Content streaming apparatus for transferring a streaming session to another apparatus

1. A content streaming apparatus comprising:

an input for receiving an input signal;

a wireless controller configured to communicate via wireless with a client device, and receive from the client device a streaming session request for streaming of requested content;

a plurality of tuners, each of which is configured to selectively tune to a portion of the input signal;

a tuner controller configured to select an unused one of the tuners, and tune the selected tuner to receive the requested content from the input signal;

a controller configured to establish a streaming session with the client device via the wireless controller, and send the requested content to the client device in the streaming session;

network connection circuitry;

a gateway streaming manager configured to:

determine whether the client device has roamed out of a wireless zone of the content streaming apparatus into a wireless zone of another content streaming apparatus,

when the client device has roamed out the wireless zone of the content streaming apparatus, send a tuner reservation instruction via the network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus to instruct the other content streaming apparatus to reserve a tuner of the other content streaming apparatus, and receive a tuner reservation confirmation from the other content streaming apparatus;

send an alternate streaming notification to the client device when the tuner reservation confirmation is received,

receive an alternate streaming acceptance from the client device, and

end the streaming session between the content streaming apparatus and the client device when the alternate streaming acceptance is received.

2. The content streaming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the gateway streaming manager is further configured to:

send, via the network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner of the other content streaming apparatus to receive the requested content; and

send a session instruction, via the network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus, instructing the other content streaming apparatus to send the requested content to the client device in a streaming session between the client device and the other streaming apparatus.

3. The content streaming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the content streaming apparatus is not designated as a streaming manager, the controller is configured to:

receive, from a designated-manager apparatus via the network connection circuitry, a tuner reservation instruction;

instruct the tuner controller to reserve an unused one of the tuners in response to the tuner reservation instruction; and

send a tuner reservation confirmation to the designated-manager apparatus; and

wherein the tuner controller is configured to determine if there is an unused tuner available in response to the tuner reservation instruction, and if so to indicate to the controller that a tuner is available.

4. The content streaming apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive, from the designated-manager apparatus via the network connection circuitry, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

instruct the tuner controller to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

wherein the tuner controller is configured to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a session instruction via the network connection circuitry from the designated-manager apparatus; and

in response to the session instruction, send the requested content in a streaming session to the client device that requested the content.

5. The content streaming apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive, from the client device that requested the content, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

instruct the tuner controller to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

wherein the tuner controller is configured to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive a session instruction from the client device that requested the content; and

in response to the session instruction, send the requested content in a streaming session to the client device that requested the content.

6. A content streaming method for use with a content streaming apparatus, said method comprising:

receiving an input signal;

communicating via a wireless controller with a client device, and receiving from the client device a streaming session request for streaming of requested content;

controlling, with a tuner controller, a plurality of tuners so as to select an unused one of the tuners and tune the selected tuner to receive the requested content from the input signal;

establishing, with a controller, a streaming session with the client device via the wireless controller, and sending the requested content to the client device in the streaming session;

determining, with a gateway streaming manager, whether the client device has roamed out of a wireless zone of the content streaming apparatus into a wireless zone of another content streaming apparatus,

when the client device has roamed out the wireless zone of the content streaming apparatus, sending a tuner reservation instruction via network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus to instruct the other content streaming apparatus to reserve a tuner of the other content streaming apparatus, and receiving a tuner reservation confirmation from the other content streaming apparatus;

sending an alternate streaming notification to the client device when the tuner reservation confirmation is received,

receiving an alternate streaming acceptance from the client device, and

ending the streaming session between the content streaming apparatus and the client device when the alternate streaming acceptance is received.

7. The content streaming method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

sending, via the network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner of the other content streaming apparatus to receive the requested content; and

sending a session instruction, via the network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus, instructing the other content streaming apparatus to send the requested content to the client device in a streaming session between the client device and the other streaming apparatus.

8. The content streaming method according to claim 6 , further comprising, when the content streaming apparatus is not designated as a streaming manager:

receiving, from a designated-manager apparatus via the network connection circuitry, a tuner reservation instruction;

instructing the tuner controller to reserve an unused one of the tuners in response to the tuner reservation instruction; and

sending a tuner reservation confirmation to the designated-manager apparatus; and

determining, with the tuner controller, if there is an unused tuner available in response to the tuner reservation instruction, and if so to indicating to the controller that a tuner is available.

9. The content streaming method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, from the designated-manager apparatus via the network connection circuitry, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

instructing the tuner controller to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

tuning, with the tuner controller, the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

receiving a session instruction via the network connection circuitry from the designated-manager apparatus; and

in response to the session instruction, sending the requested content in a streaming session to the client device that requested the content.

10. The content streaming method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, from the client device that requested the content, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

instructing the tuner controller to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

tuning, with the tuner controller, the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

receiving a session instruction from the client device that requested the content; and

in response to the session instruction, sending the requested content in a streaming session to the client device that requested the content.

11. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having stored thereon a program for causing a computer to implement a content streaming method for use with a content streaming apparatus, said method comprising:

receiving an input signal;

communicating via a wireless controller with a client device, and receiving from the client device a streaming session request for streaming of requested content;

controlling, with a tuner controller, a plurality of tuners so as to select an unused one of the tuners and tune the selected tuner to receive the requested content from the input signal;

establishing, with a controller, a streaming session with the client device via the wireless controller, and sending the requested content to the client device in the streaming session;

determining, with a gateway streaming manager, whether the client device has roamed out of a wireless zone of the content streaming apparatus into a wireless zone of another content streaming apparatus,

when the client device has roamed out the wireless zone of the content streaming apparatus, sending a tuner reservation instruction via network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus to instruct the other content streaming apparatus to reserve a tuner of the other content streaming apparatus, and receiving a tuner reservation confirmation from the other content streaming apparatus;

sending an alternate streaming notification to the client device when the tuner reservation confirmation is received,

receiving an alternate streaming acceptance from the client device, and

ending the streaming session between the content streaming apparatus and the client device when the alternate streaming acceptance is received.

12. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

sending, via the network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner of the other content streaming apparatus to receive the requested content; and

sending a session instruction, via the network connection circuitry to the other content streaming apparatus, instructing the other content streaming apparatus to send the requested content to the client device in a streaming session between the client device and the other streaming apparatus.

13. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises, when the content streaming apparatus is not designated as a streaming manager:

receiving, from a designated-manager apparatus via the network connection circuitry, a tuner reservation instruction;

instructing the tuner controller to reserve an unused one of the tuners in response to the tuner reservation instruction; and

sending a tuner reservation confirmation to the designated-manager apparatus; and

determining, with the tuner controller, if there is an unused tuner available in response to the tuner reservation instruction, and if so to indicating to the controller that a tuner is available.

14. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the designated-manager apparatus via the network connection circuitry, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

instructing the tuner controller to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

tuning, with the tuner controller, the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

receiving a session instruction via the network connection circuitry from the designated-manager apparatus; and

in response to the session instruction, sending the requested content in a streaming session to the client device that requested the content.

15. The non-transitory computer readable recording medium according to claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the client device that requested the content, requested content identification information and an instruction to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content; and

instructing the tuner controller to tune the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

tuning, with the tuner controller, the reserved tuner to receive the requested content;

receiving a session instruction from the client device that requested the content; and

in response to the session instruction, sending the requested content in a streaming session to the client device that requested the content.