METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AD HOC VENUE-CAST SERVICE

• US 20110075612A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, William Y., Fan, Michael M., Zhu, Xiaoyi, Grob, Matthew S., GUO, JIMING
• Granted Patent: US 8,879,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system for providing ad hoc venue-cast content to a plurality of receiving access terminals within a venue boundary. Ad hoc content may be generated at an access terminal, transmitted to a venue-cast server, and broadcast to a plurality of venue-cast receiving access terminals within a venue. In addition to broadcasting the ad hoc content, a notification is given to the plurality of receiving access terminals, notifying them regarding the availability of the ad hoc content.

Claims

1. A method for providing ad hoc venue-cast content to a plurality of receiving access terminals within a venue boundary, comprising:

receiving, at a venue content server, unscheduled unicast content from a first access terminal within the venue;

processing the ad hoc content;

notifying the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue of the availability of the ad hoc content; and

transmitting the ad hoc content to the plurality of receivers within the venue.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

notifying the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue of the termination of the transmission of the ad hoc content.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

buffering the ad hoc content prior to transmission.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the notification of the termination is sent before the buffer is empty.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

verifying that the first access terminal is authorized to generate ad hoc venue-cast content prior to processing the ad hoc content.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

verifying that the location of the first access terminal is within a boundary of the venue prior to processing the ad hoc content.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the ad hoc content in connection with the transmission of scheduled venue content.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the scheduled venue content on a first channel; and

transmitting the ad hoc content on a second channel.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a service guide with an indication of the transmission of the ad hoc content.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

providing the service guide for download via a website.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

periodically transmitting the service guide to the plurality of receiving access terminals.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the notification of the availability of the ad hoc content is provided between the periodic transmissions of the service guide.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the notification is a venue information block delivered via a control channel.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

delivering the venue information block using multicast (MATI) addressing.

15. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the transmission of the ad hoc content.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the termination is based on the termination of the received unicast ad hoc content.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the termination is based on a time limit determined at the venue content server.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at a venue content server, unscheduled unicast content from a second access terminal within the venue.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting the ad hoc content from the first and the second access terminals on separate channels.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

combining the ad hoc content from the first and the second access terminals; and

transmitting the combined ad hoc content on a single channel.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ad hoc content includes a live video feed.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ad hoc content includes venue related information for a venue specific chatroom.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

creating a venue specific chatroom; and

transmitting the ad hoc content as at least one of text or data clips in the venue specific chatroom.

24. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing the access terminal to generate ad hoc venue content in advance of the receipt of the ad hoc content.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an offer of a subscription to the access terminal upon receiving the ad hoc content;

receiving an acceptance of the subscription offer; and

authorizing the access terminal to generate ad hoc venue content based upon the subscription.

26. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to receive, at a venue content server, unscheduled unicast content from a first access Terminal within the venue;

code for causing a computer to process the ad hoc content;

code for causing a computer to notify a plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue of the availability of the ad hoc content; and

code for causing a computer to transmit the ad hoc content to the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue.

27. The computer program product according to claim 26, wherein computer readable medium further comprises control logic for causing a computer to notify the plurality of receiving access terminals of a termination of the ad hoc content transmission.

28. An apparatus for providing ad hoc venue-cast content to a plurality of receiving access terminals within a venue boundary, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, at a venue content server, unscheduled unicast content from a first access terminal within the venue;

means for processing the ad hoc content;

means for notifying the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue of the availability of the ad hoc content; and

means for transmitting the ad hoc content to the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising:

means for notifying the plurality of receiving access terminals of a termination of the ad hoc content transmission.

30. A venue-cast system for providing ad hoc venue-cast content to a plurality of receiving access terminals within a venue boundary

a receiver for receiving, at a venue content server, unscheduled unicast content from a first access terminal within the venue;

a processor for processing the ad hoc content;

a transmitter for notifying the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue of the availability of the ad hoc content and for transmitting the ad hoc content to the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue.

31. The venue-cast system according to claim 30, wherein the transmitter is further configured to notify the plurality of receiving access terminals within the venue of the termination of the transmission of the ad hoc content.

32. The venue-cast system according to claim 31, further comprising:

a buffer for buffering the ad hoc content prior to transmission.

33. The venue-cast system according to claim 32, wherein the notification of the termination is sent before the buffer is empty.

34. The venue-cast system according to claim 30, wherein the processor is further configured to verify that the first access terminal is authorized to generate venue-cast content prior to processing the ad hoc content.

35. The venue-cast system according to claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to verify that the location of the first access terminal is within a boundary of the venue prior to processing the ad hoc content.

36. The venue-cast system according to claim 30, wherein the transmitter transmits the ad hoc content in connection with the transmission of scheduled venue content.

37. The venue-cast system according to claim 36, wherein the scheduled venue content is transmitted on a first channel, and the ad hoc content is transmitted on a second channel.

38. The venue-cast system according to claim 30, further comprising:

a service guide component for generating a service guide with an indication of the transmission of the ad hoc content.

39. The venue-cast system according to claim 38, further comprising:

a user interface for providing the service guide for download via a website.

40. The venue-cast system according to claim 38, wherein the service guide is periodically transmitted to the plurality of receivers.

41. The venue-cast system according to claim 40, wherein the notification of the availability of the ad hoc content is provided between the periodic transmissions of the service guide.

42. The venue-cast system according to claim 41, wherein the notification is a venue information block delivered via a control channel.

43. The venue-cast system according to claim 42, wherein the venue information block is delivered using multicast access terminal identifier addressing.

44. The venue-cast system according to claim 30, wherein the receiver at the venue content server is configured to receive unscheduled unicast content from a first and a second access terminal within the venue.

45. The venue-cast system according to claim 44, wherein the transmitter for transmitting the ad hoc content is configured to transmit the ad hoc content from the first and the second access terminal on a first and a second channel, respectively.

46. The venue-cast system according to claim 44, wherein the processor is further configured to combine the ad hoc content from the first and the second access terminal, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the combined ad hoc content on a single channel.

47. The venue-cast system according to claim 30, wherein the ad hoc content includes a live video feed.

48. The venue-cast system according to claim 30, wherein the ad hoc content includes venue related information for a venue specific chatroom.

49. The venue-cast system according to claim 48, further comprising:

a venue specific chatroom;

wherein the ad hoc content is transmitted as at least one of text and data clips for the venue specific chatroom.

50. A mobile device for receiving ad hoc venue-cast content, the mobile device comprising:

a receiver for receiving venue-cast transmissions;

a venue-cast discovery component for discovering the availability of a venue-cast service;

a processor for processing a venue-cast service guide;

a monitor for monitoring for a notification regarding the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content, wherein the notification is received separate from the service guide; and

a display for indicating the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content.

51. The mobile device of claim 50, further comprising:

a communications component for selecting one of a plurality of venue-cast channels.

52. The mobile device of claim 50, further comprising:

a user interface for selecting the reception of ad hoc venue-cast content.

53. The mobile device of claim 50, further comprising:

a user interface for downloading the service guide via a website.

54. The mobile device of claim 50, further comprising:

an ad hoc content generating component for generating ad hoc venue-cast content; and

a transmitter for transmitting ad hoc venue-cast content via unicast to a venue-cast network.

55. The mobile device of claim 54, further comprising:

a user interface for subscribing with the venue-cast network to receive authorization to transmit ad hoc venue-cast content.

56. A method of receiving ad hoc venue-cast content at a mobile device comprising:

receiving venue-cast transmissions;

discovering the availability of a venue-cast service;

processing a venue-cast service guide;

monitoring for a notification regarding the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content, wherein the notification is received separate from the service guide; and

indicating the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of venue-cast channels.

58. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

selecting the reception of ad hoc venue-cast content.

59. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

downloading the service guide via a website.

60. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

generating ad hoc venue-cast content; and

transmitting ad hoc venue-cast content via unicast to a venue-cast network.

61. The method of claim 60, further comprising:

subscribing with the venue-cast network to receive authorization to transmit ad hoc venue-cast content.

62. A mobile device for receiving ad hoc venue-cast content, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving venue-cast transmissions;

means for discovering the availability of a venue-cast service;

means for processing a venue-cast service guide;

means for monitoring for a notification regarding the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content, wherein the notification is received separate from the service guide; and

means for indicating the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content.

63. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to receive venue-cast transmissions;

code for causing a computer to discover the availability of a venue-cast service;

code for causing a computer to process a venue-cast service guide;

code for causing a computer to monitor for a notification regarding the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content, wherein the notification is received separate from the service guide; and

code for causing a computer to indicate the availability of ad hoc venue-cast content.