US 9,794,308 B2Granted

Systems and methods for handling interruptions in receiving media content due to a change in wireless frequency channel

AssigneeEchoStar Technologies L.L.C.

InventorsChristopher William Bruhn, Harold Jaramillo

Life of this patent

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Abstract

To address a service interruption while a procedure to change to a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) wireless frequency channel is being performed, a service interruption message is displayed to the user or some other action is taken while a wireless access point changes to the DFS wireless frequency channel. Another action to address the service interruption may be the media content client playing buffered media content stored in a buffer on the media content client to avoid an appearance to the user of an interruption in service. Also, in some embodiments, buffered video is received from the receiving device after the interruption in service has ended so that the media content client may resume playing, and the user may continue to view, the video program from the point where the user left off when the DFS change process and service interruption had started.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A computer implemented method in a receiving device, the method comprising:

sending, by at least one computer processor, media content data to at least one media content client via a wireless access point over a first wireless frequency channel;
receiving, by at least one computer processor, a request for the wireless access point to change to a second wireless frequency channel that is a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) wireless frequency channel;
in response to the request for the wireless access point to change to the DFS wireless frequency channel, sending, by at least one computer processor, an alert to the at least one media content client;
in response to the sending of the alert, receiving, by at least one computer processor, a confirmation from the at least one media content client that an action has been performed in response to the alert to address an interruption in service due to the change to the DFS wireless frequency channel;
and
in response to receiving the confirmation that the action has been performed in response to the alert to address the interruption in service due to the change to the DFS wireless frequency channel, sending, by at least one computer processor, an authorization to the wireless access point to perform the change to the DFS wireless frequency channel.

3 more elements

A wireless access point comprising:

at least one computer processor;
at least one wireless communications module coupled to the at least one computer processor;
and
a memory coupled to the at least one computer processor, wherein the memory has computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
send, using the at least one wireless communications module, media content data from a receiving device to at least one media content client over a first wireless frequency channel;
determine to change to a second wireless frequency channel that is a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) wireless frequency channel;
send a request to the receiving device for authorization to change to the DFS wireless frequency channel;
in response to the sending the request to the receiving device for authorization to change to the DFS wireless frequency channel, receive an authorization from the receiving device to change to the DFS wireless frequency channel based on an action having been performed to address an interruption in service due to the change to the DFS wireless frequency channel;
in response to receiving the authorization from the receiving device to change to the DFS wireless frequency channel, perform a procedure to change to the DFS wireless frequency channel;
and
after the change to the DFS wireless frequency channel has been completed, send, using the at least one wireless communications module, media content data to the at least one media content client over the DFS wireless frequency channel.

8 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one computer processor, cause at least one computer processor to:

receive media content data from a receiving device via a wireless access point over a first wireless frequency channel;
receive an alert from the receiving device regarding an interruption in service due to a change at the wireless access point from using the first wireless frequency channel to using a second wireless frequency channel that is a dynamic frequency selection (DFS) wireless frequency channel;
and
in response to receiving the alert regarding the interruption in service due to the change from using the first wireless frequency channel to using the DFS wireless frequency channel, perform an action to address the interruption in service due to the change to the DFS wireless frequency channel.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/641,088Filed 6 Mar 2015
Published: US 2016/0261657 A18 Sep 2016
Granted: 17 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04L 47/2416
Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS: real-time traffic
H04L 65/61
Network streaming of media packets: for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
H04L 67/56
Network services: provisioning of proxy services
H04L 67/59
Provisioning of proxy services: providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are…