Granted Patent B2

US 7,397,812 · App. 10/930,427 · Granted Jul 8, 2008

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. A system for broadcasting multimedia files to vehicles, said system comprising:

an encoder configured to convert a multimedia file to a group of encoded data packets; and

a wireless transmitter coupled to said encoder, said transmitter configured to receive said group of encoded data packets from said encoder and concurrently broadcast at least one group of encoded data packets for a pre-determined time period and at a pre-determined data rate, each of said at least one group of encoded data packets corresponding to a different multimedia file, said time period based on an average vehicle operation duration, said data rate based on a broadcast bandwidth and a number of concurrently broadcasted groups of encoded data packets.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein said transmitter is configured to concurrently broadcast a first group of encoded data packets at a first data rate and a second group of encoded data packets at a second data rate, said first data rate different from said second data rate.

3. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a network coupling said encoder with said wireless transmitter, said network comprising:

a gateway coupled to said encoder, said gateway configured to receive said group of encoded data packets from said encoder via a file transfer protocol; and

a multimedia server coupled with said gateway, said multimedia server configured to select at least one group of encoded data packets for concurrent broadcast by said wireless transmitter.

4. A system according to claim 3 , wherein said transmitter comprises an uplink device coupled to said multimedia server, said uplink device configured to convert said group of encoded data packets to a transmission signal.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one group of encoded data packets comprises:

a digitally compressed multimedia content; and

a descriptive element having additional information of said multimedia content.

6. A multimedia system for a vehicle, said system comprising:

a vehicle-based receiver configured to wirelessly receive at least one group of encoded multimedia data packets during activation of the vehicle, said at least one group of encoded multimedia data packets broadcasted at a pre-determined data rate for a pre-determined time period, each of said at least one group of encoded multimedia data packets corresponding to a different multimedia data file, said data rate based on a broadcast bandwidth and a number of concurrently broadcasted groups of encoded data packets, said time period based on an average vehicle operation duration;

a data storage device coupled to said receiver, said data storage device configured to store said at least one group of encoded multimedia data packets;

a decoder coupled to said data storage device, said decoder configured to access said at least one group of encoded multimedia data packets from said data storage device and assemble said different multimedia data file upon receiving a threshold number of encoded multimedia data packets for said at least one group of encoded multimedia data packets, said data storage device configured to store said assembled multimedia data file; and

a multimedia playback device coupled to said data storage device, said playback device configured to play said assembled multimedia data file.

7. A system according to claim 6 , wherein said receiver is configured to concurrently receive a plurality of groups of encoded multimedia data packets, each group of said plurality of groups of encoded multimedia data packets corresponding to a different multimedia content, each group of said plurality of groups of encoded multimedia data packets received at a different data rate during activation of the vehicle.

8. A system according to claim 7 , wherein said data storage device is configured to store each group of said plurality of groups of encoded multimedia data packets.

9. A system according to claim 6 , wherein said data storage device, said decoder, and said playback device are one module.

10. A system according to claim 6 , wherein said receiver, said data storage device, and said decoder are one module.

11. A system according to claim 6 further comprising a multimedia output device coupled to said playback device, said multimedia output device comprising an audio speaker and a video display.

12. A system according to claim 11 , wherein said receiver, said data storage device, said playback device, and said decoder are one module.

13. A system according to claim 6 , wherein said assembled multimedia data file stored on said data storage device is encrypted for access by said playback device; and wherein said multimedia playback device comprises operational software for decrypting said assembled multimedia data file.

14. A system according to claim 6 , wherein said data storage device is configured to remove said stored groups of encoded multimedia data packets and said assembled multimedia data files on a first-in first-out order.

15. A system according to claim 14 , wherein said data storage device comprises a selector for preventing removal of a selected assembled multimedia data file.

16. A method of broadcasting multimedia files to vehicles, said method comprising the steps of:

generating a group of encoded data packets from a multimedia data file containing a multimedia content; and

wirelessly and concurrently transmitting at least one group of encoded data packets for a time period based on an average vehicle operation duration and at a data rate based on a number of concurrent broadcasts of groups of encoded data packets.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said transmitting step comprises:

wirelessly transmitting a first group of encoded data packets at a first data rate, the first group of encoded data packets corresponding to a first multimedia data file; and

wirelessly transmitting a second group of encoded data packets at a second data rate, the second group of encoded data packets corresponding to a second multimedia data file, the first data rate different from the second data rate.

18. A method according to claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

reassembling the first multimedia data file when a first threshold number of encoded data packets are received of the first group of encoded data packets; and

reassembling the second multimedia data file when a second threshold number of encoded data packets are received of the second group of encoded data packets.

Assignments (13)