Handling of multimedia call sessions and attachments using multi-network simulcasting

• US 8,165,142 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2010
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James D., Seshadri, Nambirajan
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/717,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20100157968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 370352-356, 370/392, 370/401, 455/3.01, 455/422.1, 455/417, 455/445, 455/3.04, 455/414.4
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• 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 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus supporting the handling of multimedia information using simulcasting using a broadband access gateway are disclosed. A broadband access gateway supporting both a personal area network and a broadband network may receive multimedia information during exchanges between access devices over a wireless wide area network. The wireless wide area network may intercept multimedia information, and may, for example, determine that the access device of the recipient is incompatible with the multimedia information. The wide area network may then redirect the multimedia information to a broadband access gateway that may cause the storage of the received multimedia information. In another representative embodiment of the present invention, the wide area network may adapt intercepted multimedia information to be compatible with the access device of the recipient, and may also redirect the original intercepted multimedia information to a broadband access gateway. The broadband access gateway may then cause the original intercepted multimedia information to be stored for later access. A recipient of the multimedia attachment or information may be notified of the redirection of the multimedia attachment or information, and may retrieve the stored multimedia information using a wired or wireless access device.

Claims

1. A method of handling multimedia information through multi-network simulcasting, the method comprising:

receiving multimedia information designated for an access device, wherein the multimedia information comprises streaming media;

determining whether the access device is compatible with the multimedia information; and

adapting non-compatible multimedia information to be compatible with the access device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising redirecting the multimedia information via one or both of a personal area network and/or a broadband network, if the access device is not compatible with the multimedia information.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising storing the redirected multimedia information.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising notifying a user of the access device of the redirection of the multimedia information.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising forwarding the multimedia information to the access device, if the access device is compatible, wherein said forwarding occurs during an active call.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising establishing a call between the access device and another access device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the access device comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a computer peripheral, a digital scanner, a digital camera, a printer, headphones, and/or a pointing device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving is performed using a wireless wide area network.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the wireless wide area network comprises one or more of:

a cellular digital packet data (CDPD) network, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) network, a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, a short message service (SMS) network, a GSM enhanced data rates for global evolution (EDGE), a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, an integrated digital enhanced network (iDEN), a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, and/or a CDMA2000 1xRTT network.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia information also comprises one or more of:

broadcast video, digitized voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

11. A system supporting handling multimedia information through multi-network simulcasting, the system comprising:

an access device capable of communicating multimedia information via a wireless wide area network communicatively coupled to a broadband network, wherein the multimedia information comprises streaming media;

a gateway for communicatively coupling to the broadband network and at least one wireless interface, the gateway capable of selectively exchanging multimedia information among at least one wireless interface and the broadband network, and of communicating with the plurality of access devices via the at least one wireless interface; and

the gateway capable of adapting non-compatible multimedia information to be compatible with the access device based upon at least one parameter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wireless wide area network is configured to redirect multimedia information for one of the plurality of access devices based upon the at least one parameter.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the redirected multimedia information is stored within the gateway.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the wireless wide area network notifies the access device of the redirection.

15. The system according to claim 11, comprising the gateway capable of providing a catalog of stored multimedia information.

16. The system according to claim 11, comprising:

the gateway capable of receiving a request for stored multimedia information from the access device; and

the gateway capable of sending the requested multimedia information to the access device.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

broadcast video, digitized voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the access device comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a computer peripheral, a digital scanner, a digital camera, a printer, headphones, and/or a pointing device.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one parameter comprises one or more of:

a bit rate, a bandwidth, a cost, a color resolution, a spatial resolution, a multimedia information size, and/or a multimedia information type.

20. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating a system supporting handling multimedia information through multi-network simulcasting, the code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the operations comprising:

receiving multimedia information designated for an access device, wherein the multimedia information comprises streaming media;

determining whether the access device is compatible with the multimedia information; and

adapting non-compatible multimedia information to be compatible with the access device.

21. The machine-readable storage according to claim 20, wherein the operations comprise redirecting the multimedia information via one or both of:

a personal area network and/or a broadband network, if the access device is not compatible.

22. The machine-readable storage according to claim 20, wherein the operations comprise forwarding the multimedia information to the access device, if the access device compatible.

23. The machine-readable storage according to claim 20, wherein the operations comprise notifying a user of the access device of the redirection of the multimedia information.

24. The machine-readable storage according to claim 20 wherein the operations comprise establishing a call between the access device and another access device.

25. The machine-readable storage according to claim 20, wherein the access device comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a computer peripheral, a digital scanner, a digital camera, a printer, headphones, and/or a pointing device.

26. The machine-readable storage according to claim 20, wherein the receiving is performed using a wireless wide area network.

27. The machine-readable storage according to claim 20, wherein the multimedia information comprises one or more of:

broadcast video, digitized voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

28. A system supporting handling of multimedia information through multi-network simulcasting, the system comprising:

a gateway for communicatively coupling to a broadband network and at least one wireless interface, the gateway capable of selectively exchanging multimedia information among at least one wireless interface and the broadband network, and of communicating with an access device via the at least one wireless interface; and

the gateway capable of adapting non-compatible multimedia information to be compatible with the access device based upon at least one parameter.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the at least one parameter supports redirection by a wireless wide area network of multimedia information for the access device.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the redirected multimedia information is stored within the gateway.

31. The system according to claim 29, wherein the gateway is capable of providing a catalog of stored multimedia information.

32. The system according to claim 28, wherein the gateway is capable of receiving a request for stored multimedia information from the access device, and wherein the gateway is capable of sending the requested multimedia information to the access device.

33. The system according to claim 29, wherein the wireless wide area network notifies the access device of the redirection.

34. The system according to claim 28, wherein the multimedia information comprises one or more of:

broadcast video, digitized voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

35. The system according to claim 28, wherein the of access device comprises one of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a computer peripheral, a digital scanner, a digital camera, a printer, headphones, or a pointing device.

36. The system according to claim 28, wherein the at least one parameter comprises one or more of:

a bit rate, a bandwidth, a cost, a color resolution, a spatial resolution, a multimedia information size, and/or a multimedia information type.