Media distribution via a scalable ad hoc geographic protocol

• US 9,264,863 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• 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: Hall, Robert J., Jamison, Richard Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US14/279,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20140247769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4563, 455/414.3, 370/328, 370/392, 370/338, 370/394, 709/230, 709/206, 709/238, 709/328
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/023 Limited or focused flooding to selected areas of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/22 with access to wired networks

Abstract

Media is distributed via a scalable ad hoc geographic routing/broadcast protocol. Media can be transmitted from a mobile device to a cluster of mobile devices that are geographically located in a particular region. Devices that are located between the source and the intended target can act as routers with the ability to forward data packets toward the intended destination. In essence, a geocast network cloud is established, allowing any device within the cloud to communicate with any other device in the cloud. Devices in the network can constantly change position and the transmission path through the network can be constantly changing. The geocast protocol adapts to the changing conditions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a device, a message comprising a media segment, the message comprising an indication of a region of intended reception of the message in accordance with a geocast protocol;

determining if the device is within the region;

when it is determined that the device is not within the region, not accepting the message; and

when it is determined that the device is within the region;

determining, upon receipt of the message, if the media segment is valid;

when the media segment is determined to be valid, rendering the valid media segment via the device;

when the media segment is determined to be invalid, ignoring the invalid media segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message further comprises an indication of an intended device that is intended to receive the message, the method further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining if a device receiving the message is the intended device;

when it is determined that a device receiving the message is not the intended device, not accepting the message; and

when it is determined a device receiving the message is the intended device processing the message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when it is determined that the device is within the region, rendering content of the message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of segments of media via a plurality of messages;

determining if a media segment in a message is valid;

when a media segment is determined to be valid, rendering the valid media segment via the device;

when a media segment is determined to be invalid, ignoring the invalid media segment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the media segment is valid comprises:

determining where in a sequence of media segments the media segment is positioned.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the media segment valid comprises:

determining if the media segment is later in sequence than all previously received media segments.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining whether to retransmit the message; and

when it is determined to retransmit the message, retransmitting the message in accordance with the geocast protocol.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the message was received at least a predetermined number of times by the device; and

when it is determined that the message has not been received the predetermined number of times, retransmitting the message.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining whether the message was sent from a location closer than or equal to a predetermined minimum distance from a location of the device; and

when it is determined that the message was not sent from a location closer than or equal to the predetermined minimum distance from the location of the device, retransmitting the message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining a first distance from the device to a point in the intended reception of the message;

determining a plurality of distances between the point and each of a plurality of sources from which the device previously has received the message; and

retransmitting the message when the first distance is less than each of the plurality of distances.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining if a nearest neighbor of an originator of the message has received the message at least a predetermined number of times; and

when it is determined that the nearest neighbor has not received the message at least the predetermined number of times, retransmitting the message.

12. A mobile device comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor causes the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving a message comprising media, the message comprising an indication of a region of intended reception of the message in a accordance with a geocast protocol; and

determining if the mobile device is within the region;

when it is determined that the mobile device is not within the region, not accepting the message; and

when it is determined that the mobile device is within the region;

determining, upon receipt of the message, if the media segment is valid;

when the media segment is determined to be valid, rendering the valid media segment via the mobile device;

when the media segment is determined to be invalid, ignoring the invalid media segment.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, the message further comprising an indication of an intended device that is intended to receive the message, the operations further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining if the mobile device is the intended device;

when it is determined that the mobile device is not the intended device, not accepting the message; and

when it is determined that the mobile device is the intended device, processing the message.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

receiving a plurality of segments of media via a plurality of messages;

determining if a media segment in a message is valid;

when a media segment is determined to be valid, rendering the valid media segment via the mobile device;

when a media segment is determined to be invalid, ignoring the invalid media segment and proceed to process a subsequently received message of the plurality messages.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

determining a reverse message path; and

providing a response to the message via the reverse message path.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining whether the message was received at least a predetermined number of times by the mobile device; and

when it is determined that the message has not been received the predetermined number of times, retransmitting the message.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

responsive to receiving the message, determining whether the message was sent from a location closer than or equal to a predetermined minimum distance from a location of the mobile device; and

when it is determined that the message was not sent from a location closer than or equal to the predetermined minimum distance from the location of the mobile device, retransmitting the message.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

the processing portion further configured to;

responsive to receiving the message, determining a first distance from the mobile device to a point in the intended reception of the message;

determine a plurality of distances between the point and each of a plurality of sources from which the mobile device previously has received the message; and

retransmitting the message when the first distance is less than each of the plurality of distances.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

determining if a nearest neighbor of an originator of the message has received the message at least a predetermined number of times; and

when it is determined that the nearest neighbor has not received the message at least the predetermined number of times, retransmitting the message.

20. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving by a device, a message, the message comprising an indication of a region of intended reception of the message in accordance with a geocast protocol;

determining if the device is within the region;

when it is determined that the device is not within the region, not accepting the message; and

when it is determined that the device is within the region;

determining, upon receipt of the message, if the message is valid;

when the message is determined to be valid, further processing the message via the device;

when the message is determined to be invalid, not further processing the message.