Method and apparatus for distribution of media content via multiple access technologies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10250345-B2
Application number	US-201715814800-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a cost-efficient wireless framework for delivering TV services (e.g., live TV services). The wireless framework can include a mix of wireless access technologies (e.g. Satellite, WiFi and/or LTE overlay links). TV content (e.g., live TV content) can be injected into the network at a few locations (e.g., residential locations) using satellite antennas (e.g., satellite dishes). The content can then be further distributed to other homes using a house-to-house WiFi network and/or via an overlay LTE network. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing to a first satellite receiver system, at a first location of a plurality of locations, a satellite signal including media content, wherein the first satellite receiver system is configured to be in operative communication with a first wireless transceiver at the first location;
providing by the first satellite receiver system to the first wireless transceiver, based upon the satellite signal, a first media content bearing signal, wherein the first media content bearing signal comprises the media content;
selecting, as a target wireless transceiver, one of a second wireless transceiver at a second location of the plurality of locations and a third wireless transceiver at a third location of the plurality of locations; and
providing by the first wireless transceiver to the target wireless transceiver that is configured to be in operative communication with the first wireless transceiver, based upon the first media content bearing signal, a second media content bearing signal, wherein the second media content bearing signal comprises the media content and wherein the second media content bearing signal is communicated wirelessly from the first wireless transceiver to the target wireless transceiver,
wherein the selecting is based upon:
a first available bandwidth of the second wireless transceiver to forward the media content to a fourth wireless transceiver located at one of the plurality of locations; and
a second available bandwidth of the third wireless transceiver to forward the media content to the fourth wireless transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the third wireless transceiver is configured to be in operative communication with the second wireless transceiver; and
providing by the second wireless transceiver to the third wireless transceiver, based upon the second media content bearing signal, a third media content bearing signal, wherein the third media content bearing signal comprises the media content and wherein the third media content bearing signal is communicated wirelessly from the second wireless transceiver to the third wireless transceiver.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the providing the first satellite receiver system to the first location comprises providing to each of a second plurality of locations, forming a first subset of the plurality of locations, a respective first subset satellite receiver system; and
the providing the first wireless transceiver to the first location comprises providing to each of the second plurality of locations forming the first subset a respective first subset wireless transceiver, wherein each first subset satellite receiver system is configured to be in operative communication with a respective first subset wireless transceiver
the method further comprising:
providing the second wireless transceiver to the second location,

wherein the providing of the second wireless transceiver to the second location comprises providing to each of a third plurality of locations, forming a second subset of the plurality of locations, a respective second subset wireless transceiver, wherein each second subset wireless transceiver is configured to be in operative communication with one of the first subset wireless transceivers and wherein the first and second subsets are mutually exclusive.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first location is a first residence and the second location is a second residence.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first residence is a first house and the second residence is a second house.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first residence is a first apartment in an apartment building and the second residence is a second apartment in the apartment building.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication between the first satellite receiver system and the first wireless transceiver is one of a wired communication, a wireless communication, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first satellite receiver system comprises a satellite antenna and a satellite receiver.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content is presented at the first location on a first display via a first set-top box and wherein the media content is presented at the second location on a second display via a second set-top box.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the first satellite receiver system to the first location;
providing the first wireless transceiver to the first location; and
providing the second wireless transceiver to the second location.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first location is a base station, and wherein the second media content bearing signal is a cellular signal.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the media content includes a software update, a patch, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the selecting is based upon:
the target wireless transceiver being configured to forward the media content to the fourth wireless transceiver using a third media content bearing signal,
wherein the third media content bearing signal is a WiFi signal.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a system including a processor, perform operations comprising:
engaging in a first communication session, between a first wireless transceiver at a first location of a plurality of locations and a first satellite receiver system at the first location, wherein the first satellite receiver system is configured to receive a satellite signal including media content, wherein the first communication session comprises providing by the first satellite receiver system to the first wireless transceiver, based upon the satellite signal, a first signal comprising the media content;
selecting, as a target wireless transceiver, one of a second wireless transceiver at a second location of the plurality of locations and a third wireless transceiver at a third location of the plurality of locations; and
engaging in a second communication session, between the target wireless transceiver and the first wireless transceiver, wherein the second communication session comprises wirelessly communicating by the first wireless transceiver to the target wireless transceiver, based upon the first signal, a second signal, wherein the second signal comprises the media content,
wherein the selecting is based upon:
a first available bandwidth of the second wireless transceiver to forward the media content to a fourth wireless transceiver located at one of the plurality of locations; and
a second available bandwidth of the third wireless transceiver to forward the media content to the fourth wireless transceiver.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the selecting is based upon:
a first availability of the second wireless transceiver to forward the media content to the fourth wireless transceiver; and
a second availability of the third wireless transceiver to forward the media content to the fourth wireless transceiver.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the selecting comprises the second wireless transceiver being selected as the target wireless transceiver responsive to the first availability being that the second wireless transceiver is currently capable of wireless communications and the second availability being that the third wireless transceiver is currently not capable of wireless communications.

17. The non-transitory mach

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp

Inventors

• Margolies Robert
• Jana Rittwik

Classifications

• H04W28/0231

  based on communication conditions (dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition based on channel quality criteria H04W72/54) · CPC title

• H04N21/43615

  Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805) · CPC title

• H04N21/43637

  involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth®, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] (arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114) · CPC title

• H04H40/90 Primary

  specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving · CPC title

• H04B7/18563

  Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems (data switching networks H04L12/00) · CPC title