Granted Patent B2

US 9,578,134 · App. 13/801,644 · Granted Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

Claims (60)

1. A mobile hub device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive and transmit digital multimedia data over a first communication link;

a storage device configured to store the multimedia data; and

a processor operably coupled to the storage device, the processor configured to:

identify a content provider which permits the mobile hub device to download multimedia data hosted by the content provider;

identify one or more external devices permitted to receive the multimedia data from the mobile hub device; and

schedule delivery of the multimedia data from the content provider to the mobile hub device and schedule delivery of the multimedia data from the mobile hub device to the external devices,

wherein the transceiver is configured to transfer the multimedia data over a second communication link.

2. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , wherein the first communications link is an IP network.

3. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , wherein the second communications link is a cellular network.

4. The mobile hub device of claim 3 , wherein a docking station establishes a communication link between a television and the mobile hub device.

5. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , wherein the multimedia data is video.

6. The mobile hub device of claim 5 , wherein the mobile hub device modifies the video to a different compression format.

7. The mobile hub device of claim 6 , wherein the compression format is modified to optimize data transfer.

8. The mobile hub device of claim 6 , wherein the compression format is optimized for the end device.

9. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , wherein scheduling of the multimedia data download is made to minimize data charges.

10. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , wherein a docking station provides an interface to the Internet.

11. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , wherein the second communication link is a mobile WiFi (MiFi) link.

12. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , further comprising an HDMI configured to establish a wired communication link between the mobile hub device and a television.

13. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , further comprising a battery configured to provide electrical power to the mobile hub device, wherein the battery is recharged when the mobile hub device is docked into a docking station.

14. The mobile hub device of claim 1 , wherein the scheduling of the multimedia data download is made during low network utilization.

15. A mobile hub device configured to access a local area network via a docking station, the mobile hub device comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive and transmit digital multimedia data over a wireless communication link;

a storage device configured to store the multimedia data; and

a processor operably coupled to the storage device, the processor configured to:

identify a content provider which permits the mobile hub device to download hosted multimedia data via the docking station;

identify one or more external devices permitted to receive the multimedia data from the mobile hub device via the docking station;

schedule transmission of the multimedia data from the content provider to the mobile hub device via the docking station; and

schedule transmission of the multimedia data form the mobile hub device to the external devices via the docking station.

16. The mobile hub device of claim 15 , further comprising WIFI interface used to transfer the multimedia data between the mobile hub device and the docking station.

17. The mobile hub device of claim 15 , further comprising a universal serial bus (USB) configured to transfer the multimedia data between the mobile hub device and the docking station.

18. The mobile hub device of claim 15 , further comprising a battery configured to provide electrical power to the mobile hub device, wherein the battery is recharged when the mobile hub device is docket into the docking station.

19. The mobile hub device of claim 15 , wherein the docking station connects the mobile hub device to the Internet.

20. The mobile hub device of claim 15 , wherein the docking station establishes a MiFi link with the mobile hub device.

21. A method for downloading digital multimedia data by a mobile hub device, the method comprising:

establishing by the mobile hub device a communication link with a docking station;

identifying by the mobile hub a content service provider which permits the mobile hub device to download multimedia data hosted by the content provider;

establishing by the mobile hub device a communication link with the content service provider via the docking station, wherein the docking station is connected to the content service provider via a communication network;

authenticating by the mobile hub device, wherein the authentication establishes that the mobile hub device is permitted to receive content hosted by the content service provider;

transmitting by the mobile hub device a request to download content hosted by the content service provider, the request identifying the content;

receiving by the mobile hub device the content; and

identifying by the mobile hub device one or more external devices permitted to receive the multimedia data from the mobile hub device.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising storing the content in a memory.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising establishing a wireless communication link between the docking station and the mobile hub device.

24. The method of claim 21 , further comprising establishing a wired communication link between the docking station and the mobile hub device with a universal serial bus (USB).

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the docking station provides an interface to the Internet.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein the communication link is a mobile WiFi (MiFi) link.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is configured to establish a wired communication link between the mobile hub device and a television.

28. The method of claim 21 , wherein the mobile hub device is recharged when it is docked into the docking station.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for downloading digital multimedia data by a mobile hub device, wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed cause the mobile hub device to:

establish a communication link with a docking station;

identify a content service provider which permits the mobile hub device to download multimedia data hosted by the content provider;

establish a communication link with the content service provider via the docking station, wherein the docking station is connected to the content service provider via a communication network;

authenticate the mobile hub device, wherein the authentication establishes that the mobile hub device is permitted to receive content hosted by the content service provider;

transmit a request to download content hosted by the content service provider, the request identifying the content;

receive via the docking station the content; and

identify one or more external devices permitted to receive the multimedia data from the mobile hub device.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the received content is stored in a memory.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the docking station provides the mobile hub device an interface to a local area network (LAN).

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the docking station provides the mobile hub device an interface to the Internet.

Assignments (9)