Streaming multicast content to a television via a mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9781487-B2
Application number	US-201313903286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2013
Priority date	May 28, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A device may receive information that identifies available content associated with multicast streams available for transmission via a network. The device may determine content selected from the available content. The selected content may be associated with a multicast stream available for transmission via the network. The device may receive the multicast stream associated with the selected content via an air interface. The device may process the multicast stream into a format compatible with a connection interface. The device may output the processed multicast stream to a display device, that is different from the device, via the connection interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device comprising:
one or more processors to:
receive information that identifies available content that is available for streaming via a network;
determine first content that is selected from the available content;
receive a first stream corresponding to the first content via a cellular network,
the network including the cellular network;

receive a second stream corresponding to second content via the cellular network while concurrently receiving the first stream via the cellular network;
receive information that identifies a connection interface between the mobile device and a first display device of a home,
the first display device of the home being distinct from the mobile device;

determine a first format that is compatible with the connection interface based on the information that identifies the connection interface;
convert, to obtain a first processed stream, the first stream corresponding to the first content into the first format that is compatible with the connection interface;
transmit, to the first display device of the home, the first processed stream via the connection interface;
determine a second format that is compatible with a wireless media extender that is connected to a second display device of the home,
the wireless media extender being distinct from the first display device of the home and the mobile device, and
the second display device of the home being distinct from the wireless media extender, the first display device of the home, and the mobile device;

convert, to obtain a second processed stream, the second stream corresponding to the second content into the second format that is compatible with the wireless media extender; and
transmit, to the wireless media extender, the second processed stream via a local network of the home,
the second processed stream being used by the wireless media extender to provide the second content for display on the second display device of the home.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 ,
where the one or more processors are further to:
receive input identifying a type of content; and

where the one or more processors, when receiving information that identifies the available content, are to:
receive the information that identifies the available content based on the input identifying the type of content.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 ,
where the one or more processors are further to:
receive input identifying a source of content; and

where the one or more processors, when receiving information that identifies the available content, are to:
receive the information that identifies the available content based on the identified source of content.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
send the information that identifies the available content to the first display device; and
receive, from the first display device, particular information associated with determining the first content that is selected from the available content.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 ,
where the connection interface is a first connection interface; and
where the one or more processors are further to:
determine third content that is selected from the available content;
receive a third stream corresponding to the third content;
convert, to obtain a third processed stream, the third stream into a format compatible with a second connection interface; and
output the third processed stream via the second connection interface.

6. The mobile device of claim 5 ,
where the one or more processors, when outputting the third processed stream, are to:
output the third processed stream to a third display device.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors, when receiving the information that identifies the connection interface, are to:
receive, from the first display device, the information that identifies the connection interface.

8. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a mobile device, information that identifies available content that is available for streaming via a network;
determining, by the mobile device, first content that is selected from the available content;
receiving, by the mobile device, a first stream corresponding to the first content via a cellular network,
the network including the cellular network;

receiving, by the mobile device, a second stream corresponding to second content via the cellular network while concurrently receiving the first stream via the cellular network;
receiving, by the mobile device, information that identifies a connection interface between the mobile device and a first display device of a home,
the first display device of the home being distinct from the mobile device;

determining, by the mobile device, a first format that is compatible with the connection interface based on the information that identifies the connection interface;
converting, by the mobile device and to obtain a first processed stream, the first stream corresponding to the first content into the first format that is compatible with the connection interface;
transmitting, by the mobile device and to the first display device of the home, the first processed stream via the connection interfaces;
determining, by the mobile device, a second format that is compatible with a wireless media extender that is connected to a second display device of the home,
the wireless media extender being distinct from the first display device of the home and the mobile device, and
the second display device of the home being distinct from the wireless media extender, the first display device of the home, and the mobile device;

converting, by the mobile device and to obtain a second processed stream, the second stream corresponding to the second content into the second format that is compatible with the wireless media extender; and
transmitting, by the mobile device and to the wireless media extender, the second processed stream via a local network of the home,
the second processed stream being used by the wireless media extender to provide the second content for display on the second display device of the home.

9. The method of claim 8 , where the first stream includes at least one of:
a broadcast stream; or
a multicast stream.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving input identifying a type of content,
where receiving the information that identifies the available content comprises:
receiving the information that identifies the available content based on the type of content.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving input identifying a geographic location,
where receiving the information that identifies the available content comprises:
receiving the information that identifies the available content based on the identified geographic location.

12. The method of claim 8 , where receiving the information that identifies the connection interface comprises:
receiving, from the first display device, the information that identifies the connection interface.

13. The method of claim 8 ,
where the connection interface is a first connection interface; and
where the method further comprises:
determining third content that is selected from the available content;
receiving a third stream corresponding to the third content;
converting, to obtain a third processed stream, the third stream into a format compatible with a second connection interface; and
outputting the third processed stream via the second connection interface.

14. The method of claim 13 ,
where outputting the third processed s

Assignees

• Cellco Partnership Dba Verizon

Inventors

• Lin Te-Sheng
• Gu John
• Ren Xin

Classifications

• H04N21/44209

  Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network (arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896) · CPC title

• H04N21/6405 Primary

  Multicasting {(data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18)} · CPC title

• H04N21/6131

  involving transmission via a mobile phone network (wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006) · CPC title