Broadcast handoff between communication networks
View Patent ↗Methods ( 400, 500 ) and corresponding systems ( 100 ) for handing off between a broadcast network and a cellular network include receiving, in a cooperation platform, incoming data from a content provider. Broadcast data corresponding to the incoming data is then sent to a broadcast network output for broadcasting to one or more subscribers including, a subscriber station. Handoff information from the cellular network is received in the cooperation platform, and, in response to the handoff information, cellular data corresponding to the incoming data is sent to a cellular network output for transmission to the subscriber station. The handoff information can correspond to a user request for handoff sent from the subscriber station via the cellular network, or can be a request for handoff sent from the cellular network based upon a loading level within one or more of the broadcast network and the cellular network.
1. A method for handing off between a broadcast network and a bidirectional network comprising:
receiving, in a cooperation platform, incoming data from a content provider;
sending, from the cooperation platform, broadcast data corresponding to the incoming data to a broadcast network output for broadcasting to one or more subscribers including a subscriber station;
receiving, in the cooperation platform, handoff information from the bidirectional network; and
in response to the handoff information, sending, from the cooperation platform, bidirectional network data corresponding to the incoming data to a bidirectional network output for transmission to the subscriber station,
wherein the handing off between the broadcast network and the bidirectional network is facilitated by the cooperation platform, and
wherein the receiving, in the cooperation platform, handoff information from the bidirectional network comprises receiving, in the cooperation platform, handoff information corresponding to a user initiated request for handoff from the broadcast network to the bidirectional network sent from the subscriber station via the bidirectional network.
2. The method for handing off according to claim 1 wherein the receiving handoff information from the bidirectional network comprises receiving handoff information from a cellular network, and wherein the sending bidirectional network data corresponding to the incoming data to the bidirectional network output comprises sending cellular network data corresponding to the incoming data to a cellular network output.
3. The method for banding off according to claim 1 wherein the user initiated request for handoff sent from the subscriber station via the bidirectional network results from a user action at the subscriber station when the user no longer wants to be on the broadcast network.
4. The method for banding off according to claim 1 wherein the receiving, in the cooperation platform, handoff information from the bidirectional network comprises receiving, in the cooperation platform, a request for handoff sent from the bidirectional network based upon a location of the subscriber station.
5. The method for handing off according to claim 1 wherein the receiving, in the cooperation platform, handoff information from the bidirectional network comprises receiving, in the cooperation platform, a request for handoff sent from the bidirectional network based upon a loading level within one or more of the broadcast network and the bidirectional network.
6. A method for handing off between a broadcast network and a bidirectional network comprising: receiving, in a cooperation platform, incoming data from a content provider; sending, from the cooperation platform, broadcast data corresponding to the incoming data to a broadcast network output for broadcasting to one or more subscribers including a subscriber station; receiving, in the cooperation platform, handoff information from the bidirectional network; and in response to the handoff information, sending, from the cooperation platform, bidirectional network data corresponding to the incoming data to a bidirectional network output for transmission to the subscriber station, wherein the handing off between the broadcast network and the bidirectional network is facilitated by the cooperation platform, and wherein the receiving, in the cooperation platform, handoff information from the bidirectional network comprises receiving, in the cooperation platform, a user request for handoff from the broadcast network to the bidirectional network sent from the bidirectional network based upon a power level status of the power source of the subscriber station.
7. The method for handing off according to claim 1 further comprising formatting the incoming data from the content provider for transmission by a transceiver in the bidirectional network.
8. The method for handing off according to claim 1 further comprising formatting the incoming data from the content provider for transmission by a broadcast transmitter in the broadcast network in response to the handoff information.
9. The method for handing off according to claim 1 . comprising stopping, in response to the handoff information, the sending, to the broadcast network output, the broadcast data corresponding to the incoming data.
10. The method for handing off according to claim 9 comprising sending, in response to updated handoff information, broadcast data corresponding to the incoming data to the broadcast network output for broadcast to the subscriber station.
11. A system for handing off between a broadcast network and a cellular network comprising:
a switch having an incoming data input for receiving content, a broadcast data output to provide broadcast data corresponding to the incoming data, and a cellular data output to provide bidirectional data corresponding to the incoming data; and
a controller coupled to the switch and configured to control the switch in response to handoff information received from the cellular network,
wherein the switch and the controller facilitate the banding off between the broadcast network and the cellular network, and
wherein the controller includes a handoff trigger processor for processing the handoff information and determining whether to handoff, the handoff information based on at least one of a user request for handoff between the broadcast network and the cellular network sent from a subscriber station and a power level status of a power source of the subscriber station.
12. The system for handing off according to claim 11 further comprising a cellular formatter having an input coupled to the cellular data output of the switch, an output coupled to a cellular network output, and a control input coupled to the controller.
13. The system for handing off according to claim 11 further comprising a broadcast formatter having an input coupled to the broadcast data output of the switch, an output coupled to a broadcast network output, and a control input coupled to the controller.
14. The system for banding off according to claim 11 wherein the power level status of a power source of the subscriber station includes a battery charge level.