IP Library Granted Patent US 11,729,702
Granted Patent B2
US 11,729,702 · App. 17/303,580 · Granted Aug 15, 2023

Indicating support for a broadcast service

Inventors: Stephen McCann (Southampton, GB); Michael Peter Montemurro (Toronto, CA); James Randolph Winter Lepp (Ottawa, CA)
Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited
H04W48/10H04W48/14H04W48/16H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,729,702
App. No.
17/303,580
Granted
Aug 15, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A source wireless device sends an indication of support for one or more broadcast services that broadcasts information over a wireless local area network (WLAN). The source wireless device determines, based on one or more factors, whether to use a broadcast stream of a broadcast service or a unicast stream to deliver information to one or more receiving wireless devices.

Claims (43)

1. A method comprising:

sending, by a source wireless device, an indication of support for one or more broadcast services that broadcast information over a wireless local area network (WLAN);

receiving, by the source wireless device from a requesting device, a request for information about a broadcast service;

in response to the request, sending, by the source wireless device, information relating to a broadcast stream of the broadcast service, wherein the information relating to the broadcast stream comprises information of a time of availability of the broadcast stream;

receiving, by the source wireless device from the requesting device, a trigger indication to start the broadcast stream;

in response to the trigger indication, determining, by the source wireless device based on one or more factors, whether to use the broadcast stream of the broadcast service or a unicast stream to deliver information of the broadcast service to one or more receiving wireless devices; and

in response to the trigger indication and a determination to use the broadcast stream of the broadcast service to deliver the information of the broadcast service, start the broadcast service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the broadcast stream further comprises one or more selected from among information of a channel, a sub-channel or a sub-carrier of the broadcast stream, information of a location of the broadcast stream, and security information relating to the broadcast stream.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the source wireless device from the requesting device, an identifier of the broadcast stream of a plurality of broadcast streams,

wherein the starting of the broadcast service comprises transmitting the broadcast stream responsive to the identifier.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the source wireless device from a receiving wireless device, a stop indication to stop the broadcast service; and

in response to the stop indication, determining, by the source wireless device, whether to stop the broadcast service.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining of whether to stop the broadcast service is based on a number of zero or more receiving wireless devices receiving any broadcast stream of the broadcast service.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, by the source wireless device, time information relating to a time duration of transmission of the broadcast service.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving, by the source wireless device from a receiving wireless device, an indication to continue transmission of the broadcast service past the time duration.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more factors comprise a quantity of receiving wireless devices in a range of the source wireless device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more factors comprise a quantity of receiving wireless devices that have requested the broadcast service.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more factors comprise a capability of a communication backhaul link of the source wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more broadcast services perform multicasting of information.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending of the indication comprises sending the indication in a beacon.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending of the indication comprises sending the indication in a response to a request received by the source wireless device from another device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the response comprises a Probe response or an Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) response.

15. A source wireless device comprising:

a wireless interface to communicate over a wireless local area network (WLAN); and

at least one processor configured to:

send an indication of support for a broadcast service that broadcasts information over the WLAN,

receive, at the source wireless device from a requesting device, a request for information about the broadcast service,

in response to the request, send, from the source wireless device, information relating to a broadcast stream of the broadcast service, wherein the information relating to the broadcast stream comprises information of a time of availability of the broadcast stream,

receive, at the source wireless device from the requesting device, a trigger indication to start the broadcast stream,

in response to the trigger indication, determine, based on one or more factors, whether to use the broadcast stream of the broadcast service or a unicast stream to deliver information of the broadcast service to one or more receiving wireless devices, and

in response to the trigger indication and a determination to use the broadcast stream of the broadcast service to deliver the information of the broadcast service, start the broadcast service.

16. The source wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more factors are selected from among a quantity of receiving wireless devices in a range of the source wireless device, a quantity of receiving wireless devices that have requested the broadcast service, and a capability of a communication backhaul link of the source wireless device.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that upon execution cause at least one processor of a source wireless device to:

send an indication of support for a broadcast service that broadcasts information over a wireless local area network (WLAN);

receive, at the source wireless device from a requesting device, a request for information about the broadcast service;

in response to the request, send, from the source wireless device, information relating to a broadcast stream of the broadcast service, wherein the information relating to the broadcast stream comprises information of a time of availability of the broadcast stream;

receive, at the source wireless device from the requesting device, a trigger indication to start the broadcast stream;

in response to the trigger indication, determine, based on one or more factors, whether to use the broadcast stream of the broadcast service or a unicast stream to deliver information of the broadcast service to one or more receiving wireless devices; and

in response to the trigger indication and a determination to use the broadcast stream of the broadcast service to deliver the information of the broadcast service, start the broadcast service.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 064007/0061 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064015/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 063269/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2021
From: MONTEMURRO, MICHAEL PETER; LEPP, JAMES RANDOLPH WINTER
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 056423/0971 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2021
From: MCCANN, STEPHEN
To: BLACKBERRY UK LIMITED
Reel/Frame 056424/0006 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2021
From: BLACKBERRY UK LIMITED
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 056424/0016 →
Continuity (2)
Division 16124847 · Sep 7, 2018
Related Publication 20210289424A1 · Sep 16, 2021