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

• US 8,441,960 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• 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: Diab, Wael William, Abraham, Charles, Chen, Xuemin (Sherman), Erceg, Vinko, Hou, Victor T., Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Kent, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US13/438,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20120190349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 370228-362
• 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;

transmitting data by said femtocell via a downstream path; and

adjusting characteristics of a buffer in the femtocell, wherein;

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

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

at least one of the upstream path and the downstream path is an audio video bridging (AVB) path established utilizing at least one of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols or extensions to the IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting the characteristics of the buffer in the femtocell based on timing characteristics of at least one of the upstream path or the downstream path.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the buffer comprise at least one of:

a capacity of the buffer in the femtocell or a threshold of the buffer in the femtocell.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data received in and transmitted by the femtocell comprises at least one of audio data, visual data, or textual data.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving data at the femtocell over a non-AVB path and transmitting data from the femtocell over an AVB path.

16. The method according to claim 3, wherein the data received in and transmitted by the femtocell comprises at least one of audio data, visual data, or textual data.

4. A system for communications, comprising:

a circuit, for use in a femtocell configured to;

receive data via an upstream path;

transmit data via a downstream path; and

adjust characteristics of a buffer in the femtocell, wherein;

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

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

one or both of the upstream and downstream paths are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing at least one of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols or extensions to the IEEE 802.1AVB protocols.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the circuit is configured to adjust the characteristics of the buffer in the femtocell based on timing characteristics of at least one of the upstream path or the downstream path.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the characteristics of the buffer comprise at least one of:

a capacity of the buffer in the femtocell or a threshold of the buffer in the femtocell.

12. The system according to claim 4, wherein the data received in and transmitted by the femtocell comprises at least one of audio data, visual data, or textual data.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the femtocell is configured to receive data over a non-AVB path and transmit data over an AVB path.

17. The system according to claim 6, wherein the data received in and transmitted by the femtocell comprises at least one of audio data, visual data, or textual data.

19. The system according to claim 4, wherein the circuit is further configured to acquire information related to an AVB path traversed by a packet stream.

7. A communication device, comprising:

a femtocell configured to receive data via an upstream path and transmit data via a downstream path; and

a buffer in the femtocell configured to store the received data and having adjustable characteristics, wherein;

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

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

at least one of the upstream path and the downstream path are audio video bridging (AVB) paths established utilizing at least one of IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols or extensions to the IEEE 802.1 AVB protocols.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the communication device is configured to adjust the characteristics of the buffer in the femtocell based on timing characteristics of at least one of the upstream path or the downstream path.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the characteristics of the buffer comprise at least one of:

a capacity of the buffer in the femtocell or a threshold of the buffer in the femtocell.

14. The device according to claim 7, wherein the data received in and transmitted by the femtocell comprises at least one of audio data, visual data, or textual data.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the femtocell is further configured to receive data over a non-AVB path and transmit data over an AVB path.

18. The device according to claim 9, wherein the data received in and transmitted by the femtocell comprises at least one of audio data, visual data, or textual data.

20. The device according to claim 7, wherein the femtocell is further configured to acquire information related to an AVB path traversed by a packet stream.