Providing automatic format conversion via an access gateway
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- at a gateway operable to communicate data between a broadband modem which is configured for communication with a broadband network and a wireless communication interface which is configured for communication with wireless devices in a coverage area,initiating communication with an access device in the coverage area;
receiving from the access device a set of quality of service criteria for use in selecting conversion of multimedia information in the access device, the quality of service criteria indicating relative importance or priority of aspects of consumption of audio or video information for the access device;
receiving from the access device a request for an audio clip or a video clip;
comparing format information for the requested audio clip or video clip with audio or video processing capabilities of the access device; and
if the access device cannot process the requested audio clip or video clip, using the quality of service criteria to convert the data for the audio clip or the video clip to a format which can be processed by the access device.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method supporting the automatic conversion of multimedia information from a first format to a second format in a broadband access gateway and/or network-based server are disclosed. The broadband access gateway and/or network-based server may convert multimedia information that is in a format that an access device is not capable of processing. The gateway and/or server may automatically detect the format incompatibility, and may automatically convert or arrange for conversion of the multimedia information to a format that is compatible with the access device, based upon compatibility information associated with the access device. The conversion may be based upon a set of user-defined quality of service criteria, and may be subject to the control of digital rights management parameters associated with the requested multimedia information. The user of the access device may be prompted when the conversion is expected to impact the quality of the multimedia information being played, and the user may be offered options that permit the user to minimize the impact upon the user.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
at a gateway operable to communicate data between a broadband modem which is configured for communication with a broadband network and a wireless communication interface which is configured for communication with wireless devices in a coverage area, initiating communication with an access device in the coverage area; receiving from the access device a set of quality of service criteria for use in selecting conversion of multimedia information in the access device, the quality of service criteria indicating relative importance or priority of aspects of consumption of audio or video information for the access device; receiving from the access device a request for an audio clip or a video clip; comparing format information for the requested audio clip or video clip with audio or video processing capabilities of the access device; and if the access device cannot process the requested audio clip or video clip, using the quality of service criteria to convert the data for the audio clip or the video clip to a format which can be processed by the access device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
at a gateway, configured to communicate data between a local network and a broadband network; receiving from an access device in the local network a request for an audio clip or a video clip; comparing format information for the requested audio clip or video clip with audio or video processing capabilities of the access device; if the access device cannot process the requested audio clip or video clip, determining quality of service criteria specified for the access device or specified by a user of the access device, the quality of service criteria indicating relative importance or priority of aspects of multimedia consumption for the access device or the user of the access device; and retrieving data defining the requested audio clip or video clip and converting the retrieved data to a format which can be processed by the access device, the conversion being made in accordance with the specified quality of service criteria. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A communication system comprising:
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communication circuitry for data communication with a local wireless network including an access device and a broadband network; and gateway circuitry configured for data communication with the communication circuitry, the gateway circuitry including circuitry operable to detect a format mismatch between format of a multimedia file to be communicated to the access device and multimedia formats the access device is able to process, and multimedia conversion circuitry responsive to detection of the format mismatch to automatically convert the multimedia file to be communicated to the access device to a multimedia format that the access device is able to process in accordance with quality of service criteria specified for the access device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification