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WO2014152695A1 - Système et procédé de lecture vidéo en transit wi-fi multivoie - Google Patents

Système et procédé de lecture vidéo en transit wi-fi multivoie Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2014152695A1
WO2014152695A1 PCT/US2014/027629 US2014027629W WO2014152695A1 WO 2014152695 A1 WO2014152695 A1 WO 2014152695A1 US 2014027629 W US2014027629 W US 2014027629W WO 2014152695 A1 WO2014152695 A1 WO 2014152695A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
video
data
streams
packets
stream
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US2014/027629
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Gary B. Jabara
Lloyd Frederick Linder
David Brett Simon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mobilitie LLC
Original Assignee
Mobilitie LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US13/834,359 external-priority patent/US9271054B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/925,328 external-priority patent/US9986268B2/en
Priority claimed from US13/944,670 external-priority patent/US10616619B2/en
Application filed by Mobilitie LLC filed Critical Mobilitie LLC
Publication of WO2014152695A1 publication Critical patent/WO2014152695A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
    • H04N21/61—Network physical structure; Signal processing
    • H04N21/6156—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the upstream path of the transmission network
    • H04N21/6162—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the upstream path of the transmission network involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L45/00—Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks
    • H04L45/24—Multipath
    • H04L45/245—Link aggregation, e.g. trunking
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/21—Server components or server architectures
    • H04N21/214—Specialised server platform, e.g. server located in an airplane, hotel, hospital
    • H04N21/2146—Specialised server platform, e.g. server located in an airplane, hotel, hospital located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
    • H04N21/236—Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
    • H04N21/2365—Multiplexing of several video streams
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
    • H04N21/238—Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams
    • H04N21/2381—Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
    • H04N21/42607—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof for processing the incoming bitstream
    • H04N21/4263—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof for processing the incoming bitstream involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
    • H04N21/63—Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing
    • H04N21/643—Communication protocols

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed generally to wireless communication devices and, more particularly, to a system and method of video streaming of multiple video channels using wireless communication devices.
  • Wireless communication networks have become commonplace.
  • a vast array of base stations is provided by a wireless service provider to form a public mobile land network (PLMN).
  • PLMN public mobile land network
  • a number of known PLMNs are provided by different service providers and may or may not be compatible with each other depending on the particular implementation of the network.
  • communication devices such as cell phones, personal communication system (PCS) devices, personal digital assistant (PDA) devices, and web-enabled wireless devices communicate with the various base stations using one or more known communication protocols. While early cell phone devices were limited to analog operation and voice-only communication, modern wireless devices use digital signal protocols and have sufficient bandwidth to enable the transfer of voice signals, image data, and even video streaming. In addition, web-enabled devices provide network access, such as Internet access.
  • PCS personal communication system
  • PDA personal digital assistant
  • web-enabled wireless devices communicate with the various base stations using one or more known communication protocols. While early cell phone devices were limited to analog operation and voice-only communication, modern wireless devices use digital signal protocols and have sufficient bandwidth to enable the transfer of voice signals, image data, and even video streaming. In addition, web-enabled devices provide network access, such as Internet access.
  • the individual wireless communication devices communicate with one or more base stations. Even when two wireless
  • the communication devices are located a few feet from each other, there is no direct communication between the wireless devices. That is, the wireless devices communicate with each other via one or more base stations and other elements of the respective PLMNs of the two wireless communication devices.
  • PC personal computers
  • wireless interfaces such as Bluetooth and WiFi
  • WiFi wireless routers
  • WiFi wireless routers
  • the same WiFi connections are often used on laptop PCs to gain network access (e.g., the Internet) in hotels, airports, coffee shops, and the like.
  • the user must search for an available wireless network and select one of the available networks for connection thereto.
  • State of the art mobile communication devices typically include a network transceiver to communicate with the service provider PLMN, as described above, and one or more short-range transceivers, such as Bluetooth and WiFi.
  • the Bluetooth transceiver is often used to establish a connection with an automobile sound system to facilitate hands-free communication with the service provider PLMN using the network transceiver.
  • the WiFi interface in the mobile communication devices can be used to provide network access (e.g., the Internet) in the same manner described above with respect to PCs and laptop computers. That is, the user must search for an available wireless network and select one of the available networks for connection thereto.
  • a new family of computing devices such as tablet computers and electronic readers, have wireless communication capability as well.
  • the computing devices include both network transceivers and short-range transceivers, such as those described above.
  • the PLMN implementation typically requires a contract with a service provider.
  • the network transceiver has been eliminated, thus eliminating the need for a service provider contract, but also eliminating the ability to communicate via the service provider PLMN.
  • network access is available only through a short-range transceiver that communicates with an access point (AP), such as may be found in hotels, airports, coffee shops, and the like.
  • the APs are typically implemented as wireless access points and the portable computing device must connect to the AP in the same manner described above with respect to PCs and laptop computers. That is, the user must search for an available wireless network and select one of the available networks for connection thereto.
  • a popular use for network access is to download video or multimedia data.
  • a request or demand for multimedia data requires a significant amount of bandwidth.
  • a public setting such as an airport
  • simultaneous or overlapping requests for on-demand video will cause a slow down in the delivery of data to all devices connected to the particular AP.
  • Figure 1 is an example of network architecture of a dynamic network illustrating communication between user equipment and wireless access points.
  • Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a television tuner system to provide multiple television signals to the video server of Figure 1 .
  • Figure 3 is functional block diagram of one of the wireless communication devices of Figure 1 .
  • Figures 4-6 illustrate different video display configurations for a mobile communication device.
  • Figure 7 illustrates a venue with a large number of distributed wireless access points.
  • Figure 8 illustrates a system architecture in which a venue
  • Figure 9 illustrates the Cloud network of Figure 8 communicating with multiple venues.
  • Figure 10 illustrates a large array of wireless access points distributed throughout a sports venue.
  • Figure 1 1 illustrates an array of wireless access points distributed throughout a concert venue.
  • Figure 12 illustrates an example implementation of the system 100 at a race track venue.
  • Figure 13 illustrates an example implementation of the system 100 at a golf course.
  • Figure 14 is a functional block diagram illustrating operation of a video server.
  • Figure 15 is a flow chart describing an exemplary implementation of the video server of Figure 14.
  • Figure 16 is a functional block diagram of an integrated wireless access point and video server.
  • Figure 17 is a functional block diagram of a remote video server operating in conjunction with a local video server.
  • Figure 18 is a flow chart describing an exemplary implementation of a mobile communication device finding a wireless access point with which to connect.
  • Figure 19 illustrates an implementation of the system of Figure 17 aboard an aircraft.
  • Figure 20 illustrates an implementation of the system of Figure 17 aboard a ship.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a system 100 that illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the video distribution system.
  • a plurality of video sources 102 are illustrated in Figure 1 as
  • the video sources 102 may be live video, such as produced by a video camera, or may be remote video feeds, such as provided by a television network. Then video feed could also be an instant replay channel under control of a server.
  • a video server 104 is configured to receive the individual video streams from the video sources 102.
  • the video server 104 is implemented by one or more conventional computing devices.
  • the general operation of a server is well known in the art and need not be described herein except as related to the specific video processing.
  • the video server 104 processes the multiple individual video streams and creates a single stream of video data packets.
  • the video server 104 creates a single stream of video data packet in accordance with a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which is a conventional Internet communication protocol.
  • UDP User Datagram Protocol
  • TCP Transmission Control Protocol
  • the UDP protocol also provides for port numbers to be included in each UDP data packet.
  • the video server 104 creates video data packets for each of the video streams from the video sources 102 but assigns a different port number for each of the respective video sources.
  • VIDEO 1 will be packetized into a plurality of UDP packets where each of the packets corresponding to the VIDEO 1 stream has the same port number.
  • the VIDEO 2 is encoded into a plurality of UDP data packets, but uses a different port number than the VIDEO 1 data stream.
  • the video server 104 encodes each video stream and adds them into a single stream of UDP packets where the UDP packets corresponding to each video stream are assigned different port numbers.
  • the video server 104 creates a single stream of UDP packets where the individual packets have different port numbers that correspond to the video streams from the respective video sources 102.
  • the stream of UDP packets are routed through an infrastructure 106 to a plurality of wireless access points (APs) 108.
  • APs wireless access points
  • the particular form of the infrastructure 102 depends on the specific implementation of the system 100.
  • the infrastructure 106 typically includes routers, switches, and may include a gateway.
  • the function of the infrastructure 106 is to route the UDP video packets from the video server 104 to one or more of the APs 108.
  • the infrastructure 106 routes data from the APs 108 to the video server 104.
  • the APs 108 are illustrated as AP 1 , AP 2, . . . AP Y.
  • the UDP video data packets are routed to all the APs 108 such that each AP receives the same video data packets.
  • the data packets for different video sources can be routed to selected ones of the APs 108. For example, all UDP packets with a port number corresponding to the VIDEO 1 data stream can be routed only to AP 1 and AP 2.
  • the UDP data packets with a port number corresponding to the VIDEO 2 stream can be routed to all APs 108.
  • the system 100 has the ability to selectively route the UDP video packets to one or more of the APs 108 under control of the video server 104.
  • the APs 108 must be
  • Figure 1 also illustrates a plurality of wireless communication devices, sometimes referred to as user equipment (UE) 1 10.
  • UE user equipment
  • the term UE is intended to include any wireless communication device capable of processing audio, video, and text messaging. This includes smart phones, laptops, PDAs, computer tablets (e.g., an iPadTM), and the like. These devices may or may not include a network transceiver for communication with a public land mobile network (PLMN).
  • PLMN public land mobile network
  • the system 100 is not limited by the particular form of the
  • the UEs 1 10 are illustrated as UE1 , UE2, . . . UE Z.
  • the UEs 1 10 include programming that allows the individual UEs 1 10 to selectively receive UDP data packets having a single selectable port number.
  • each UE 1 10 can select a particular video stream for viewing on a display of the UE 1 10 by selecting the port number corresponding to the desired video stream.
  • the UE 1 10 may select more than one port number to thereby receive and process multiple video streams.
  • the UE 1 10 may select two port numbers and display two video screens in a side-by-side fashion much like split-screen television.
  • the UE 1 10 may select multiple port numbers and display multiple video streams with a reduced screen size.
  • the UE may display a plurality of video signals as thumbnail (or larger) video signals simultaneously on the display.
  • the UEs 1 10 may be able to establish a communication link with more than one AP 108. As illustrated in Figure 1 , UE 1 can communicate with both the AP 1 and AP 2 via respective wireless communication links 1 12.
  • Figure 1 illustrates UE 2 as coupled only to the AP 2 via wireless communication link 1 12 while UE Z communicates with AP Y via wireless communication link 1 12.
  • the UEs 1 10 are in wireless communication with one or more of the
  • the APs 108 are transmitting multiple video channels to any UE 1 10 within range of an AP.
  • This multi-channel approach is in contrast to conventional unicast streaming.
  • unicast streaming the AP 108 receives a data stream for each individual UE 1 10. The requirement of one video stream for each end user will quickly consume all of the available bandwidth for the AP.
  • the transmission of a single data stream for UDP broadcast or multicast in accordance with the system 100 described herein makes video streams available for an unlimited number of UEs 1 10 that may be connected to an AP 108.
  • the approach overcomes the bandwidth limitations of unicast streaming.
  • the application associated with the UDP streaming functions as an equivalent to a TV guide for watching different channels or video streams broadcast from the AP 108.
  • a display on the UE 1 10 can be dynamically configured by the video server 104.
  • the video server 104 can also send out a list of channels that are being provided via the APs 108.
  • the TV guide data may be in the form of text, graphical display data, still images, such as a captured video frame, or an actual display of multiple video signals.
  • the UE 104 can display multiple thumbnail (or larger) video signals corresponding to each of the available channels.
  • the number of video streams from different video sources102 is limited by the bandwidth capacity of a particular AP 108.
  • the number of video sources 102 available for streaming can also increase accordingly.
  • the number of available video streams is not generally limited by the number of UEs 1 10 receiving data from any particular AP108. That is, the number of UEs 1 10 receiving data from a particular AP 108 is almost unlimited.
  • the number of UEs 1 10 viewing video streams is effectively detached from the bandwidth limitation of the AP 108 itself.
  • the system 100 permits the equivalent of broadcast television on the display 154 (see Figure 3) as opposed to a classical television screen.
  • the video server 104 can receive the various video streams from the video sources 102 in different formats. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain formats may simplify the process of transcoding from multiple video streams to the UDP video packets.
  • the video data is formatted in accordance with MPEG-2. If the data is multimedia data, the audio data is also formatted in accordance with MPEG standards. If the video sources 102 provide video in the MPEG-2 video format, the video server 104 need not perform any conversion.
  • the video server 104 may provide the video data at a rate of 64,000 bits per second (bps) to 300,000 bps.
  • the audio signal may be sampled at approximately 32,000 bps.
  • a video size of 320 pixels by 240 pixels or smaller is generally satisfactory for the typical display 154 (see Figure 3) on the UE 1 10.
  • the video sources 102 may already provide the data in this format. If the video sources 102 provide video data as an analog signal, the video server 104 must process the data accordingly.
  • the video server 104 utilizes
  • MPEG-TS which refers to a conventional encoding process for a transport stream.
  • the video server 104 provides UDP streaming and uses a UDP broadcast address or a UDP multicast address that is computed using the net mask and IP address.
  • the UEs 1 10 connect to one or more APs 108 in a conventional manner.
  • the API or software application executing on each UE 1 10 monitors the broadcast or multicast address and a selected port.
  • Current APs 108 may be configured for operation in accordance with IEEE 802.1 1 n. These devices are dual-band (i.e., 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). In addition, many access points are designed for operation with multiple input - multiple output (MIMO) antenna configurations.
  • MIMO multiple input - multiple output
  • such dual-band APs 108 can generally support 10 or more video streams with each video stream requiring approximately 1 megabit per second (Mbps).
  • Mbps megabit per second
  • Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the distance between the AP 108 and the UE1 10 is a significant factor for data throughput rates.
  • a large number of APs 108 can be positioned to provide a high quality signal level to the UE 1 10.
  • the system 100 can apportion the available bandwidth of one or more of the APs 108 to permit the simultaneous broadcast of both broadcast/multicast data and unicast data.
  • One portion of the AP bandwidth is allocated for use with TCP/IP and another portion of the AP bandwidth is allocated for the UDP broadcast/multicast.
  • the network 210 can adjust the up/down data rates to conserve bandwidth.
  • the data rate can be throttled to permit both unicast and
  • the use of a data stream transmitted from each AP 108 greatly increases the number of UEs 1 10 that can receive data therefrom. However, even in this mode of operation, there may be a limit to the number of UEs 1 10 that can connect to any single AP 108. In this event, the process illustrated in the flowchart of Figure 18 can be used to select an alternate AP 108.
  • a UE 1 10 measures the signal strength of any APs 108 that are in range of the UE 1 10. As is known in the art, the UE 1 10 selects an AP with which to communicate based on the signal strength measurements. In essence, the UE 100 creates a list of available APs 108 in order of the relative signal strength.
  • step 304 the UE attempts to establish a communication I in k 12 with the AP 108 having the greatest signal strength.
  • decision 306 the UE 1 10 determines whether the connection has been successfully established. If the communication link 1 12 has been successfully established, the result of decision 306 is YES. In that event, the UE 1 10 communicates with the AP 108 via the established communication link 1 12 in step 308 and the process ends at 310.
  • the UE 1 10 determines whether the attempt to establish the communication link 1 12 has exceeded a predetermined timeout in decision 312. If the timeout has not been exceeded, the result of decision 312 is NO, and the process returns to decision 306 to continue the attempt to establish the communication link 1 12 with the first AP 108 on the signal strength list. If the timeout has occurred, the result of decision 312 is YES and the UE 1 10 moves to decision 314 to determine whether the number of retries has been exceeded.
  • the process returns to decision 306 to continue the attempt to establish the communication link 1 12 with the first AP 108 on the signal strength list. If the number of retries has been exceeded, the result of decision 314 is YES. In that event, the UE 1 10 moves to the next AP 108 on the list (i.e., the AP with the second highest signal strength) in step 316. The process returns to step 304 to connect to the AP 108 with the second highest signal strength. In this manner, the UE 1 10 will automatically connect an available AP 108.
  • FIG 2 is a functional block diagram of a tuner system to permit the reception and encoding of multiple television channels.
  • Figure 2 illustrates a coaxial cable, such as may be used to provide television signals from a cable source, a satellite source, or the like.
  • the cable 120 will carry multiple channels indicated by a reference 122 that shows multiple channels labeled Ch. 1 - Ch. N.
  • the cable 120 is cabled to a signal splitter 124, which may also include a conventional amplifier.
  • the multiple outputs of the signal splitter 124 are coupled to inputs of individual TV tuner cards 126.
  • each TV tuner card 126 is illustrated as a separate circuit in Figure 2, some circuit boards may include multiple TV tuner cards.
  • the TV tuner cards 126 are commercial products that tune the individual channels (i.e., Channels 1 -N).
  • the output of each TV tuner card 126 is a digital signal.
  • the audio and video signals may be generated by the TV tuner card 126 in accordance with known industry standards, such as MPEG 2 and MPEG 4.
  • MPEG 2 is a standard for coding of moving pictures and associated audio data.
  • MPEG 4 standard defines compression for audio and video digital data.
  • the outputs of the individual TV tuner cards 126 are coupled to corresponding inputs on the video server 104.
  • the TV tuner cards 126 are implemented with a universal serial bus (USB) interface and are coupled to corresponding USB interfaces on the video server 104.
  • USB universal serial bus
  • Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other interfaces, such as an Ethernet interface, may also be satisfactorily employed.
  • the system 100 is not limited by the type in interface connecting the TV tuner cards 126 with the video server 104.
  • the video server may receive one or more external video sources 128.
  • the external video sources may be video only or may include audio data to thereby form a multimedia data stream.
  • the external video sources 128 are intended to represent one or more video sources.
  • the external video sources 128 may be generated locally within a single venue, or delivered from a remote location via conventional means, such as satellite communication link, microwave, cable, or the like.
  • the video server 104 may include a media player, such as a VLC media player, that is configured to receive video signals in various formats, such as MPEG 2 and MPEG 4.
  • the media player program reformats the data from each of the TV tuner cards 126 into a UDP format.
  • the UDP data is then in a suitable format for streaming.
  • the video server 104 assembles the individual UDP packets from the TV tuner cards 126 and any external video sources 128 and creates a single UDP stream.
  • the UDP packets are provided with port numbers that correspond to the individual channels. That is, all of the UDP packets for Ch. 1 have the same port number. In addition, all of the UDP packets for Ch.
  • each UDP packet may be identified as part of a stream from the individual TV tuner cards 126 based on the unique port numbers assigned thereto.
  • the external video sources 128 are assigned individual port numbers corresponding to the individual ones of the external video sources.
  • the single stream of UDP data packets is routed through the router switches 106 (see Figure 1 ) to the various APs 108.
  • the video server 104 may generate the serial UDP data stream using an Ethernet interface.
  • the streaming video signals are routed via conventional Ethernet interface and decoded in the same manner as data packets transmitted from the APs 108.
  • the device 132 in Figure 16 is an integrated tuner and AP.
  • the radio frequency (RF) television signals can be provided by a cable service provider 134, a satellite receiver 136, or the like.
  • the RF signals are provided to an input connector 138, such as a cable connector.
  • the splitter 124 which may also include a conventional amplifier, splits the single signal into multiple signals that are connected to the inputs of a plurality of TV tuner cards 126.
  • the TV tuner cards 126 may be implemented as individual cards or may be implemented with multiple tuners on a single card.
  • the TV tuner cards 126 may be integrated onto a single board.
  • the outputs of the TV tuners 126 are couple to a processor 140, which provides the functionality of the video server 104.
  • the processor 140 may be implemented as a conventional microprocessor, a graphics processor, a digital signal processor, programmable gate array, application specific integrated circuit, or the like.
  • the integrated device 132 is not limited by the specific implementation of the processor 140.
  • the integrated device 132 does not require all the functionality of the video server 104 and only communicates with a single integrated AP 108 having a transmitter 142 and receiver 144.
  • the single AP 108 functions in the manner described above with respect to the plurality of APs 108.
  • the AP receiver 144 can receive communications from any of the UEs 1 10.
  • the UEs 108 can request a particular TV channel. If none of the TV tuners 126 are tuned to that channel, the processor 140 can send instructions to one of the plurality of TV tuners to change to the requested channel. Thereafter, the processor 140 will begin receiving the video stream from the user-requested channel and encode that channel in the manner described above.
  • the integrated system 132 can provide multiple channels and change channels on user request. This is in addition to the multiple channels already provided by the UDP stream from the AP 108.
  • the integrated device 132 does not require the infrastructure 106 (see Figure 1 ) because the processor 140 is connected directly to the AP 108. Thus, the processor 140 need only provide the functionality of transcoding the individual data streams from the TV tuners 126 and the generation of the single UDP output stream. As described above with the video server 104, the processor 140 will assign a port number to each UDP data packet that corresponds with a respective one of the plurality of data streams.
  • a power supply (not shown) makes the integrated device 132 as a self-contained device.
  • the integrated device 132 has utility in a setting, such as a home where the integrated device 132 has an input 138, such as a cable input.
  • the processor 140 encodes the plurality of video streams and broadcasts them throughout the home using the integrated AP 108.
  • Conventional WiFi extenders (not shown) may be used to extend the range of the AP 108.
  • a large home may include multiple ones of the integrated devices 132.
  • a content provider server 146 contains a plurality of data files, such as movies, available for on-demand delivery.
  • the content provider server 146 is remote from and coupled to a local implementation of the video server 104 (see Figure 1 ) or the processor 140 (see Figure 16) via the network 210, such as the Internet.
  • the local processor 140 receives on-demand requests from one or more of the UEs 1 10 via the AP 108. While Figure 16 illustrates only one AP 108, the embodiment of Figure 17 can include one or more APs 108 to provide coverage over a selected area.
  • the local processor 140 relays the on-demand requests to the content provider server 146.
  • a unicast connection link is established between the content provider server 146 and the local processor 140.
  • the on-demand data streams are transmitted using conventional unicast protocols, such as TCP/IP.
  • a device such as the VLC media player discussed above, receives the unicast data stream and transcodes the data packets into a stream of data packets for transmission by the AP 108.
  • the transcoding process generates a single data stream in accordance with UDP protocols.
  • the local processor 140 assigns a different port number to the UDP packets for each of the different received data streams.
  • the processor 140 sends the single stream of UDP packets to the AP 108 for transmission in the manner described above.
  • the AP 108 transmits the multicast data packets in the manner described above so that each UE 1 10 can receive any one or more of the desired data streams from the AP 108.
  • the device of Figure 17 could be used in a home or a hotel where the local processor 140 is configured to communicate with the content provider server 146 via a unicast Internet connection.
  • the local processor 140 transcodes the received unicast data streams and may also receive data streams from other sources, such as the TV tuner cards 126 (see Figure 2) and/or the external video sources 128 (see Figure 2).
  • the various sources are transcoded and turned into a single data stream for transmission by one or more APs 108.
  • the content provider 146 is coupled to a terrestrial base station 184.
  • the data file(s) to be transferred to the aircraft 182 are transmitted to a satellite 186 by the base station 184 and relayed to the aircraft 182.
  • the base station 184 can communicate directly with the aircraft 182.
  • the base station 188 receives the data file(s) from the content provider 146 and transmits them directly to the aircraft 182.
  • the ship 192 in Figure 20 can receive the data file(s) from the content provider 146 directly from the base station 184 or via the satellite 186.
  • a receiver 188 is configured for communication with the satellite 186 or with the base station 184 to thereby receive the data file(s) from the content provider 146.
  • the received data is provided to the video processor 140.
  • the communication link between the content provider 146 and the video processor 140 is implemented as a unicast connection.
  • the local video processor 140 performs a
  • the transcoding operation and converts the unicast data to a stream of data packets for UDP transmission by the AP 108.
  • the multiple data streams received by the video processor 140 are converted into a single UDP data stream with each of the data packets in the UDP data stream having a port number corresponding to the respective data streams received by the aircraft 182.
  • the vehicle can deploy one or more APs 108 to transmit the UDP data stream to the UEs 1 10.
  • the passengers in the vehicle employ their own UEs 1 10 and select a channel or channels for viewing by detecting and processing the data packets with the desired port numbers.
  • the vehicle may employ a digital video recorder (DVR) 190 to record the data file(s) received by the receiver 188.
  • DVR digital video recorder
  • the aircraft 182 often replays the same selection of movies on flights.
  • the ship 192 can store a number of movies (i.e., data files) on the DVR 190 to play while at sea.
  • FIG 3 is a functional block diagram illustrative of one of the UEs 1 10 illustrated in Figure 1 .
  • the system 100 takes advantage of current implementations of the UE 1 10 that typically include multiple processors.
  • one processor in the UE is configured to handle communications with the AP 108 while a second processor is configured for playback of received video data.
  • the UE 1 10 in Figure 3 includes a plurality of central processing units (CPUs) 150.
  • the CPUs 150 are illustrated in Figure 3 as CPU 1 , CPU 2, CPU W.
  • the CPUs 150 may be implemented as conventional microprocessors, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP), programmable gate array (PGA), or the like.
  • the UE 1 10 is not limited by the specific form of the CPUs 150.
  • the UE 1 10 in Figure 3 also contains a memory 152.
  • the memory 152 stores instructions and data to control operation of the CPUs 150.
  • the memory 152 may include random access memory, ready-only memory, programmable memory, flash memory, and the like.
  • the UE 1 10 is not limited by any specific form of hardware used to implement the memory 152.
  • the memory 152 may also be integrally formed in whole or in part with the CPUs 150.
  • the UE 1 10 of Figure 3 also includes conventional components, such as a display 154, a keypad or keyboard 156, an audio output device 158, and camera 160.
  • the display 154 is a touch-sensitive display that incorporates the functionality of the display 154 and the keyboard 156.
  • the UE 1 10 of Figure 3 also includes a network transceiver 166 such as may be used by the UE 1 10 for the conventional wireless communication network with the service provider PLMN (not shown), as described above.
  • the network transceiver 166 is connected to an antenna 168.
  • the network transceiver 166 is illustrated as a generic transceiver.
  • the UEs 1 10 may be implemented in accordance with any known wireless communication protocol including, but not limited to, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, UMTS, 3G, 4G, WiMAX, LTE, or the like. Operation of the network transceiver 166 and the antenna 168 for communication with the PLMN (not shown) is well-known in the art and need not be described in greater detail herein.
  • the UE 1 10 of Figure 3 also includes a short-range transceiver 176 that is used by the UEs 1 10 to communicate with the APs 108 of Figure 1 .
  • the short-range transceiver 176 is connected to an antenna 178.
  • the antennas 168 and 178 may have common components are implemented as a single antenna.
  • the various components illustrated in Figure 3 are coupled together by a bus system 180.
  • the bus system may include an address bus, data bus, power bus, control bus, and the like.
  • the various busses in Figure 3 are illustrated as the bus system 180.
  • the short-range transceiver 176 may be designed for operation in accordance with IEEE standard 802.1 1 , sometimes referred to as WiFi. Most modern wireless communication devices are equipped with WiFi and may be readily upgraded to support the functionality described herein. A technique for establishing communication between the UEs 1 10 and the APs 108 using WiFi is described in U.S. Application Serial No. 12/397,225, filed on March 3, 2009, now U.S. Patent No. 7,970,351 . Because the UEs 108 all include WiFi capability, the UEs may be designed for communication with the APs 108, regardless of the type of service provider PLMN or, indeed, in the total absence of the network transceiver 166 (see Figure 1 ).
  • the UE 1 10 may operate under IEEE 802.1 1 a at 5 gigahertz (GHz) under IEEE 802.1 1 b/g at 2.4 GHz, or IEEE 802.1 1 n, which operates at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
  • IEEE 802.1 1 a at 5 gigahertz (GHz)
  • IEEE 802.1 1 b/g at 2.4 GHz
  • IEEE 802.1 1 n which operates at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
  • the wireless communication device of the system 100 may be readily adapted for operation with future versions of IEEE 802.1 1 .
  • the user of a conventional wireless communication device can search for a wireless access point and connect to that access point, as is common in public areas, such as an airport terminal, coffee shop, or the like.
  • the goal of this connection is generally to provide Internet access.
  • the UEs 1 10 described herein can include an application program interface (API) that can be programmed into the UE at the time of manufacture or downloaded in a
  • the API becomes part of the operating system in that it is always executing in the background. In this manner, the API is different from a conventional application software program that must be activated by the user.
  • the API includes a "heartbeat" signal that periodically communicates with any available AP 108 and provides identification data, location data and the like to a database server 232 (see Figure 8).
  • the API advantageously simplifies authentication of the UE whenever it enters a venue that is part of the system described herein.
  • the UE 1 has established the wireless communication links 1 12 with the AP 1 and AP 2, respectively. As the user moves from one location to another in a particular venue, he may move in or out of range of one
  • the UE 1 10 can receive the video stream from one of the plurality of APs 108 distributed throughout the venue.
  • a first processor e.g., CPU 1
  • native code refers to software code that has been compiled to processor-specific machine code.
  • CPU 1 is responsible for capturing all data packets that have a specified port number. The CPU 1 is programmed to provide the singular function of capturing UDP data packets having the designated port number and storing those captured data packets in the memory 152.
  • a second processor e.g., the CPU 2 is also programmed with native code to perform the function of retrieving the stored data packets and playing them on the display 154.
  • the CPU 2 also provides audio data to the audio output device 158.
  • the CPU 1 receives and stores the UDP data packets for a short time and then closes the file in which the received data packets are stored. This permits a second processor, the CPU 2, to open the file and play back the stored data packets on the display 154.
  • the CPU 1 saves the received UDP data packets as a series of files that are closed after a short period of time while the CPU 2 opens the closed files and plays the received UDP packets on the display. If the received data packets are multimedia data packets, the CPU 2 also sends data to the audio output device 158.
  • the operation of the CPU 1 and CPU 2 is tightly integrated so that both the CPU 1 and the CPU 2 can access the same file in the memory 152.
  • the efficient native code programming of the CPU 1 and CPU 2 allows the UE 1 10 to effectively capture and play back a video data stream.
  • the CPU 1 is programmed for the singular function of capturing and storing UDP data packets while the CPU 2 is programmed for the singular function of retrieving and playing the stored UDP data packets.
  • the tight operation of the CPU 1 and CPU 2 permit the effective capture and play of UDP data packets at an acceptable frame rate to effectively provide streaming video or streaming multimedia to the UE 1 10 from the APs 108 within a venue.
  • CPU 1 and CPU 2 can be programmed to receive and process UDP data packets with multiple different port numbers, thus enabling the UE 1 10 to receive multiple channels simultaneously.
  • the CPUs 150 may receive and decode multiple channels and show them side-by-side on the display 154 as illustrated in Figure 4.
  • the UE1 10 may operate in a mode equivalent to split-screen television. The user can select which audio signal, if any, to process. While the UE 1 10 can process both audio signals, the simultaneous playing of two audio signals would create an unpleasant user experience.
  • the UE 1 10 can process additional video signals by detecting additional port numbers in the UDP packets associated with the desired channels.
  • Figure 5 illustrates three channels shown on the display 154. Again, the user can determine which audio signal to process for play out on the output device 158.
  • the UE 1 10 can receive a plurality of channels and show the video from each of the channels as a thumbnail image, as illustrated in Figure 6.
  • the thumbnail video image from channels 1 -5 may be shown on one portion of the display 154 and text data, such as labels, can provide the user with information related to each of the channels.
  • the labels may include graphical information, such as logos, in addition to, or in place of, text data.
  • the thumbnail images in Figure 6 (or the images in Figures 4 and/or 5) may be still images, such as frames captured from the streaming video for the respective channels. That is, the images in the thumbnail displays in Figure 6 may be captured frames from each of the respective channels to provide the user with a graphical indication of the content of each video channel.
  • the frame rate may be reduced in the smaller images, such as the display of Figure 6, to reduce the overall processing task for the4 CPUs 150 (see Figure 3). In this embodiment, the CPUs will display only a portion of the video frames for each channel.
  • the display 154 may serve as a television guide to provide information to the user on the available channels and the content of those channels.
  • the portion of the display labeled Ch. 1 - Ch. 5 in Figure 6 may contain thumbnail video images, still images, or reduced frame rate video from the respective channels.
  • the graphical and/or text information provides greater detail to the user.
  • the user may select a single channel for a full screen display simply by touching on the appropriate portion of the display 154.
  • the user may tap on the display 154 proximate the video display for any of channels Ch. 1 - Ch. 3 to view commercial television broadcasts.
  • the user may tap on channel Ch. 4 or Ch. 5 to select video images from within a particular venue at which the UE 1 10 is present, or from a venue remote from the current location of the UE.
  • Figure 7 illustrates a large venue 200, in which a network of APs 108 has been deployed.
  • the position and coverage area of the APs 108 can be determined based on the particular hardware implementation.
  • the actual distribution and installation of the APs 108 using the infrastructure 106 (see Figure 1 ) within the venue 200 is within the engineering knowledge of one skilled in the art and need not be described in greater detail herein.
  • all of the APs 108 are coupled to the video server 104 in Figure 1 .
  • the UE 1 10 moves throughout the venue 200, it is making and breaking wireless communication devices with one or more of the APs 108.
  • the UE 1 10 can receive a selected streaming video channel anywhere within the venue 200.
  • the identity of the UE 1 10 can be verified by the UE providing a profile and user information and signing up for the WiFi service and downloading the API. Initially this may be accomplished through a portal page, as will be described in greater detail below.
  • the video server Once the identity of the UE 1 10 has been verified, the video server
  • a selection of available video streams may be shown on the display 154, which may also be a touch-sensitive display.
  • the display 154 which may also be a touch-sensitive display.
  • the user simply taps the display 154 near the description or the video image of the desired video stream.
  • the port number associated with the selected video stream is supplied to the CPU 1 to begin the video streaming process.
  • the CPU 1 and CPU 2 may use
  • the venue 200 of Figure 7 is illustrative of a broad range of embodiments of the system 100.
  • the venue 200 may be a casino venue and the venues 202-206 are related venues, such as a performance venue 202, a nightclub venue 204, or a restaurant venue 206, all housed within the casino venue 200.
  • the venue 200 may be a large outdoor venue, such as a music festival.
  • the venues 202-206 may represent difference musical stages within the venue.
  • Figure 7 illustrates the venues 202-206 as adjacent to each other within the venue 200, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there is no technical requirement that these venues be physically adjacent.
  • the venue 200 may represent a film festival venue and the related venues 202-206 may represent Individual theaters participating in the film festival.
  • the venue 200 may encompass a portion of a city or even the entirety of a large town, such as the Sun Dance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
  • the network of APs 108 is distributed throughout the venue so that users may monitor activities throughout the venue, For example, in the music festival scenario, the user may monitor activity at each of the stage venues 202-206 continuously. In the film festival example, users may view trailers or other information from each of the theater venues 202-206. In the casino venue example, the user can receive advertising or other data from the related venues 202-206. In addition, the casino venue may provide other video streams, such as parimutuel events (i.e., horse races), sporting events (e.g., football, baseball, basketball, etc.), instructional videos, such as rules and/or tips on playing certain games within the casino, or the like. The user simply taps the display 154 near the desired video stream and the video streaming will begin. While the UE 1 10 remains within the venue 200, it is in substantially continuous contact with the APs 108 and may receive data therefrom.
  • parimutuel events i.e., horse races
  • sporting events e.g., football, baseball, basketball, etc.
  • instructional videos such
  • the venue may provide its own advertising or other information to the UE 1 10.
  • the ads may take the form of still images, videos similar to commercial television ads, or the like.
  • the received videos can also have banner ads included or the video server 104 (see Figure 1 ) can modify the video feeds to include advertising spliced into the video feed. This requires video processing equipment that is known in the art for this purpose.
  • the video server 104 may provide related information inserted into the video feed. For example, in the music festival venue 200, the video server 104 can provide the lyrics to songs currently being played at any of the stage venues 202-206.
  • the video server 104 can be configured to send the lyrics only to APs 108 in the vicinity of the particular stage venue.
  • all APs 108 within the venue 200 may provide video feeds from each of the stage venues 202-206.
  • the lyrics for each of the stage venues may also be provided as part of the video feeds for each respective stage venue 202- 206.
  • the video server may transmit the video signals for all of the stage venues 202-206 to all APs 108 within the venue 200, but only transmit the song lyrics to the APs 108 located near each respective stage venue 202-206. In this manner, only UEs 1 10 proximate a particular stage venue (e.g., the stage venue 202) would receive the song lyrics.
  • the lyrics may be provided as an overlay onto the video signal or shown as a form closed-caption ing.
  • the heartbeat data can be used to provide a personal targeted advertising for an individual UE1 10 as part of a streaming video on a particular channel.
  • the UE 1 10 could receive an ad for free or discounted tickets to the performance venue 202 or an invitation to happy hour at the nightclub venue 204 or a discounted meal at the restaurant venue 206.
  • the owner of a UE 1 10 is not a registered guest at a hotel within the venue 200, the APs 108 could send an invitation or ad to book a room in the venue 200.
  • the UE 1 10 can communicate with the video server 104 or another server (not shown) within the venue 200 via the APs 108 to accept one or more of the ad offers.
  • the UE 1 10 could transmit an acceptance and book tickets at the performance venue 202.
  • the user of the UE 1 10 can book a room in the venue 200.
  • the UE 1 10 may receive ads indicating the imminent start of a movie as the UE 1 10 passes by a particular theater venue (e.g., the theater venue 206).
  • advertisements may be sent only to the APs located near the particular theater venue so that the ads are more relevant to the current location of the UE 1 10.
  • the venue 200 can provide channels for entertainment for special groups, such as children's television programs, children's videos, and the like.
  • Figure 8 illustrates a system architecture that allows operation of the system 100 across multiple venues.
  • the venue 200 may have a large number of APs 108 distributed throughout the venue.
  • the various APs 108 are coupled together using the infrastructure 106.
  • the infrastructure allows an interconnection to a network 210 via a communication link 212.
  • the network 210 may be implemented as the Internet.
  • the infrastructure 106 provides a backhaul 214 to a cloud computing environment designated herein as a JUMMMP Cloud 216.
  • the backhaul 214 may be implemented in a variety of different manners using known technology.
  • the backhaul 214 may be routed to the JUMMMP Cloud 216 via the network 210.
  • a web portal page and policy controller server 220 controls user authentication across a number of different venues in addition to the venue 200.
  • a network management element 222 controls overall operation of the network in the
  • JUMMMP Cloud 216 including registration and authentication services.
  • Figure 8 illustrates a log-in web page 224.
  • a local ad server 230 in the JUMMMP Cloud 216 may provide ads for the venue 200.
  • the ads may be still images or streaming video and may be directed to the venue 200 itself or for the related businesses 202-206 (see Figure 7).
  • the ads may be for businesses near the venue 200 (or for other venues in the JUMMMP network).
  • the centralized ad server 230 in the JUMMMP Cloud 216 simplifies the network architecture within the venue 200 and other venues by eliminating the need for an ad server within each venue.
  • a data base server 232 in the JUMMMP Cloud 216 may be configured to collect a broad range of information regarding the UEs 1 10
  • the profile information will help provide targeting marketing and advertising to the UE 1 10 as it traverses the venue.
  • the profile information may be used to select the streaming videos that may be provided to the user. For example, if the user profile indicates that the owner of the UE 1 10 is an avid football fan, the selections of video streams may include multiple football games.
  • the ads may be selected based on information provided directly by the user or derived from other sources, such as music playlist stored in the UE 1 10. From that playlist, it may be determined that the user has certain musical preferences and the ads can be tailored based on this information.
  • the heartbeat signal from the UE 1 10 may include geo- location data.
  • the database server 232 is configured to store location information, along with time/date data to thereby track movements of the UE 1 10.
  • the UE 1 10 must register with the system 100 at some initial point in time.
  • the initial registration can be performed remotely using, by way of example, a personal computer (not shown) connected to the JUMMMP Cloud 216 via the network 210.
  • the UE 1 10 can perform an initial registration as it enters the venue 200 illustrated in Figure 8, as described above.
  • the policy controller server 220 will not have any data related to the particular UE 1 10.
  • that initial AP 108 in the venue 200 may perform an initial registration.
  • the UE 1 10 can connect to the initial AP 108 and provide identification information.
  • the user can complete the initial registration process by providing data, such as the telephone ID (i.e., the phone number), a device ID, a user ID, and an email address as well as other information, such as the user profile data stored in the memory 156 (see Figure 3) of the UE 1 10.
  • the user ID may be a user generated name, nickname, or the like.
  • the device ID may vary based on the particular type of the UE 1 10. For example, if the UE 1 10 utilizes an AndroidTM operating system, the device can be assigned an AndroidTM ID. In addition, the UE 1 10 may typically be assigned an international mobile equipment identification (IMEI). Any of these device identifications alone may be transmitted to the registration server 222.
  • IMEI international mobile equipment identification
  • a unique hash of one or more device IDs may be generated and transmitted to the registration server 222 as the device ID.
  • the short-range transceiver 176 may also include an identification, such as a MAC address that is unique to the
  • the registration data described above can be provided to the registration server 222 along with the MAC address.
  • the registration data may be stored in association with the MAC address.
  • a previously-registered UE 1 10 may come within range of the initial AP 108 in the venue 200 of Figure 8 and establish a wireless communication link therewith.
  • the UE 1 10 automatically transmits its MAC address and/or the phone ID or IMEI.
  • the AP 108 transmits an authentication request message to the registration server 222 to determine whether the UE 1 10 is a registered device. Based on the MAC address, the registration server 222 can confirm that the UE 1 10 has previously registered.
  • the UE 1 10 is authenticated whenever it comes into range of an AP 108 of the system 100. This may occur transparently to the user. This automatic authentication process can occur even if the initial registration was in a completely different part of the country.
  • the UE 1 10 may move from one venue 200 to another in the same city or region or may be in a completely different part of the country and be automatically identified and authenticated with APs 108 that are part of the system 100 described herein. This convenient registration and authentication avoids the need for constantly searching for a WiFi connection as required by other systems. Based on this automatic authentication process, the UE 1 10 may be automatically connected to the WiFi network created by the APs 108 in the venue 200.
  • the JUMMMP Cloud 216 also advantageously provides a centralized registration function for multiple venues, as illustrated in Figure 9.
  • the multiple venues 200 are each connected to the JUMMMP Cloud 216 via individual respective backhauls 214. If a UE 1 10 initially registers at Venue 1 , using the registration process described above, that registration information is stored in the JUMMMP Cloud 416. At a later point in time when the user enters, by way of example, Venue 2 illustrated in Figure 9, the UE 1 10 will automatically identify the AP 108 and begin to communicate therewith. Because the UE 1 10 has already been registered, that information is passed along to the JUMMMP Cloud 216 and the UE is automatically authenticated.
  • an initial registration of the UE 1 10 may take place at a sports venue in, by way of example, New York City. However, if the UE 1 10 is carried to a casino in, by way of example, Las Vegas, Nevada, the UE 1 10 will automatically begin to
  • the UE 1 10 communicates with the AP 108 in the new venue in Las Vegas. Because each venue is coupled to the JUMMMP Cloud 216, the UE 1 10 need not undergo another registration process when it enters the venue 200 in Las Vegas. Thus, a single registration process at any venue is sufficient for registration with the JUMMMP Cloud 216. Whenever the UE 1 10 goes into a different venue 200 that is coupled to the JUMMMP Cloud 216, the UE 1 10 is automatically recognized and authenticated.
  • the venue 200 may be a football stadium, as illustrated in Figure 10, or some other sports venue.
  • the APs 108 are distributed throughout the structure of the sports venue.
  • the UE 1 10 communicates with one or more of the APs 108 in the manner described above.
  • the UE 1 10 can perform an initial registration process or an automatic authentication process, as described above.
  • the APs 108 maintain virtually continuous contact with the UE 1 10 while it is within the sports venue 200.
  • the APs 108 are coupled to the infrastructure 106 to allow the distribution of multiple video channels to all of the UEs 1 10 within the sports venue 200.
  • one video channel can provide an overall view of the playing field while other video channels may provide different vantage points, such as close-up video streams of the line play, the quarterback, the receivers, and the like.
  • a normal sports stadium such as a football game, will have a number of different cameras used by network television to provide the various vantage points described above.
  • the feeds from those cameras are routed to a control center where an individual, such as the producer, selects a view for broadcast.
  • an individual such as the producer
  • the centralized control center will receive all video feeds.
  • These various video feeds may be provided to the video server 104 (see Figure 1 ) for broadcast via the system 100 in the manner described above.
  • the various video vantage points may be provided to the UE 1 10 for selection and viewing.
