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US 7,889,686 B1Granted
Seamless switching of media streams between different networks
AssigneePicoMobile Networks, Inc.
InventorsLu Chang, Paul Aerick Lambert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a system of reception or transmission of media data, such as for audio or video streams, so that data communications alternate transmission or reception routes between available communications networks, choosing among parallel or single communications paths a most efficient and/or most reliable path for transmission of media packets.
Claims16
A system of parallel wireless communication sessions transmitting a packetized stream of media data having an audio component or a video component, the system comprising:
- a mobile device comprising
- a first microprocessor having means for establishing and maintaining
- communication sessions with two or more wireless networks at the same time, and
- communications with a recipient device,
- multiple wireless communications modules connected to the first microprocessor, wherein each wireless communications module is adapted to wirelessly communicate with a different communication network, and
- means for packetizing a stream of media data stored in a memory of the first microprocessor;
- the recipient device comprising
- a second microprocessor having means for establishing and maintaining
- a communication session with the mobile device, and
- a telephone call to the mobile device,
- means for performing a coordination function, wherein
- duplicate packets, transmitted by the mobile device in a parallel communication to more than one communication network at the same time, arrive at the recipient device at different times, and
- a determination is made as to
- which communication network has transmitted a most reliable media data stream, and
- which communication network has a slowest transmission rater, and
- means for transmitting to the mobile device results of operation of the coordination function;
- and
- wherein the mobile device further comprises means for receiving the results of operation of the coordination function, and
- (i) terminating the communication session with the communication network with the slowest transmission rate, or
- (ii) terminating all communication sessions with communication networks except with the communications network having the most reliable transmission.
17 more elements
A system comprising:
- a recipient device configured to
- receive duplicate packets via a plurality of networks, wherein each of the duplicate packets has a corresponding timestamp,
- compare timestamps of the duplicate packets, and
- determine when the timestamps associated with the duplicate packets match;
- and
- a mobile device configured to
- transmit the duplicate packets to the recipient device via the plurality of networks, and
- in response to the mobile device having received indication from the recipient device that the timestamps of the duplicate packets match,
- (i) transmit remaining packets to the recipient device via one of the plurality of networks selected by the recipient device, and
- (ii) terminate transmission of the duplicate packets to the recipient device.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- transmitting duplicate packets from a mobile device to a recipient device via a plurality of networks, wherein each of the duplicate packets has a corresponding timestamp;
- receiving the duplicate packets at the recipient device;
- comparing timestamps of the duplicate packets received at the recipient device;
- and
- determining when the timestamps of the duplicate packets match;
- selecting one of the plurality of networks to receive remaining packets from the mobile device in response to the timestamps of the duplicate packets matching;
- and
- informing the mobile device that the mobile device is to transmit the remaining packets to the recipient device via the one of the plurality of networks when the timestamps match.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.