Method for providing proximity-based quality for multimedia content

• US 9,288,246 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lemi Technology, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Curtis, Scott, Issa, Alfredo C., Evans, Greg, Walsh, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US14/106,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20140108607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/173 using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star, snowflake
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A system and method for providing proximity-based quality for multimedia content, including: transmitting multimedia content, and intentionally controlling a quality level of a presentation of the multimedia content based on geographic proximity of a user to a particular location including intentionally controlling the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content in accordance to a defined quality level for each of a plurality of geographic proximity zones associated with the particular location with at least one first one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones having a first defined quality level that is higher than a second defined quality level of at least one second one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones.

Claims

1. A method of providing proximity-based quality for multimedia content, comprising:

transmitting the multimedia content;

intentionally controlling a quality level of a presentation of the multimedia content based on geographic proximity of a user to a particular location including intentionally controlling the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content in accordance to a defined quality level for each of a plurality of geographic proximity zones associated with the particular location with at least one first one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones having a first defined quality level that is higher than a second defined quality level of at least one second one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones; and

wherein a degree of controlling of the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content is reduced as the user moves closer to the particular location, with the user receiving a full quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content at the particular location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones is a first floor of a building and the at least one second one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones is floors above the first floor of the building.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the multimedia content is music and wherein intentionally controlling the quality level is conducted with respect to at least one of a sampling rate, a duration of the same provided musical tracks, a frequency response, a length of advertisement insertions, and a rate of advertisement insertions.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the degree of controlling of the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content is increased with the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content being degraded within at least one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones as the user moves further from the particular location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the intentional controlling of the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content includes creating a dead zone wherein the multimedia content is completely blocked from the user.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the dead zone represents an area surrounding a competitor'"'"'s place of commercial business.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the dead zone represents an area of a building where offices are located.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the multimedia content is a content stream which is streamed to the user depending on an encryption key to which the user has access and which is directly tied to the user'"'"'s actual physical location.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a content of the content stream is made available via a multicast stream thereby to allow multiple users access to the content.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software for providing proximity-based quality for multimedia content, the software instructing a system to:

transmit the multimedia content;

intentionally control a quality level of a presentation of the multimedia content based on geographic proximity of a user to a particular location including intentionally controlling the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content in accordance to a defined quality level for each of a plurality of geographic proximity zones associated with the particular location with at least one first one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones having a first defined quality level that is higher than a second defined quality level of at least one second one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones; and

wherein a degree of controlling of the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content is reduced as the user moves closer to the particular location, with the user receiving a full quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content at the particular location.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein intentionally controlling the quality level is conducted with respect to at least one of a sampling rate, a duration of the same provided musical tracks, a frequency response, a length of advertisement insertions, and a rate of advertisement insertions.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the degree of controlling of the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content is increased with the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content being degraded within at least one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones as the user moves further from the particular location.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the intentional controlling of the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content includes creating a dead zone wherein the multimedia content is completely blocked from the user.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the dead zone represents at least one of an area surrounding a competitor'"'"'s place of commercial business and an area of a building where offices are located.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the software is further operative to instruct the system to customize a proximity zone for receiving the multimedia content to establish a personalized proximity zone for each particular user.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the multimedia content is a content stream which is streamed to the user depending on an encryption key to which the user has access and which is directly tied to the user'"'"'s actual physical location.

17. A method of providing proximity-based quality for multimedia content comprising:

transmitting a signal carrying the multimedia content from a location of origin;

intentionally controlling a quality level of a presentation of the multimedia content based on proximity of a user to the location of origin of the signal including intentionally controlling the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content in accordance to a defined quality level for each of a plurality of geographic proximity zones associated with the location with at least one first one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones having a first defined quality level is higher than a second defined quality level of at least one second one of the plurality of geographic proximity zones; and

wherein a degree of controlling of the quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content is reduced as the user moves closer to the location of origin, with the user receiving a full quality level of the presentation of the multimedia content at the location of origin.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing an indication to a user mobile device that the user will receive a benefit when the user moves closer to the location of origin.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the indication is at least one of an audio or a visible indication on the user mobile device that moving to a particular proximity zone which is closer to the location of origin increases the benefit.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the multimedia content comprises a digital signal carrying the multimedia content and the benefit is an increased access to at least one of a kind or size of a media library.