US 10,764,739 B2 · Multicast handover for mobile communications

Abstract

Embodiments provide efficient multicast handover for content delivery to client devices in multi-carrier communications systems. For example, client devices in a transport craft can consume a media channel offering via a first carrier during transport through the communications system. Embodiments can establish respective multicast groups for the media channel offering in at least the first carrier and a subsequent second carrier, and can notify the craft of the multicast groups prior to the craft being serviced by the second carrier. Such pre-notification can permit multicast handover of the media channel offering from the first carrier to the second carrier in a manner that avoids typical handover-related. For example, embodiments can direct multicast delivery of the media channel offering to the craft in accordance with the first multicast group while being serviced by the first carrier and in accordance with the second multicast group while being serviced by the second.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method for handling media requests for a plurality of client devices disposed in a transport craft traversing a transport path through coverage areas of a multi-carrier communications system, the method comprising:

receiving, by an in-transport media multicast system (ITMMS) on-board the transport craft, a unicast media request from a requesting client device of the plurality of client devices, the unicast media request being for media content of a media channel offering;
determining, by the ITMMS, a multicast group associated with the media channel offering;
redirecting, by the ITMMS to a provider media multicast system (PMMS) via a carrier of the multi-carrier communications system that is presently servicing the transport craft, the unicast media request as a multicast media request that identifies the multicast group for the carrier;
generating a unicast media response, by the ITMMS, in response to the unicast media request, the generating comprising receiving a multicast media response by the ITMMS from the PMMS via the carrier, the multicast media response comprising the media content of the media channel offering, and converting the multicast media response to the unicast media response;
and
communicating a unicast media response by the ITMMS to at least the requesting client device.

3 more elements

An in-transport media multicast system (ITMMS) configured to be installed in a transport craft for communication with a plurality of client devices disposed in the transport craft while the transport craft is traversing a transport path through coverage areas of a multi-carrier communications system, the ITMMS comprising:

a media client manager to:
receive a unicast media request from a requesting client device of the plurality of client devices, the unicast media request being for media content of a media channel offering;
and
determine a multicast group associated with the media channel offering;
and
a multicast client to:
redirect, to a provider media multicast system (PMMS) via a carrier of the multi-carrier communications system that is presently servicing the transport craft, the unicast media request as a multicast media request that identifies the multicast group for the carrier;
generate a unicast media response in response to the unicast media request by receiving a multicast media response from the PMMS via the carrier, the multicast media response comprising the media content of the media channel offering, and converting the multicast media response to the unicast media response;
and
communicate the unicast media response to at least the requesting client device.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multicast handover for mobile communications

Life of this patent

Multicast handover for mobile communications

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25