Handling Large Volumes of Internet Live Unicast Content Streams

Abstract

To reduce overloading of broadband networks, unicast streams containing the same live Internet content can be identified. Then unicast streams may be combined into a multicast stream.

1 . A method comprising:
 detecting a plurality of live Internet unicast content streams;   determining that the streams include the same unicast; and   converting at least two of said unicast streams into one multicast stream; and   commanding a protocol stack of a mobile station to join a multicast stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  including analyzing said streams at a streaming gateway. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  including analyzing said streams in a wireless operator's core network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  including notifying a base station coupled to a mobile station which is the addressee of a unicast of the conversion to a multicast stream. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  including terminating the unicast streams after they have been converted to a multicast stream. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus comprising:
 a controller to detect a plurality of live Internet unicast streams, determine that the streams have the same content and convert the streams to one multicast stream; and   a storage coupled to said controller; and   said controller to command a mobile station protocol stack to join a multicast stream.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  that is part of a wireless operator's core network. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said controller is part of a streaming gateway. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said controller is at an edge of a wireless operator's core network. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , said controller to terminate the unicast streams after conversion to a multicast stream. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , including an antenna. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 a controller to register a Internet streaming unicast flow, join a multicast stream with the same content as said unicast stream, and terminate the unicast stream;   a wireless interface coupled to said controller; and   a storage coupled to said controller; and   a protocol stack to receive said message.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said apparatus is a mobile station. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said apparatus is a smartphone. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14  including a display. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  including an antenna. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14  to join a multicast stream in response to a message from a streaming gateway. 
     
     
         20 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . At least one computer readable medium storing instructions to enable a mobile station to:
 register for a unicast flow;   receive a notice of conversion of said flow to a multicast;   command a protocol stack to join the multicast stream; and   when said multicast stream is detected, terminate said unicast flow.   
     
     
         27 . The medium of  claim 26  further storing instructions to receive the notification via middleware in said mobile station. 
     
     
         28 . The medium of  claim 26  further storing instructions to drop the unicast flow when the mobile station starts to retrieve content from the multicast. 
     
     
         29 . A wireless operator's core network comprising:
 a streaming gateway to detect a plurality of live Internet unicast streams, determine that the streams have the same content and convert the streams to one multicast stream; and   an access network gateway coupled to said streaming gateway.   
     
     
         30 . The network of  claim 29 , said network to terminate the unicast streams after conversion to a multicast stream.