Media transmission using aggregated bandwidth of disparate communication channels

• US 8,050,289 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Zenverge, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Masterson, Anthony D., Mobini, Amir M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao; Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, JUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/362,389
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 370/203, 370230-236, 370253-257, 370/329, 370431-444, 370464-477, 370485-497, 3703951-3955, 370/545
• US Class Current: 370/465
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• 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 21/631 Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols

Abstract

A method and/or system of transmitting media items using aggregating bandwidths of disparate communication channels between a media source and a media player. By using the combined bandwidth of more than one communication channel, a media item that requires a bandwidth larger than a single communication channel can be transmitted. The media source also converts the media item depending on the available bandwidth of the communication channels. By dynamically changing the formats of the media item, more robust and reliable communication between the media source and the media player can be achieved.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a media item from a media source to a media player, the method comprising:

determining communication channels available for transmitting the media item from the media source to the media player, the available communication channels including at least a first communication channel provided over a first type of physical medium and a second communication channel provided over a second type of physical medium, the second type of physical medium different from the first type of physical medium;

converting the media item into a plurality of packets of a format adapted for transmitting over combined bandwidth of the available communication channels, each of the plurality of packets including a header indicating a type of communication channel over which each of the plurality of packets should travel;

adding error resilience to the plurality of packets;

transmitting each of the plurality of packets with error resilience to the media player over the type of communication channel available and indicated in the header of each of the plurality of packets;

detecting whether another media source is communicating over the first communication channel; and

resolving a conflict over use of the first communication channels with the other media source using a predetermined scheme.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a bandwidth of at least one available communication channel; and

adjusting the number or types of packets to be sent over the available communication channels based on the monitored bandwidth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the format of the converted packets based on the combined bandwidth of the available communication channels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises adding error resilience to the packets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more packets including critical data are transmitted to the media player over a communication channel that is most reliable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining available communication channels comprises:

sending a test signal to the media player over all of the communication channels; and

receiving a reply signal from the media player responsive to the test signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein converting the media item comprises transcrypting of the media item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving information on capability of the media player over the available communication channels, and wherein the format into which the media item should be converted is compatible with the capability of the media player.

9. A media source for transmitting a media item to a media player, the method comprising:

a communication module communicating with the media player using available communication channels, the available communication channels comprising at least a first communication channel provided over a first type of physical medium and a second communication channel provided over a second type of physical medium, the second type of physical medium different from the first type of physical medium;

a media processor coupled to the link manager, the media processor converting the media item into a plurality of packets of a format adapted for transmitting the media item to the media player, each of each of the plurality of packets including a header indicating a type of communication channel over which each of the plurality of packets should travel; and

a link manager coupled between the communication module and the media processor, the link manager determining combined bandwidth of the available communication channels and assigning each of the plurality of packets to one of the communication channels based on indication of the type of communication channel in the header, the link manager resolving a conflict over use of the first communication channels with another media source using a predetermined scheme responsive to detecting that the other media source is communicating over the first communication channel, the link manager adding error resilience to the plurality of packets for communication.

10. The media source of claim 9, wherein the link manager adjusts a number or types of packets to be sent over the available communication channels based on changes in a bandwidth of at least one available communication channel.

11. The media source of claim 9, wherein the media processor adjusts the format of the packets into which the media item should be converted based on the combined bandwidth of the available communication channels.

12. The media source of claim 9, wherein packets including critical data is transmitted over a communication channel that is most reliable.

13. The media source of claim 9, wherein converting the media processor is adapted to perform transcrypting of the media item.

14. A media player for playing a media item received from a media source, the media player comprising:

a communication module communicating with the media source using available communication channels, the available communication channels comprising at least a first communication channel provided over a first type of physical medium and a second communication channel provided over a second type of physical medium, the second type of physical medium different from the first type of physical medium;

a link manager coupled to the communication module, the link manager generating and transmitting to the media source information representing a quality of service of each communication channel, the link manager reconstructing the media item from data received simultaneously from the available communication channels, the link manager resolving a conflict over use of the first communication channels with another media source using a predetermined scheme responsive to detecting that the other media source is communicating over the first communication channel, the link manager adding error resilience to the plurality of packets for communication;

a decoder coupled to the link manager for decoding the reconstructed media item; and

a media processor coupled to the link manager and the decoder, the media processor adapted to perform transcrypting of the reconstructed media item.

15. The media player of claim 14, wherein the communication module searches for the available communication channels, and detects media sources communicating through the available communication channels.