Link aware mobile data network

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described for communicating data from multiple data terminals to an aggregator terminal over a communication link having changing link conditions. In some embodiments, source data is received at multiple data terminals, each in communication with an aggregator terminal over a communication link. For example, during a live newscast, one mobile camera may receive live video of an event from a first position while another mobile camera receives live video of the event from a second position. For various reasons (e.g., as the cameras move) each communication link may experience independently changing link conditions. Each data terminal encodes the source data (or store source data for later encoding) as a function of its respective link conditions, and transmits encoded source data over its respective communication link to the aggregator terminal.

1 . A link-aware data system for communicating data between multiple data terminals and an aggregator terminal over communication links with changing link conditions, the system comprising:
 an aggregator unit, adapted to receive data over a plurality of communication links and aggregate the data into an aggregate dataset; and   a plurality of data terminals, each communicatively coupled with the aggregator unit via at least one of the plurality of communication links, and comprising:
 a receiver unit adapted to receive source data from a data source; 
 a link awareness unit adapted to generate a link condition defining a condition of the at least one of the plurality of communication links; 
 an adaptive coder unit, communicatively coupled with the receiver unit and the link awareness unit, and adapted to encode the source data into an encoded data signal as a function of the link condition; and 
 a transceiver unit, communicatively coupled with the adaptive coder unit, and adapted to transmit the encoded data signal over the at least one of the plurality of communication links, 
   wherein the aggregator unit is adapted to receive data by receiving the encoded data signal over the at least one of the plurality of communication links.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregator unit is further adapted to affect operation of at least some of the plurality of data terminals by transmitting a control signal to the at least some of the plurality of data terminals over at least one of the plurality of communication links. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of data terminals is adapted to receive the source data from the data source as a function of the control signal. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of data terminals is adapted to encode aggregator unit is further adapted to encode the source data into an encoded data signal as a function of the control signal. 
   
   
       5 . A method for receiving source data and transmitting the source data over a communication link having changing link conditions, the method comprising:
 storing at least a portion of the source data as a first representation dataset representing the source data;   pre-coding at least a portion of the source data using a first pre-coding scheme to generate a second representation dataset, decodable to provide a set of first-level playback data representing the source data, the second representation dataset being different from the first representation dataset;   generating a link condition defining a condition of the communication link;   encoding the second representation dataset into an encoded data signal as a function of the link condition; and   transmitting the encoded data signal over the communication link.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 pre-coding at least a portion of the source data using a second pre-coding scheme to generate a set of representation data, decodable in combination with the second representation dataset to provide a set of second-level playback data representing the set of source data.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 pre-coding at least a portion of the first representation dataset using a second pre-coding scheme to generate a set of representation data, decodable in combination with the second representation dataset to provide a set of second-level playback data representing the set of source data.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein transmitting the encoded data signal comprises:
 transmitting the first representation dataset over the communication link when the link condition substantially matches a first link condition profile; and   transmit the second representation dataset over the communication link when the link condition substantially matches a second link condition profile.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 encoding the second representation dataset into an encoded data signal comprises associating the second representation dataset with a coding and modulation scheme determined as a function of the link condition, and   transmitting the encoded data signal comprises transmitting the encoded data signal according to the coding and modulation scheme.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 testing the condition of the communication link to make a link condition determination,   wherein generating the link condition comprises generating the link condition as a function of the link condition determination.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving a command signal over the communication link from an aggregator system; and   adjusting, as a function of the control signal, at least one of the receiving step, the pre-coding step, the generating step, the encoding step, or the transmitting step.   
   
   
       12 . A link-aware data system for receiving source data and transmitting the source data over a communication link having changing link conditions, the system comprising:
 a receiver unit adapted to receive the source data from a data source;   a link awareness unit adapted to generate a link condition defining a condition of the communication link;   an adaptive coder unit, communicatively coupled with the receiver unit and the link awareness unit, and adapted to encode the source data into an encoded data signal as a function of the link condition; and   a transceiver unit, communicatively coupled with the adaptive coder unit, and adapted to transmit the encoded data signal over the communication link.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a buffer unit, communicatively coupled with the adaptive coder unit, and adapted to store a first representation dataset representing the source data,   wherein the adaptive coder unit is further adapted to pre-code at least a portion of the source data using a first pre-coding scheme to generate a second representation dataset, decodable to provide a set of first-level playback data representing the source data, the second representation dataset being different from the first representation dataset.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first representation dataset comprises at least a portion of the source data.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the adaptive coder unit is further adapted to pre-code at least a portion of the source data using a second pre-coding scheme to generate a set of representation data, decodable in combination with the second representation dataset to provide a set of second-level playback data representing the set of source data,   wherein the first representation dataset comprises the set of representation data.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the first-level playback data provides a lower resolution representation of the source data than the second-level playback data.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the adaptive coder unit is further adapted to:
 receive a portion of the representation dataset from the buffer; and 
 pre-code the portion of the representation dataset using a third pre-coding scheme to regenerate the second representation dataset. 
   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the transceiver unit is further communicatively coupled with the buffer unit and is further adapted to:
 transmit the first representation dataset over the communication link when the link condition substantially matches a first link condition profile; and 
 transmit the second representation dataset over the communication link when the link condition substantially matches a second link condition profile. 
   
