Architecture and related methods for streaming media content through heterogeneous networks

A method comprising:

• receiving a request from a wireless host for content available from a network server;
• establishing a communication channel to service the request between the wireless host and the network server over a wireless network and a wireline network coupled to the server;
• and
• adjusting transmission characteristics in one or more of the wireline network and/or the wireless network to improve transmission quality based, at least in part, on one or more control parameters of a transport layer protocol of the communication channel which distinguish wireline transmission problems from wireless transmission problems, wherein a parameter of the transport layer protocol is a fading parameter.

A transport layer protocol stored on computer readable storage medium, to facilitate streaming of media content across heterogeneous networks, the protocol comprising:

• a congestion parameter, which provides a receiving network element with an measure of congestion incurred in transmission within the network;
• a fading parameter which, when asserted, provides a receiving network element with an indication that a communicatively coupled wireless host just emerged from a fading condition;
• and
• a BER parameter, which provides a receiving network element with an measure of bit error rate incurred in transmission within a wireless network.

A transport layer protocol stored on computer readable storage medium, to facilitate streaming of media content across heterogeneous networks, the protocol generated in accordance with the following acts:

• providing a server computer in a communications with a communications network;
• receiving data using the protocol by way of the communications network, the protocol comprising:
• a congestion parameter, which provides a receiving network element with an measure of congestion incurred in transmission within the network;
• a fading parameter which, when asserted, provides a receiving network element with an indication that a communicatively coupled wireless host just emerged from a fading condition;
• and
• a BER parameter, which provides a receiving network element with an measure of bit error rate incurred in transmission within a wireless network.