Method and system for controlling the provision of media content to mobile stations
View Patent ↗A media service controller controls how one or more base stations transmit media content from one or more media servers to mobile stations. The media service controller may control whether a mobile station receives media content via a unicast or a multicast connection, e.g., based on a predefined schedule and/or on whether other mobile stations served by the same base station are receiving the same media content. The media service controller may provide a content discovery service through which a first media server may determine whether other media servers are providing the same media content. The media service controller may facilitate changing a source of media content received by a mobile station, e.g., by changing the source from a first media server to a second media server when the mobile station moves from an area associated with the first media server to an area associated with the second media server.
1. A method comprising:
a base station receiving first packets containing media content, said first packets comprising first packet headers and first packet payloads, said first packet headers including a first source address and a first destination address, said first source address corresponding to a first media server, said first destination address corresponding to a mobile station;
said base station using a first packet classifier to map said first packets to a unicast connection;
said base station transmitting said media content to said mobile station via said unicast connection;
said base station receiving second packets containing said media content, said second packets comprising second packet headers and second packet payloads, said second packet headers including a second source address and a second destination address, said second source address corresponding to a second media server;
said base station using a second packet classifier to map said second packets to a multicast connection;
said base station receiving an instruction from a media service controller; and
in response to said instruction:
(a) said base station establishing a packet header suppression rule with said mobile station, wherein said packet header suppression rule associates a packet header suppression index with said first source address and said first destination address; and
(b) said base station associating said packet header suppression rule with said second packet classifier.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
said base station generating header-suppressed packets by replacing said second packet headers in said second packets with said packet header suppression index; and
said base station transmitting said header-suppressed packets to said mobile station via said multicast connection.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said media content comprises at least one of audio content and video content.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said instruction indicates that said mobile station should be joined to said multicast connection.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said instruction indicates that said second media server is a preferred source of said media content.