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

• US 8,135,334 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• 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: Dennisson, Joseph Patrick, Hope, Timothy, Perrella, Ron, Schaub, Ryan Lee, Slemmer, John Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US13/077,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20110177776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 455 301- 306, 4554141-4143
• 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 from at least one device for a rebroadcast of streaming media; and

rebroadcasting the streaming media via a base station transceiver to the at least one device responsive to obtaining the subscription;

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming media comprises audio and video content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

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

4. The method of claim 1, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with a wireless network and using wideband code division multiple access technology.

5. The method of claim 1, rebroadcasting the streaming media to the at least one device using bandwidth associated with a wireless network, wherein the wireless network comprises a Wi-Fi communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

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

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the streaming media further comprises text.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a television broadcast.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the streaming media comprises content from a gaming application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein rebroadcasting the streaming media comprises:

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

11. A communication system, comprising:

a network that is configured to obtain a subscription from at least one device for a rebroadcast of streaming media and to rebroadcast the streaming media via a base station transceiver to the at least one device responsive to obtaining the subscription;

wherein the 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.

12. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the streaming media comprises audio and video content.

13. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the network comprises a wireless network and 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 wireless communication technology.

14. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the network comprises a wireless network and 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 technology.

15. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the network comprises a Wi-Fi communication network.

16. The communication system of claim 15, wherein the network comprises a wireless network and 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.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the network comprises a wireless network and 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.

18. 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 from at least one device for a rebroadcast of streaming media; and

computer readable program code configured to rebroadcast the streaming media via a base station transceiver to the at least one device responsive to obtaining the subscription;

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