Methods and apparatus for broadcast and multicast/unicast transition
Mechanisms are provided for efficient transition between broadcast media reception and multicast/unicast media reception. Broadcast media quality is dynamically analyzed to determine when transition is appropriate. Broadcast services are mapped to multicast/unicast delivered services. Transition occurs smoothly by acquiring both broadcast and multicast/unicast media during transition and analyzing timing data to allow for media stream alignment and switchover.
1. A method comprising:
receiving a broadcast media stream from a terrestrial transmitter using an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) antenna on a mobile device;
determining that the broadcast media stream no longer meets a quality threshold;
receiving a multicast/unicast media stream on the mobile device over a wireless network, the wireless network delivering Internet Protocol (IP) data;
monitoring timing information for the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream;
transitioning to the multicast/unicast media stream after aligning the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when pixelation reaches a predetermined level.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when buffering/pausing exceeds a predetermined period.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when bit rates fall below a predetermined level.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when a signal to noise ratio falls below a predetermined level.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring timing information comprises monitoring presentation time stamps (PTS) of the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein if a broadcast PTS occurs prior to a multicast/unicast PTS and there is sufficient buffer data, additional multicast/unicast data is discarded.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein if a broadcast PTS occurs prior to a multicast/unicast PTS and there is insufficient buffer data, a reacquiring signal phase is introduced.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein if a broadcast PTS occurs after a multicast/unicast PTS, multicast/unicast data is buffered and a transition occurs after sufficient buffering.
10. A system comprising:
an Advanced Television System Committee (ATSC) antenna on a mobile device configured to receive a broadcast media stream from a terrestrial transmitter;
a processor configured to determine that the broadcast media stream no longer meets a quality threshold;
an Internet Protocol (IP) interface configured to receive a multicast/unicast media stream on the mobile device over a wireless network, the wireless network delivering Internet Protocol (IP) data, wherein the processor monitors timing information for the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream and transitions to the multcast/unicast media stream after aligning the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when pixelation reaches a predetermined level.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when buffering/pausing exceeds a predetermined period.
13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when bit rates fall below a predetermined level.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when a signal to noise ratio falls below a predetermined level.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein monitoring timing information comprises monitoring presentation time stamps (PTS) of the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein if a broadcast PTS occurs prior to a multicast/unicast PTS and there is sufficient buffer data, additional multicast/unicast data is discarded.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein if a broadcast PTS occurs prior to a multicast/unicast PTS and there is insufficient buffer data, a reacquiring signal phase is introduced.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein if a broadcast PTS occurs after a multicast/unicast PTS, multicast/unicast data is buffered and a transition occurs after sufficient buffering.
19. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
computer code for receiving a broadcast media stream from a terrestrial transmitter using an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) antenna on a mobile device;
computer code for determining that the broadcast media stream no longer meets a quality threshold;
computer code for receiving a multicast/unicast media stream on the mobile device over a wireless network, the wireless network delivering Internet Protocol (IP) data;
computer code for monitoring timing information for the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream;
computer code for transitioning to the multicast/unicast media stream after aligning the broadcast media stream and the multicast/unicast media stream.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the broadcast media stream no longer meets the quality threshold when pixelation reaches a predetermined level.