Reducing bandwidth when transmitting content to a cellular device

• US 8,000,720 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa; Marisol
• Application Number:
  US11/955,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20090156177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/412.1, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Bandwidth is reduced when transmitting content to a cellular device. Requests for a content item are received from a first cellular device and a second cellular device. The content is divided into a first portion and a second portion. A first portion plan corresponding to the first cellular device and second portion plan corresponding to the second cellular device are determined. The first portion plan may include instructions for transmitting the first portion from the first cellular device to the second cellular device and reconstructing the content item. The second portion plan may include instructions for transmitting the second portion from the second cellular device to the first cellular device and reconstructing the content item. The first portion and the first portion plan are transmitted to the first cellular device. The second portion and the second portion plan are transmitted to the second cellular device.

Claims

1. A method for reducing bandwidth when transmitting content to a cellular device, comprising:

receiving requests for a content item from a first cellular device and a second cellular device;

dividing the content item into a first portion and a second portion;

determining a first portion plan corresponding to the first cellular device and a second portion plan corresponding to the second cellular device, the first portion plan comprising instructions for transmitting the first portion from the first cellular device to the second cellular device and reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the second portion from the second cellular device, the second portion plan comprising instructions for transmitting the second portion from the second cellular device to the first cellular device and reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the first portion from the first cellular device;

transmitting the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device;

transmitting the second portion and the second portion plan to the second cellular device;

determining whether the first cellular device is within a given proximity from the second cellular device for transmitting the second portion and the second portion plan to the second cellular device;

monitoring the proximity between the first cellular device and the second cellular device; and

adjusting one of the first portion plan and the second portion plan based on changes to the proximity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dividing the content item into a first portion and a second portion comprises upon determining that the first cellular is within the given proximity from the second cellular device, dividing the content item into the first portion and the second portion.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device comprises transmitting redundant parts of the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device, and wherein transmitting the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device comprises transmitting a corresponding error detection and correction code associated with the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a third portion plan to a third cellular device, the third portion plan comprising instructions for reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the first portion from the first cellular device and at least part of the second portion from the second cellular device,

wherein the first portion plan further comprises instructions for transmitting the first portion from the first cellular device to the third cellular device, and

wherein the second portion plan further comprises instructions for transmitting the second portion from the second cellular device to the third cellular device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving requests for a content item from a first cellular device and a second cellular device comprises receiving requests for the content item from the first cellular device and the second cellular device at about a same time.

6. A system for reducing bandwidth when transmitting content to a cellular device, comprising:

a memory for storing a program containing code for reducing bandwidth when transmitting content to the cellular device;

a processor functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to at least

receive requests for a content item from a first cellular device and a second cellular device,

divide the content item into a first portion and a second portion,

determine a first portion plan corresponding to the first cellular device and a second portion plan corresponding to the second cellular device, the first portion plan comprising instructions for transmitting the first portion from the first cellular device to the second cellular device and reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the second portion from the second cellular device, the second portion plan comprising instructions for transmitting the second portion from the second cellular device to the first cellular device and reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the first portion from the first cellular device,

transmit the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device,

transmit the second portion and the second portion plan to the second cellular device,

determine whether the first cellular device is within a given proximity from the second cellular device for transmitting the second portion and the second portion plan to the second cellular device,

monitor the proximity between the first cellular device and the second cellular device, and

adjust one of the first portion plan and the second portion plan based on changes to the proximity.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein to divide the content item into a first portion and a second portion, the processor is further operative to at least upon determining that the first cellular is within the given proximity from the second cellular device, divide the content item into the first portion and the second portion.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein to transmit the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device, the processor is further operative to at least transmit redundant parts of the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device, and wherein to transmit the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device, the processor is further operative to at least transmit a corresponding error detection and correction code associated with the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device.

9. The system of claim 6, the processor being further operative to at least transmit a third portion plan to a third cellular device, the third portion plan comprising instructions for reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the first portion from the first cellular device and at least part of the second portion from the second cellular device,

wherein the first portion plan further comprises instructions for transmitting the first portion from the first cellular device to the third cellular device, and

wherein the second portion plan further comprises instructions for transmitting the second portion from the second cellular device to the third cellular device.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to provide a method for reducing bandwidth when transmitting content to a cellular device, the method comprising:

receiving requests for a content item from a first cellular device and a second cellular device;

dividing the content item into a first portion and a second portion;

determining a first portion plan corresponding to the first cellular device and a second portion plan corresponding to the second cellular device, the first portion plan comprising instructions for transmitting the first portion from the first cellular device to the second cellular device and reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the second portion from the second cellular device, the second portion plan comprising instructions for transmitting the second portion from the second cellular device to the first cellular device and reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the first portion from the first cellular device;

transmitting the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device;

transmitting the second portion and the second portion plan to the second cellular device;

determining whether the first cellular device is within a given proximity from the second cellular device for transmitting the second portion and the second portion plan to the second cellular device;

monitoring the proximity between the first cellular device and the second cellular device; and

adjusting one of the first portion plan and the second portion plan based on changes to the proximity.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein dividing the content item into a first portion and a second portion comprises upon determining that the first cellular is within the given proximity from the second cellular device, dividing the content item into the first portion and the second portion.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein transmitting the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device comprises transmitting redundant parts of the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device, and wherein transmitting the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device comprises transmitting a corresponding error detection and correction code associated with the first portion and the first portion plan to the first cellular device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, the method further comprising transmitting a third portion plan to a third cellular device, the third portion plan comprising instructions for reconstructing the content item upon receiving at least part of the first portion from the first cellular device and at least part of the second portion from the second cellular device,

wherein the first portion plan further comprises instructions for transmitting the first portion from the first cellular device to the third cellular device, and

wherein the second portion plan further comprises instructions for transmitting the second portion from the second cellular device to the third cellular device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving requests for a content item from a first cellular device and a second cellular device comprises receiving requests for a content item from a first cellular device and a second cellular device at about a same time.