Systems and methods for determining user position via wireless signal characteristics

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for presenting a television program to a viewer using a mobile television receiver. The television program is received at the mobile television receiver via a first signal transmitted by a signal source having a limited range. It is determined whether the mobile receiver will exit the limited range of the signal source and, before the mobile receiver exits the limited range of the signal source, an action is facilitated to allow the viewer to continue to view the television program. Actions that may be facilitated include tuning to an alternate source of the television program, obtaining a placeshifted media stream of the television program, recording the television program on a remote video recorder, or simply notifying the viewer that he or she is about to exit the limited range of the signal source.

1 . A method of presenting a television program to a viewer using a mobile television receiver, the method comprising:
 receiving the television program at the mobile television receiver via a first signal transmitted by a signal source having a limited range;   determining whether the mobile receiver will exit the limited range of the signal source; and   facilitating an action to allow the viewer to continue to view the television program prior to the mobile receiver exiting the limited range of the signal source.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining comprises extracting a first location indicator from the first signal. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 receiving a second signal from a second signal source and a third signal from a third signal source;   extracting a second location indicator from the second signal and a third location indicator from the third signal; and   establishing a position of the mobile receiver based upon the first, second and third location indicators.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the determining comprises comparing the position of the mobile receiver to information contained within a database in the mobile receiver. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining comprises determining a first received signal strength of the first signal. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 receiving a second signal from a second signal source and a third signal from a third signal source;   determining a second and a third received signal strength of the second and third signals, respectively; and   establishing a position of the mobile receiver based upon the first, second and third received signal strengths.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 computing a movement vector for the mobile receiver based upon the position of the mobile receiver; and   tuning the mobile receiver to a selected one of the first, second and third signals based upon the movement vector.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the action comprises switching to an alternate signal source for the television program. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising identifying the alternate signal source from a plurality of potential sources. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the plurality of potential sources comprises a satellite source and a broadcast source. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of potential sources comprises a 700 MHz broadcast source. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the action comprises notifying the viewer that the mobile receiver is exiting the limited range of the signal source. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the action comprises directing a remotely-located video recorder to record at least a portion of the television program. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the action comprises receiving the television program from a remotely-located placeshifting device. 
   
   
       15 . A mobile system for presenting a television program to a viewer on a display, the mobile system comprising:
 a first programming interface configured to receive the television program via a first signal transmitted by a signal source having a limited range;   a display interface configured to present the television program to the viewer on the display; and   a controller coupled to the first programming interface and to the display interface, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the mobile system will exit the limited range of the signal source and to facilitate an action to allow the viewer to continue to view the television program prior to the mobile system exiting the limited range of the signal source.   
   
   
       16 . The mobile system of  claim 15  further comprising a second programming interface, and wherein the controller is further configured to obtain the television program via the second programming interface when the mobile system exits the limited range of the signal source. 
   
   
       17 . The mobile system of  claim 16  wherein the signal source is a terrestrial broadcast source and the second interface is a satellite interface. 
   
   
       18 . The mobile system of  claim 15  further comprising a network interface coupled to the controller, and wherein the controller is further configured to transmit an instruction to record the at least a portion of the television program to a remotely-located video recorder via the network interface. 
   
   
       19 . The mobile system of  claim 15  further comprising a network interface coupled to the controller, and wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a request for the television program to a remotely-located placeshifting device and to receive a media stream of the television program via the network interface. 
   
   
       20 . The mobile system of  claim 15  wherein the action comprises notifying the viewer that the mobile receiver is exiting the limited range of the signal source. 
   
   
       21 . The mobile system of  claim 15  further comprising a database, and wherein the controller is further configured to compare a position of the mobile receiver determined from information contained in the first signal to information contained within a database. 
   
   
       22 . The mobile system of  claim 15  further comprising a database, and wherein the controller is further configured to compare a position of the mobile receiver determined from a received signal strength of the first signal to information contained within a database. 
   
   
       23 . A mobile system for presenting a television program to a viewer on a display, the mobile system comprising:
 a programming interface configured to receive first, second and third signals transmitted by a first, a second and a third terrestrial broadcast source, respectively, each of the first, second and third signals having a limited range;   a display interface configured to present the television program to the viewer on the display;   a network interface configured to transmit and receive information on a digital network; and   a controller coupled to the first programming interface, the display interface and the network interface, wherein the controller is configured to determine a location of the mobile system based upon the first, second and third signals, to select a best source for the television program from the first, second and third signals, to determine whether the mobile system will exit the limited range of the terrestrial broadcast source selected as the best source for the television program, and to facilitate an action to allow the viewer to continue to view the television program prior to the mobile system exiting the limited range of the signal source, wherein the action is selected from changing the programming interface to receive the television program from another of the first, second and third signals, notifying the viewer that the mobile system is about to exit the limited range of the terrestrial broadcast source, and directing a remotely-located video recorder via the network interface to record at least a portion of the television program.