Media content redundant transmission

A method of operation in a premises based multimedia communication system having a source device that receives multimedia content from a remote content source and that transmits the multimedia content to a rendering device via at least one premises communication network, the method comprising:

• the source device receiving the multimedia content from the remote content source via at least one remote delivery communication network, the at least one remote delivery communication network characterized by a first bit error rate;
• determining a second bit error rate of the at least one premises communication network between the source device and the rendering device;
• when the second bit error rate compares unfavorably to a bit error rate threshold, the source device transmitting at least two copies of data packets carrying video frames of the multimedia content to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network;
• and
• when the bit error rate compares favorably to the bit error rate threshold, singly transmitting the data packets carrying video frames of the multimedia content to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network.

A method of operation of a rendering device in a premises based multimedia communication system having a source device that receives multimedia content from a remote content source and that transmits the multimedia content to the rendering device via at least one premises communication network, the method comprising:

• the rendering device receiving at least two copies of the data packets carrying video frames of the multimedia content from the source device via the at least one premises communication network;
• the rendering device decoding video frames carried by first copies of the data packets;
• upon an unsuccessful decoding of the video frames carried by the first copies of the data packets, the rendering device decoding video frames carried by second copies of the data packets;
• and
• upon a successful decoding of the video frames carried by the first copies of the data packets, the rendering device discarding video frames carried by second copies of the data packets.

A source device of a premises based multimedia communication system that includes the source device, a rendering device, and at least one premises communication network, the source device comprising:

• a communications interface communicatively coupled to the at least one premises communication network and to at least one remote delivery communication network;
• memory;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and to the memory, the processing circuitry, in conjunction with the memory and communications interface operable to:
• receive data packets carrying multimedia content from a remote content source via the at least one remote delivery communication network;
• and
• transmit at least two copies of the data packets carrying video frames of the multimedia content to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network.

A source device of a premises based multimedia communication system that includes the source device, a rendering device, and at least one premises communication network, the source device comprising:

• a communications interface communicatively coupled to the at least one premises communication network and to at least one remote delivery communication network;
• memory;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and to the memory, the processing circuitry, in conjunction with the memory and communications interface operable to:
• receive the multimedia content from a remote content source via at least one remote delivery communication network, the at least one remote delivery communication network characterized by a first bit error rate;
• determine a second bit error rate of the at least one premises communication network between the source device and the rendering device;
• when the second bit error rate compares unfavorably to a bit error rate threshold, transmit at least two copies of data packets carrying video frames of the multimedia content to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network;
• and
• when the bit error rate compares favorably to the bit error rate threshold, singly transmit the data packets carrying video frames of the multimedia content to the rendering device via the at least one premises communication network.

A rendering device in a premises based multimedia communication system having the rendering device, a source device and at least one premises communication network, the rendering device comprising:

• a communications interface communicatively coupled to the at least one premises communication network and to at least one remote delivery communication network;
• memory;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the communications interface and to the memory, the processing circuitry, in conjunction with the memory and communications interface operable to:
• receive at least two copies of data packets carrying video frames of multimedia content from the source device via the at least one premises communication network;
• decode video frames carried by first copies of the data packets;
• upon an unsuccessful decoding of the video frames carried by the first copies of the data packets, decode video frames carried by second copies of the data packets;
• and
• upon a successful decoding of the video frames carried by the first copies of the data packets, discard video frames carried by second copies of the data packets.