Methods and devices for content distribution
First Claim
1. A method of managing distribution of content to a mobile entity, the mobile entity having a first interface for communicating with a mobile communication network and a second interface for forming an ad-hoc network with a peer mobile entity, the method comprising:
- receiving, over an access point of the mobile communication network, a request from the mobile entity, the request including a content identifier identifying the content;
determining, based on the received request, a region in which the mobile entity is located;
establishing a density of mobile entities in the determined region and comparing the density to a threshold; and
based on the threshold comparison selectively;
retrieving, based on the content identifier, location information on other mobile entities which participate in sharing the content;
identifying a subset of the other mobile entities based on the location information and the determined region;
verifying, based on the retrieved location information, whether a stability criterion for forming the ad-hoc network is fulfilled;
based on the verifying, including a peer address in a message to switch to a distribution of the content over the ad-hoc network, the peer address of a peer mobile entity included in the identified subset; and
transmitting, via an access point of the mobile communication network, the message to the mobile entity, wherein the peer address of the message allows the mobile entity to form an ad-hoc network with the peer mobile entity via the second interface and to retrieve at least a piece of the content from the peer mobile entity over the ad-hoc network, and wherein the ad-hoc network comprises an infrastructure-less network that is distinct from the mobile communication network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To control content distribution to plural mobile entities (20, 25-27), a device (10) for managing the distribution of the content may determine mobile entities (20, 25-27) which participate in sharing the same content and which are located in the same region. The mobile entities (20, 25-27) respectively have a first interface for communication with a mobile communication network (2, 4, 5) and a second interface for forming an ad-hoc network with another mobile entity (25-27). A message indicating at least one peer address of a peer mobile entity (25-27) may be selectively transmitted to a mobile entity (20). The peer address allows the mobile entity (20) to retrieve at least a piece of the content over the second interface from another mobile entity (25-27).
19 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of managing distribution of content to a mobile entity, the mobile entity having a first interface for communicating with a mobile communication network and a second interface for forming an ad-hoc network with a peer mobile entity, the method comprising:
-
receiving, over an access point of the mobile communication network, a request from the mobile entity, the request including a content identifier identifying the content; determining, based on the received request, a region in which the mobile entity is located; establishing a density of mobile entities in the determined region and comparing the density to a threshold; and based on the threshold comparison selectively; retrieving, based on the content identifier, location information on other mobile entities which participate in sharing the content; identifying a subset of the other mobile entities based on the location information and the determined region; verifying, based on the retrieved location information, whether a stability criterion for forming the ad-hoc network is fulfilled; based on the verifying, including a peer address in a message to switch to a distribution of the content over the ad-hoc network, the peer address of a peer mobile entity included in the identified subset; and transmitting, via an access point of the mobile communication network, the message to the mobile entity, wherein the peer address of the message allows the mobile entity to form an ad-hoc network with the peer mobile entity via the second interface and to retrieve at least a piece of the content from the peer mobile entity over the ad-hoc network, and wherein the ad-hoc network comprises an infrastructure-less network that is distinct from the mobile communication network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A device for managing distribution of content to a mobile entity, the mobile entity having a first interface for communicating with a mobile communication network and a second interface for forming an ad-hoc network with a peer mobile entity, the device comprising:
-
an interface to receive, via an access point of a mobile communication network, a request from the mobile entity, the request including a content identifier identifying the content; a processing unit coupled to the interface and comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer-executable instruction code stored in memory whereby the processing unit is configured to; determine, based on the received request, a region in which the mobile entity is located; establish a density of mobile entities in the determined region and compare the density to a threshold; and based on the threshold comparison selectively; retrieve, based on the content identifier, location information on other mobile entities which participate in sharing the content; identify a subset of the other mobile entities based on the location information and the determined region; verify, based on the retrieved location information, whether a stability criterion for forming the ad-hoc network is fulfilled; based on the verifying indicating that the stability criterion is fulfilled, include in a message a peer address of a peer mobile entity included in the identified subset; and transmit, over an access point of the mobile communication network, the message to the mobile entity, wherein the peer address of the message allows the mobile entity to form the ad-hoc network with the peer mobile entity via the second interface and to retrieve the content from the peer mobile entity over the ad-hoc network, wherein the ad-hoc network comprises an infrastructure-less network that is distinct from the mobile communication network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of retrieving content by a mobile entity which has a first interface for communicating with a mobile communication network and a second interface for forming an ad-hoc network with another mobile entity, the method comprising:
-
transmitting, over the first interface towards an access point of the mobile communication network, a request including a content identifier identifying the content; based on a verification that a stability criterion for forming the ad-hoc network is fulfilled, the verification based on the density of mobile entities in a region comprising the mobile entity exceeding a threshold, receiving over the first interface in response to the request, a message to switch to retrieving content over the ad-hoc network, the message including a peer address of a peer mobile entity of a subset of mobile entities participating in sharing the content, wherein the subset is based on the location information of the mobile entities and the region; processing the message received over the first interface; selectively, in response to the message including the peer address and using the peer address, forming an ad-hoc network with another mobile entity via the second interface and retrieving at least a piece of the content from said another mobile entity over the ad-hoc network, wherein the ad-hoc network comprises an infrastructure-less network that is distinct from the mobile communication network. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A mobile entity, comprising:
-
a first interface for communicating with an access point of a mobile communication network; a second interface for forming an ad-hoc network with another mobile entity; a controller comprising one or more processors configured to execute computer-executable instruction code stored in memory whereby the controller is configured to; transmit, over the first interface, a request including a content identifier identifying content; based on a verification that a stability criterion for forming the ad-hoc network is fulfilled, the verification based on the density of mobile entities in a region comprising the mobile entity exceeding a threshold, receive over the first interface in response to the request, a message to switch to retrieving content over the ad-hoc network, the message including a peer address of a peer mobile entity of a subset of mobile entities participating in sharing the content, wherein the subset is based on the location information of the mobile entities and the region; process the message received over the first interface; selectively, in response to the message including the peer address and using the peer address, form an ad-hoc network with another mobile entity via the second interface and retrieve at least a piece of the content from said another mobile entity over the ad-hoc network, wherein the ad-hoc network comprises an infrastructure-less network that is distinct from the mobile communication network. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification