Method and system for enabling rendering of electronic media content via a secure ad hoc network configuration utilizing a handheld wireless communication device

• US 8,228,885 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buer, Mark, Behzad, Arya, Karaoguz, Jeyhan, MacInnis, Alexander, Quigley, Thomas, Walley, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M.
• Application Number:
  US13/280,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350, 370360-392, 709200-253, 455 301- 306, 455428-442
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/005 Adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A handheld wireless communication device (HWCD) establishes an ad hoc network comprising interconnected networks for a user. The HWCD gains access to content on a first device and controls communication of the content from the first device via the HWCD to a second device. The HWCD enables the second device to consume the content. The content may be streamed from the first device via the HWCD to the second device. The first device is a service provider network device or other network device. The access may be authenticated and/or secure. Secure access to the content is extended from the first device to the second device. The ad hoc network is configured and/or reconfigured until communication is complete. The HWCD comprises multiple wireless interfaces. The ad hoc network comprises a PAN, WLAN, WAN and/or cellular network. The HWCD may hand-off among base stations during communication of the content.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a handheld wireless communication device (HWCD);

establishing an ad hoc network for a specified user, wherein said ad hoc network comprises at least a portion of each of a plurality of interconnected networks and a plurality of devices comprising said handheld wireless communication device (HWCD);

obtaining access to content from a first device in said ad hoc network;

controlling communication of said accessed content in said ad hoc network, from said first device in said ad hoc network, via at least said HWCD, to at least a second device in said ad hoc network; and

enabling said at least said second device in said ad hoc network to render and/or consume said accessed content.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said content comprises media content which is streamed in one or more streams communicated via said ad hoc network, from said first device in said ad hoc network, via at least said HWCD to said at least said second device in said ad hoc network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first device in said ad hoc network is one or more of:

a service provider network device;

a home network device;

a remote network device; and

a local device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said accessed content comprises protected content or unprotected content.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising accessing one or more of said plurality of devices in said ad hoc network according to authentication and/or security operations of said one or more networked devices.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising extending secure access to said content from said first device in said ad hoc network to said second device in said ad hoc network.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring one or more connections that enable communication via said ad hoc network and/or reconfiguring said ad hoc network until said communication of said content is complete.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said HWCD is operable to communicate with one or more of said plurality of devices in said ad hoc network via one or more of a plurality of different wireless interfaces.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of interconnected networks comprises one or more of a personal area network, a wireless local area network, a wide area network and a cellular network.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising, handing off among base stations in said ad hoc network during said communication of said accessed content, from said first device in said ad hoc network, via said at least a portion of each of said plurality of interconnected networks in said ad hoc network and via said HWCD, to at least said second device in said ad hoc network.

11. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a handheld wireless communication device (HWCD) and for a specified user;

configuring an ad hoc network enabled to handle secure data that extends to one or more distributed rendering devices rightful access to data stored on one or more service provider devices, wherein said ad hoc network comprises said HWCD; and

controlling communication of said data from said one or more service provider devices, wherein;

said secure data is streamed via said ad hoc network and via said HWCD to said one or more of said distributed rendering devices; and

said streamed secure data is rendered and/or displayed by said one or more distributed rendering devices.

12. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a handheld wireless communication device (HWCD), said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to;

establish an ad hoc network for a specified user, wherein said ad hoc network comprises at least a portion of each of a plurality of interconnected networks and a plurality of devices comprising said handheld wireless communication device (HWCD);

obtain access to content from a first device in said ad hoc network;

control communication of said accessed content in said ad hoc network, from said first device in said ad hoc network, via at least said HWCD, to at least a second device in said ad hoc network; and

enable said at least said second device in said ad hoc network to render and/or consume said accessed content.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said content comprises media content which is streamed in one or more streams communicated via said ad hoc network, from said first device in said ad hoc network, via at least said HWCD to said at least said second device in said ad hoc network.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said first device in said ad hoc network is one or more of:

a service provider network device;

a home network device;

a remote network device; and

a local device.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said accessed content comprises protected content or unprotected content.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to access one or more of said plurality of devices in said ad hoc network according to authentication and/or security operations of said one or more networked devices;

and/or

extend secure access to said content from said first device in said ad hoc network to said second device in said ad hoc network.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure one or more connections that enable communication via said ad hoc network and/or reconfiguring said ad hoc network until said communication of said content is complete.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said HWCD is operable to communicate with one or more of said plurality of devices in said ad hoc network via one or more of a plurality of different wireless interfaces.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of interconnected networks comprises one or more of a personal area network, a wireless local area network, a wide area network and a cellular network.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to hand-off among base stations in said ad hoc network during said communication of said accessed content, from said first device in said ad hoc network, via said HWCD, to at least said second device in said ad hoc network.