Method and system for timely delivery of multimedia content via a femtocell

• US 8,259,617 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abraham, Charles, Diab, Wael William, Erceg, Vinko, Hou, Victor T., Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Kent, Mark, Chen, Xuemin Sherman
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US12/406,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 370227-403, 348/180, 709/226, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for timely delivery of multimedia content via a femtocell are provided. In this regard, a femtocell may receive data via an upstream path and transmit data via a downstream path. One of the upstream path and downstream path may comprise a cellular path and the other may comprise a non-cellular path. One or both of the upstream path and the downstream path may be audio video bridging (AVB) paths. Data may be stored in the femtocell based on timing characteristics of one or both of the upstream path and the downstream path. Data may be delivered to the femtocell utilizing best effort delivery and the data may be forwarded by the femtocell with guaranteed quality of service. Resources in the femtocell may be reserved and/or synchronized, utilizing AVB protocols, for communication of one or more data streams.

Claims

1. A method for communications, comprising:

receiving data in a femtocell via an upstream path; and

transmitting said data by said femtocell via a downstream path, wherein;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a cellular path to a cellular enabled communication device;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a non-cellular path to a non-cellular device; and

one or both of said upstream path and said downstream paths are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing one or both of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols, wherein said data is communicated to said femtocell utilizing best effort delivery and said data is transmitted by said femtocell with a guaranteed quality of service.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transcoding said received data in said femtocell to generate said transmitted data.

3. A method for communications, comprising:

receiving data in a femtocell via an upstream path;

transmitting data by said femtocell via a downstream path, wherein;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a cellular path to a cellular enabled communication device;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a non-cellular path to a non-cellular device;

one or both of said upstream path and said downstream paths are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols, and/or extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols; and

reserving, utilizing one or both of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols, one or both of non-cellular resources and cellular resources in said femtocell and in said cellular enabled communication device for communication of one or more data streams over said cellular path.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising synchronizing said femtocell and said cellular enabled communication device utilizing one or both of said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and said extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising synchronizing said femtocell and said non-cellular device utilizing one or both of said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and said extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising generating timestamps in said femtocell in accordance with one or both of said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and said extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols.

7. A system for communications, comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a femtocell, said one or more circuits being operable to;

receive data via an upstream path; and

transmit said data via a downstream path, wherein;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a cellular path to a cellular enabled communication device;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a non-cellular path to a non-cellular device; and

one or both of said upstream path and said downstream paths are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing one or both of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols, wherein said data is communicated to said femtocell utilizing best effort delivery, and said data is transmitted by said femtocell with a guaranteed quality of service.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to transcode said received data to generate said transmitted data.

9. A system for communications, comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a femtocell, said one or more circuits being operable to;

receive data via an upstream path;

transmit data via a downstream path, wherein;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a cellular path to a cellular enabled communication device;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a non-cellular path to a non-cellular device; and

one or both of said upstream path and said downstream paths are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing one or both of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols; and

reserve, utilizing one or both of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols, one or both of non-cellular resources and cellular resources in said femtocell and in said cellular enabled communication device for communication of one or more data streams over said cellular path.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enable synchronization, utilizing one or both of said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and said extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols, of said femtocell and said cellular enabled communication device.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits enable synchronization, utilizing one or both of said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and said extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols, of said femtocell and said non-cellular device.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to generate timestamps in accordance with said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and said extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols.

13. A method for communications, comprising:

receiving data in a femtocell via an upstream path;

transmitting data by said femtocell via a downstream path; and

adjusting characteristics of one or more buffers in said femtocell based on timing characteristics of one or both of said upstream path and said downstream path, wherein;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a cellular path to a cellular enabled communication device;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a non-cellular path to a non-cellular device;

one or both of said upstream path and said downstream paths are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing one or both of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols;

said timing characteristics of said upstream path comprise one or both of variation in delay between adjacent packets communicated via said upstream path and a latency of one or more packets communicated via said upstream path; and

said timing characteristics of said downstream path comprise one or both of variation in delay between adjacent packets communicated via said upstream path and a latency of one or more packets communicated via said upstream path.

14. A system for communications, comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a femtocell, said one or more circuits being operable to;

receive data via an upstream path;

transmit data via a downstream path; and

adjust characteristics of one or more buffers in said femtocell based on timing characteristics of one or both of said upstream path and said downstream path, wherein;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a cellular path to a cellular enabled communication device;

one of said upstream path and said downstream path comprises a non-cellular path to a non-cellular device;

one or both of said upstream path and said downstream paths are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing one or both of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols and extensions to said IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols;

said timing characteristics of said upstream path comprise one or both of variation in delay between adjacent packets communicated via said upstream path and a latency of one or more packets communicated via said upstream path; and

said timing characteristics of said downstream path comprise one or both of variation in delay between adjacent packets communicated via said upstream path and a latency of one or more packets communicated via said upstream path.