Content distribution and mobile wireless mesh networks
AssigneeCharter Communications Operating, LLC
InventorKarim Ghessassi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to one configuration, a wireless base station has access to a cache (repository) that stores a stream of content including multiple segments of content. The cache stores (caches) a first segment of content from the received stream of content. The first segment of content is cached in the repository for a window of time during which the first segment of content is temporarily available from the wireless base station. In response to receiving a respective request from each mobile communication device in a group of multiple mobile communication devices requesting the first segment of content during the window of time, a wireless base station communicates the first segment of content from the cache to each mobile communication device in the group.
Claims24
A method comprising:
- tracking wireless interconnectivity amongst a group of multiple mobile communication devices in a wireless mesh network, the wireless mesh network including a first mobile communication device coupling the wireless mesh network to a wireless base station via a wireless communication link;
- receiving a request from a second mobile communication device to join the wireless mesh network;
- and
- in response to receiving the request, notifying the second mobile communication device to connect to the wireless base station via connectivity through the wireless mesh network;
- the method further comprising:
- handing off the second mobile communication device from the wireless base station to the first mobile communication device, the second mobile communication device operative to receive a stream of content from the first mobile communication device after the handoff;
- wherein the second mobile communication device is handed off from the wireless base station to the first mobile communication device based on a location of the second mobile communication device with respect to the first mobile communication device.
An apparatus comprising:
- communication management hardware in communication with a wireless base station, the communication management hardware operative to:
- track wireless interconnectivity amongst a group of multiple mobile communication devices in a wireless mesh network, the wireless mesh network including a first mobile communication device coupling the wireless mesh network to the wireless base station via a wireless communication link;
- receive a request from a second mobile communication device to join the wireless mesh network;
- and
- in response to the request, notify the second mobile communication device to connect to the wireless base station via connectivity through the wireless mesh network;
- the communication management hardware further operative to:
- handoff the second mobile communication device from the wireless base station to the first mobile communication device, the second mobile communication device operative to receive a stream of content from the first mobile communication device after the handoff;
- wherein the second mobile communication device is handed off from the wireless base station to the first mobile communication device based on a location of the second mobile communication device with respect to the first mobile communication device.
Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to:
- track wireless interconnectivity amongst a group of multiple mobile communication devices in a wireless mesh network, the wireless mesh network including a first mobile communication device coupling the wireless mesh network to a wireless base station via a wireless communication link;
- in response to the request, receive a request from a second mobile communication device to join the wireless mesh network;
- and
- notify the second mobile communication device to connect to the wireless base station via connectivity through the wireless mesh network;
- the computer processor hardware further operative to:
- handoff the second mobile communication device from the wireless base station to the first mobile communication device, the second mobile communication device operative to receive a stream of content from the first mobile communication device after the handoff;
- wherein the second mobile communication device is handed off from the wireless base station to the first mobile communication device based on a location of the second mobile communication device with respect to the first mobile communication device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.