Methods for switching between a MBMS download and an HTPP-based delivery of DASH formatted content over an IMS network

1. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions tangibly embodied thereon for switching from a packet-switched streaming service (PSS) download to a multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) download, the instructions being executed by one or more processors to perform the following:

receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) re-invitation at a service control function (SCF) module from a user equipment (UE), the SIP re-invitation including the MBMS download that is chosen by the UE;

sending a SIP BYE message from the SCF module to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)/SIP adapter in order to terminate the PSS download at the UE, the PSS download comprising dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) (DASH) content, wherein user rights for the MBMS download are verified at the SCF module before sending the SIP BYE message to terminate the PSS download from the SCF module to the HTTP/SIP adapter;

receiving a SIP acknowledgement at the SCF module from the HTTP/SIP adapter indicating that an HTTP server has terminated the PSS download for the UE; and

forwarding the SIP acknowledgement from the SCF module to the UE, the SIP acknowledgement causing the UE to initiate the MBMS download, the MBMS download comprising DASH content, thereby causing the UE to switch from the PSS download of DASH content to the MBMS download of DASH content.

2. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the SIP re-invitation is received at the SCF module from the UE via an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) core network (IM CN) subsystem.

3. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the SIP acknowledgement is forwarded from the SCF module to the UE via an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) core network (IM CN) subsystem.

4. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the SIP acknowledgement includes a session description protocol (SDP) answer that, when received at the UE, initiates the MBMS download at the UE.

5. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the SIP re-invitation includes a session description protocol (SDP) offer that includes information that describes the MBMS download.

6. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the SIP re-invitation includes a SIP Re-INVITE message.

7. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the SIP acknowledgement includes a SIP 200 OK message.

8. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the MBMS download operates using a file delivery over unidirectional transport (FLUTE) protocol, and the PSS download operates using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

9. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the SCF module is included in an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS).

10. A service control function (SCF) in an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS), the SCF comprising one or more processors and memory configured to:

receive a session initiation protocol (SIP) re-invitation at a service control function (SCF) module from a user equipment (UE), the SIP re-invitation including a multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) download that is chosen by the UE;

send a SIP BYE message from the SCF module to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)/SIP adapter in order to terminate a packet-switched streaming service (PSS) download at the UE, the PSS download comprising dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) (DASH) content, wherein user rights for the MBMS download are verified at the SCF module before sending the SIP BYE message to terminate the PSS download from the SCF module to the HTTP/SIP adapter;

receive a SIP acknowledgement at the SCF module from the HTTP/SIP adapter indicating that an HTTP server has terminated the PSS download for the UE; and

forward the SIP acknowledgement from the SCF module to the UE, the SIP acknowledgement causing the UE to initiate the MBMS download, the MBMS download comprising DASH content, thereby causing the UE to switch from the PSS download of DASH content to the MBMS download of DASH content.

11. The SCF of claim 10 , wherein the MBMS download operates using a file delivery over unidirectional transport (FLUTE) protocol, and the PSS download operates using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).

12. A user equipment (UE) operable to switch between a packet-switched streaming service (PSS) download session and a multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) download session, the UE having one or more processors and memory configured to:

send a session initiation protocol (SIP) re-invitation to a service control function (SCF) module during the PSS download session, wherein the SIP re-invitation includes a request uniform resource identifier (URI) for an MBMS download servicosession, wherein the SCF module is configured to send a SIP BYE message to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)/SIP adapter in order to terminate the PSS download session at the UE, wherein user rights for the MBMS download session are verified at the SCF module before the SIP BYE message to terminate the PSS download session is sent from the SCF module to the HTTP/SIP adapter, and the PSS download session includes downloading dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) (DASH) content;

receive a SIP acknowledgement from the SCF module, wherein the SCF module is configured to receive the SIP acknowledgement from the HTTP/SIP adapter indicating that an HTTP server has terminated the PSS download session for the UE; and

switch from the PSS download session to the MBMS download session at the UE in response to the SIP acknowledgement being received at the UE, wherein the MBMS download session includes downloading DASH content, thereby causing the UE to switch from the PSS download session of DASH content to the MBMS download session of DASH content.

13. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors and memory are further configured to:

send the SIP re-invitation to the SCF module via an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) core network (IM CN) subsystem; and

receive the SIP acknowledgement from the SCF module via the IM CN subsystem.

14. The UE of claim 12 , wherein:

the SIP re-invitation includes a session description protocol (SDP) offer that includes information that describes the MBMS download session; and

the SIP acknowledgement includes a session description protocol (SDP) answer that, when received at the UE, initiates the MBMS download session at the UE.

15. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the SIP re-invitation includes a SIP Re-INVITE message and the SIP acknowledgement includes a SIP 200 OK message.

16. The UE of claim 12 , wherein the MBMS download session operates using a file delivery over unidirectional transport (FLUTE) protocol, and the PSS download session operates using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).