  • the system 100 can provide a list, similar to a television guide, as one of the available channels by encoding guide data in a series of data packets and providing each of those packets with a port number designated for such guide data.
  • the UE 1 10 can receive the guide data by selecting the channel number associated therewith.
  • the guide data May provide multiple channel views, as illustrated in Figure 6, to assist the user in selecting the desired channel.
  • the user may select which video stream to view on the UE 1 10 by selecting the appropriate channel.
  • all of the video streams described above may be made available for selection by any of the UEs 1 10 within the venue 200.
  • the JUMMMP Cloud 216 can disseminate information to the UEs 1 10 in the manner described above.
  • the disseminated information may be in the form of advertisements from vendors within the venue 200, future availability of videos (e.g., upcoming sports events), and the like.
  • the JUMMMP Cloud 216 may also provide streaming video to the UE 1 10. For example, if the sports venue in Figure 10 is a football stadium, the JUMMMP Cloud 216 may provide streaming video highlights or even complete games from a different football stadium that is also coupled to the JUMMMP Cloud 216. While some stadiums provide selected replays on a large screen TV or other display 228 for fans, such displays are not available if the user is away from the field to get a drink, go to the bathroom, etc.
  • the instant replay may be provided directly to the UE 1 10 at virtually any location throughout the sports venue 200.
  • the instant replay may be one of many channels that are transmitted to all UEs 1 10 within the sports venue 200 by the multitude of APs 108.
  • the system 100 can provide a video channel with a delay (e.g., 30 seconds) so that the UE 1 10 can always go back and review recent plays.
  • a delay e.g. 30 seconds
  • the instant replay described herein refers to video replay that is under control of the sender (e.g., the video server 104 in Figure 1 ).
  • the video server 104 selects the video that will be made available as a replay and transmits the replay video as a series of UDP packets with a separate port number, as described above.
  • the instant replay is a transmitted video stream available to all UEs 1 10 as a separate channel. The user can simply switch to the replay channel to view this video stream.
  • the instant replay for the venue 200 may be provided by the JUMMMP Cloud 216 to the video server 104 (see Figure 1 ).
  • the video server 104 receives a local feed of the streaming media or instant replay for activities within that local sports stadium.
  • the sports venue 200 often has a control center that receives multiple video feeds from cameras at different vantage points throughout the sports venue. This centralized location of all video feeds makes it an ideal location to provide those video feeds to the video server 104 of the system 100.
  • the venue 200 may provide streaming television channels that would allow a UE 1 10 to view broadcast television channels, local streaming video, or remote streaming video, as illustrated in the example of Figure 6.
  • the APs 108 are in fixed locations throughout the venue 200 to maximize coverage throughout the venue. This is true whether the venue 200 is a fixed facility, such as the casino venue or sports venue.
  • the system described herein is flexible enough to provide temporary coverage in a venue that does not have preexisting coverage.
  • a concert hall may not have existing coverage through a network of APs as described above.
  • a concert venue at the state fair may be temporary in nature.
  • a concert venue may be constructed temporarily at an open air location (e.g., a multi-stage music festival, Woodstock, a sports stadium, or a speedway).
  • some venues such as a racetrack (see Figure 12) or a golf course (see Figure 3), may not have an existing infrastructure of APs 108.
  • the system described herein can provide a temporary mobile venue infrastructure, which may be referred to herein as "WiFi on Wheels" (WoW). Examples of a WoW implementation are illustrated in Figures 1 1 -13.
  • the example of Figure 1 1 is a temporary concert venue, such as may be common at a state fair or other location.
  • a stage 240 and grandstands 242 may be positioned within the venue 200. The location of the APs 108 throughout the venue 200 may be dependent on the location of the stage 240 and the grandstands 242 to provide the necessary coverage.
  • the APs 108 may be mounted on existing infrastructure, such as telephone poles, light poles, and the like.
  • the APs 108 may also be mounted directly to the stage 240 or the grandstand 242.
  • a control truck or other mobile control facility 244 contains the additional
  • the control facility 244 may contain the video server 104 and infrastructure 106 (see Figure 1 ) to provide the necessary connection to the JUMMMP Cloud 216.
  • the control facility 244 may also include a satellite link to implement the backhaul 214.
  • the backhaul 214 can also be implemented as a microwave link from the control facility 244 or a hardwired connection if available.
  • the WoW implementation of Figure 1 1 can be set up and removed in a relatively short period of time.
  • the concert venue 200 operates in the same manner described above with respect to other venues. That is, the UE 1 10 is
  • the temporary concert venue 200 operates in a functionally identical manner to the fixed venues described above.
  • the concert venue 200 in Figure 1 1 may offer multiple video channels from various vantage points, such as an overall view of the concert stage, close-ups of the concert stage, close-ups of individual performers on the stage, or the like. The user can simply select the desired streaming video channel from the available selection shown on the display 154 (see Figure 3).
  • the venue 200 may provide video advertisements on the selected channel.
  • the video server 104 can add additional data packets, or modify existing data packets, for particular channels.
  • the video server 104 can provide an overlay of the video signal to provide lyrics to a song currently being performed on the stage 240. While functionally similar to close-captioning in conventional television, those skilled in the art will appreciate that closed-captioning takes advantage of certain available space in the spectrum of a television signal in which to insert additional data.
  • the video server 104 processes the video packets to include the video overlays.
  • overlays such as song lyrics
  • the video server 104 can include ads or other information to be shown on a selected portion of the display 154 (see Figure 3). In ne
  • the ads can be related to the particular venue or event.
  • the display 154 may include ads for free Music downloads, sales of T- shirts or other memorabilia, music CDs, DVDs, or the like related to the particular performer.
  • the video server 104 can send command data to all APs 108 within the venue 200 or to selected APs within the venue to force the UEs 1 10 to change port numbers for processing by the CPU1 (see Figure 3).
  • the CPU1 will identify and save all UDP data packets having a selected port number. In this instance, the initial port number is altered via a data command from the video server 104.
  • the UEs 1 10 may be possible to cause some or all of the UEs 1 10 to change channels and receive a commercial during a time out. After the commercial, or when the time out ends, the individual UEs 1 10 can automatically revert back to the original channel by reinstating the initial port number used by the CPU1 . Alternatively, the UEs 1 10 can switch back to the initial port number upon receipt of an additional data command from the video server 104.
  • a race track venue 200 i.e., an auto race track or a horse race track
  • Figure 12 can provide streaming video to the UEs 1 10 from different vantage points throughout the race track.
  • Figure 12 illustrates grandstands 242 and a plurality of APs 108 distributed throughout the race track venue 200.
  • the distribution of the APs 108 is designed to provide coverage throughout the race track venue 200.
  • Television cameras positioned throughout the race track venue 200 provide video feeds to the control facility 244.
  • this is a convenient location from which to provide video feeds to the video server 104.
  • the video server 104 it is possible to have one or more video channels directed to the pit area, video channels for different turns or portions of the race track, video channels that focus on individual race leaders or fan favorites, in-car video, and the like.
  • the UE 1 10 can simply select which streaming video or videos to receive by selecting the appropriate channels in the manner described above.
  • the user can readily change channels at the push of a button.
  • the system 100 can provide private or secure
  • the data frames may be encrypted prior to transmission to thereby prevent unauthorized access.
  • secure data may be assigned port numbers that can only be used by authorized UEs 1 10.
  • the race track venue 200 can provide video and data services for the participants.
  • each race team may have additional video and/or data for use only by the individual teams.
  • communication between the race car driver and the pit crew may include voice communications, vehicle performance data, and the like.
  • In-car video may be uploaded from the vehicle to one or more of the APs 108 as the vehicle traverses the race track and provided to the individual teams.
