from a media broadcaster that provides the streaming media to rebroadcast the streaming media prior to rebroadcasting the streaming media.

14. The communication system of claim 13, wherein the streaming media comprises audio and/or video content.

15. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the wireless network is further configured to rebroadcast the streaming media by rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using third generation (3G) wireless communication technology.

16. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the wireless network is further configured to rebroadcast the streaming media by rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) technology, universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) technology, and/or enhanced data GSM (global system for mobile communications) environment technology.

17. The communication system of claim 14, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi communication network.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the wireless network is further configured to rebroadcast the streaming media by rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network and using IEEE 802.11b technology.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless network is further configured to rebroadcast the streaming media by rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with the wireless network while moving the at least one device between cells associated with the wireless network.

20. An article of manufacture for operating a communication network, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to obtain a subscription at a wireless network from at least one device for a rebroadcast of streaming media; and

computer readable program code configured to rebroadcast the streaming media to the at least one device using the wireless network responsive to obtaining the subscription.