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the adaptive coder unit is further adapted to associate the first representation dataset with a first coding and modulation scheme and to associate the second representation dataset with a second coding and modulation scheme, wherein the first coding and modulation scheme is of a higher order than the second coding and modulation scheme, and   wherein the transceiver unit is further adapted to:   transmit the first set of representation data over the communication link using the first coding and modulation scheme; and   transmit the second set of representation data over the communication link using the second coding and modulation scheme.   
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the adaptive coder unit is further adapted to determine at least one of the first coding and modulation scheme or the second coding and modulation scheme as a function of the link condition.   
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the link awareness unit is communicatively coupled with the communication link and is further adapted to generate the link condition by testing a present condition of the communication link.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the link awareness unit is adapted to generate the link condition as a function of at least one of a signal-to-noise ratio of the communication link, a bandwidth of the communication link, or a priority rating for the source data.   
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the transceiver unit is adapted to transmit the encoded data signal over the communication link to an aggregator system having data aggregation capabilities, and   the link condition relates at least in part to the data aggregating capabilities.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the transceiver unit is adapted to transmit the encoded data signal over the communication link to an aggregator system and to receive a command signal from the aggregator system, and   wherein the link awareness unit is adapted to generate the link condition as a function of the command signal.   
   
   
       25 . A method for adaptively aggregating data received over communication links having changing link conditions, the method comprising:
 receiving a first encoded data signal from a first data system over a first communication link, the first encoded data signal being encoded by the first data system using a first encoding scheme as a function of a first link condition defining a condition of the first communication link;   receiving a second encoded data signal;   aggregating at least a portion of the first encoded data signal and at least a portion of the second encoded data signal to generate an aggregate dataset;   analyzing the aggregate dataset to make a data deficiency determination;   generating a control signal as a function of the data deficiency determination; and   transmitting the control signal to the first data system, the control signal being adapted to affect operation of the first data system.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein receiving a second encoded data signal comprises:
 receiving a second encoded data signal from a second data system over a second communication link, the second encoded data signal being encoded by the second data system using a second encoding scheme as a function of a second link condition defining a condition of the second communication link.   
   
   
       27 . A system for adaptively aggregating data from a plurality of remote data terminals over communication links having changing link conditions, the system comprising:
 a first receiver unit, adapted to receive a first encoded data signal from a first data system over a first communication link, the first encoded data signal being encoded by the first data system using a first encoding scheme as a function of a first link condition defining a condition of the first communication link;   a second receiver unit, adapted to receive a second encoded data signal from a second data system over a second communication link, the second encoded data signal being encoded by the second data system using a second encoding scheme as a function of a second link condition defining a condition of the second communication link; and   an analyzer unit, communicatively coupled with the first receiver unit and the second receiver unit, and adapted to generate an aggregate dataset as a function of data from the first encoded data signal and data from the second encoded data signal.   
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a central control unit adapted to transmit a control signal to the first data system, the control signal being adapted to at least partially control operation of the first data system.   
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the central control unit is communicatively coupled with the analyzer unit;   the central control unit receives a data request relating to a data deficiency in the aggregate dataset; and   the control signal is adapted to at least partially control operation of the first data system as a function of the data request.   
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the analyzer unit is further adapted to:   analyze the aggregate dataset to make a data deficiency determination; and   generate the data request as a function of the data deficiency determination.   
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 a link awareness unit, adapted to generate a link condition defining a condition of the first communication link,   wherein the central control unit is communicatively coupled with the link awareness unit, and   wherein the control signal is adapted to at least partially control operation of the first data system as a function of the link condition.   
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 an output unit, communicatively coupled with the analyzer unit, and adapted to transmit the aggregate dataset to at least one of a data store, a data processing unit, or a network.   
   
   
       33 . A computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for directing operation of a link-aware data terminal, the computer-readable program including instructions for receiving source data and transmitting the source data over a communication link having changing link conditions in accordance with the following:
 storing at least a portion of the source data as a first representation dataset representing the source data;   pre-coding at least a portion of the source data using a first pre-coding scheme to generate a second representation dataset, decodable to provide a set of first-level playback data representing the source data, the second representation dataset being different from the first representation dataset;   generating a link condition defining a condition of the communication link;   encoding the second representation dataset into an encoded data signal as a function of the link condition; and   transmitting the encoded data signal over the communication link.   
   
   
       34 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 33 , wherein the instructions are further in accordance with:
 receiving the source data comprises receiving the source data from a data source using a receiver unit,   wherein storing comprises storing in a data store and transmitting comprises transmitting over the communication link using a communication link interface unit.   
   
   
       35 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 33 , wherein the instructions are further in accordance with:
 pre-coding at least a portion of either or both of the source data or the first representation dataset using a second pre-coding scheme to generate a set of representation data, decodable in combination with the second representation dataset to provide a set of second-level playback data representing the set of source data.   
   
   
       36 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 35 , wherein transmitting the encoded data signal comprises:
 transmitting the first representation dataset over the communication link when the link condition substantially matches a first link condition profile; and   transmit the second representation dataset over the communication link when the link condition substantially matches a second link condition profile.