Content-based handover method and system

• US 9,055,502 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bowen, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Brian D
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TOAN D
• Application Number:
  US14/146,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20140113635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/331, 370/332, 370/389, 455/343.1, 455/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters

Abstract

A handover of a wireless communication device is performed between a first wireless band and a second wireless band when a detected feature occurs within a content stream being communicated with the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, performs operations comprising;

processing a portion of audio content of a content stream being communicated to a wireless communication device to detect a period of silence in the audio content;

detecting a request for a handover of the wireless communication device between a first wireless band and a second wireless band; and

performing the handover when the period of silence in the audio content satisfies a threshold,

wherein the handover is delayed from a time of the request by a delay interval.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless band is a licensed wireless band, wherein the second wireless band is an unlicensed wireless band, and wherein the handover is performed using a third wireless band that is an unlicensed band.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wireless band is a licensed wireless band and wherein the second wireless band is an unlicensed wireless band.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the licensed wireless band comprises a cellular telephone network band.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the unlicensed wireless band comprises a wireless fidelity band.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a scene transition while a portion of the content stream is being received by the wireless communication device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the delay interval has a length in accordance with network connectivity options for the wireless communication device.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable storage device comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

processing a portion of gaming content of a content stream being communicated to a wireless communication device to detect a quiescent period;

receiving a request for a handover of the wireless communication device between a first wireless band and a second wireless band; and

performing the handover when the quiescent period occurs within the content stream based on a number of gaming packets of the gaming content satisfying a threshold,

wherein the handover is delayed from a time of the request by a delay interval.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the first wireless band is a licensed wireless band, wherein the second wireless band is an unlicensed wireless band, and wherein the handover is performed using a third wireless band that is a second unlicensed band.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the first wireless band is a licensed wireless band and wherein the second wireless band is an unlicensed wireless band.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the licensed wireless band comprises a cellular telephone network band.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the unlicensed wireless band comprises a Wireless Fidelity band.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a scene transition while a portion of the content stream is being received by the wireless communication device.

14. A method comprising:

processing, by a system comprising a processor, a portion of a content stream being communicated to a wireless communication device to detect a quiescent period within the content stream; and

performing, by the system in response to a request, a handover of the wireless communication device between a first wireless band and a second wireless band when the quiescent period satisfies a threshold,

wherein the handover is delayed from a time of the request by a delay interval.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wireless band is a licensed wireless band, wherein the second wireless band is an unlicensed wireless band, and wherein the handover is performed using a third wireless band that is an unlicensed band.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wireless band is a licensed wireless band and wherein the second wireless band is an unlicensed wireless band.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the licensed wireless band comprises a cellular telephone network band.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the unlicensed wireless band comprises a wireless fidelity band.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the content stream comprises gaming content.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the content stream comprises video content.