  • the system 100 can provide secure video and data for each of the teams. This can include voice communications between coaches in the press box and team members on the field.
  • the system 100 can provide information to authorized UEs 1 10 operated by medical teams on the sidelines. For example, if a player is injured on the field, the medical team may use the system 100 to provide the team physician with medical data related to the injured individual.
  • communications between the team physician attending the injured player on the field and medical personnel on the sidelines can be readily accomplished via the system 100.
  • voice communications, video data uploads, and the like may be encrypted or otherwise secured prior to transmission from the authorized UE 1 10 on the field to one or more of the APs 108.
  • This data may be intended for sideline medical personnel or relayed to a nearby hospital. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such information is confidential and should not be publically broadcast via the APs 108.
  • the system 100 provides secure communications capabilities for this type of data. In other words, the system 100 can provide streaming video available to the public on a non-secure basis, as well as confidential communications that may be transmitted to authorized UEs 1 10 in a secure fashion.
  • APs 108 may be distributed around a golf course venue 200, illustrated in Figure 13, during a golf tournament. Because a golf tournament generally lasts only a few days, the temporary installation described above with respect to the concert venue of Figure 1 1 may be applicable here as well. That is, APs 108 may be temporarily distributed throughout the golf course venue 200 and coupled to the control facility 244 or other control installation.
  • the video server 104 (see Figure 1 ) is typically installed within the control facility 244.
  • various video streams could be provided for different holes on the golf course, video of individual players, such as the current leaders, fan favorites or the like.
  • the UE 1 10 simply selects the desired video stream from among the available selections by activating a selected channel on the display 154 (see Figure 3).
  • Figure 14 illustrates further operational control of the video server 104.
  • a conventional video control console can be used to control the video input streams from the video sources 102 (see Figure 1 ).
  • an application program such as a "video jockey” (VJ) application 250 can be used to control operation of the video server 104.
  • VJ video jockey
  • the video server may receive a number of different video feeds from various vantage points throughout the stadium.
  • the VJ application 250 can preview the video feeds and select which video feeds for combination and transmission via the APs 108.
  • the VJ application 250 can assign the port numbers for the individual video feeds.
  • the VJ application 250 may also reassign a particular video feed associated with a particular port number. For example, the VJ application 250 may assign video 1 (see Figure 1 ) to a particular port number at a first instance.
  • the VJ application 250 may change to provide, by way of example, video 2 to that same port number. This effectively allows the VJ application 250 to change the particular video feed that will be provided to the UEs 1 10 a given channel.
  • the VJ application 250 may be used to switch to a different video feed during a time-out, or during an intermission, such as half-time.
  • the VJ application 250 has complete control over which video feeds are selected for inclusion in the
  • the video server 104 will combine the video streams selected by the VJ application 250 into a single combined video stream where the data packets associated with each particular video feed are assigned a particular port number.
  • the VJ application 250 can construct the guide data illustrated in, by way of example, Figure 6. That is, the selected video streams to be combined for the video server are also selected for inclusion in guide data. Under control of the VJ application 250, an operator may determine that the guide data will include still images, video images, graphics, text data, or combinations thereof.
  • the VJ application can select one or more video channels to show on a large stadium display 228 (see Figure 10). These can include live videos from the local venue itself, replay videos, remote videos (e.g., from another game being Played elsewhere), or the like. While the video server combines data packets for transmission to the APs 108, the data provided to the display 228 may simply be in the form of a conventional video feed.
  • the video server 104 can receive data uploaded by any of the UEs 1 10 within the venue 200.
  • the uploaded data can include text data, audio data, still images, or video streams, or combinations thereof.
  • members of the audience can take pictures or record video of the concert from various vantage points in the concert venue 200 and upload the data to the video server 104 via one or more of the APs 108.
  • the VJ application 250 can process this image data in a variety of fashions.
  • the VJ application 250 can capture individual frames from a video stream, and combine them with other still image data uploaded from UEs 1 10 to create a photo montage that can be shown on the display 228 during the concert itself.
  • the photo montage may also be provided to UEs 1 10 in the venue 200 by transmitting the photo montage as part of the single data stream from the APs 108 using a selected port number or provided on-line for downloading at a later time.
  • the VJ application 250 can rebroadcast one or more video streams provided by the UEs 1 10.
  • the video server 104 receives the incoming videos uploaded from the UEs 1 10.
  • the VJ application 250 can review the videos and select one or more for rebroadcast via the APs in the manner described above. That is, the VJ application 250 can assign one or more port numbers to one or more video streams uploaded by members of the audience and rebroadcast them on the infrastructure 106 and the APs 108, as described above.
  • the UEs 1 10 can subsequently select a channel for viewing video images recorded by fellow audience members.
  • the video server 104 can transmit still images on a channel and switch from one image to the next at a selected time.
  • the VJ application 250 can also transmit the uploaded video segments as a video montage.
  • the video montage can be shown on the venue display 228 in which multiple uploaded video segments can be displayed individually or simultaneously on a split screen.
  • the VJ application 250 can transmit the video montage to the UEs 1 10 as part of the UDP stream in the manner described above.
  • the VJ application 250 can control operations by selecting the video streams, assigning channels, accepting uploaded image and video data from UEs 1 10, and saving or transmitting the uploaded image or video data to other users.
  • the VJ application 250 may provide a list of uploaded videos as a variation on the guide data discussed above.
  • the operator may review and catalog uploaded images or video from the UEs 1 10 and make that data available to others of the UEs 1 10 in the form of guide data.
  • a UE 1 10 uploads image data via communication link with one or more of the APs 108.
  • the image data may be still images, video, or multimedia data.
  • the image data is stored in the video server 104.
  • the VJ application 250 (see Figure 14) operates to select uploaded data for further processing.
  • Further processing may include editing and selection of images for a photo montage, selection of images or videos for display on the large display 228 (see Figure 10) at the venue 200, or processing for combination with other video input signals to form a continuous video stream for broadcast by the APs 108.
  • the video server 104 transmits or displays the selected data and the process ends at 270.
  • system is not limited to these examples.
  • system described herein enables the delivery of a large number of video streams via a network of APs and allows each UE to select which channel to view.
  • the foregoing described embodiments depict different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same
  • any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved.
  • any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components.
  • any two components so associated can also be viewed as being

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

Selon la présente invention, un système de distribution multimédia ou vidéo reçoit de multiples flux vidéo et les transcode en un seul flux de paquets UDP, chaque paquet parmi la pluralité de paquets de données vidéo pour les flux vidéo respectifs se voyant attribuer un numéro de port correspondant au flux vidéo respectif. Les paquets UDP sont acheminés vers une pluralité de points d'accès (AP) pour une transmission dans un véhicule, tel qu'un aéronef ou un navire. Un équipement d'utilisateur (UE) communique avec les AP et sélectionne un ou plusieurs flux parmi les flux vidéo pour une visualisation sur l'UE par sélection du numéro de port correspondant aux flux vidéo souhaités. L'UE peut « changer les canaux » en vue de visualiser d'autres flux vidéo en changeant le numéro de port pour le numéro de port du flux vidéo souhaité.
PCT/US2014/027629 2013-03-15 2014-03-14 Système et procédé de lecture vidéo en transit wi-fi multivoie Ceased WO2014152695A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/834,359 US9271054B2 (en) 2009-03-03 2013-03-15 System and method for WiFi video streaming
US13/834,359 2013-03-15
US13/925,328 US9986268B2 (en) 2009-03-03 2013-06-24 System and method for multi-channel WiFi video streaming
US13/925,328 2013-06-24
US13/944,670 US10616619B2 (en) 2009-03-03 2013-07-17 System and method for multi-channel WiFi video streaming
US13/944,670 2013-07-17

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