Method and system for content-aware mapping/error protection using different spatial streams

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for content-aware mapping/error protection using different spatial streams are presented. Aspects of a system for handling multimedia information in a communication system may include a transmitter that enables control of a MAC layer and/or a PHY layer, in a wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate different portions of multimedia information via different spatial streams based on content of the multimedia information. The system may also comprise a processor that enables definition of a plurality of priority classes based on the content associated with at least a portion of the multimedia information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication device that wirelessly communicates a multimedia element using a plurality of antennas to a single recipient device, the communication device comprising:
 a processor configured to generate first data and second data from the multimedia element based on an importance level characteristics relating to differing portions of the multimedia element; and   a transmitter block configured to simultaneously communicate both the first data and the second data via the plurality of antennas to the single recipient device, the first data being communicated via a first transmission output and the second data being communicated via a second transmission output, at least one of the first transmission output and the second transmission output comprising a beam formed output.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the multimedia element comprises streamed multimedia content. 
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the importance level characteristics comprise a plurality of priority classes. 
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the first transmission output and the second transmission output comprise differing Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) spatial streams. 
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the first transmission output comprises I-frames and the second transmission output comprises P-frames. 
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the first transmission output is transmitted from at least one first antenna and the second transmission output is transmitted from at least one differing second antenna. 
     
     
         7 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein the first transmission output comprises first coding parameters and the second transmission output comprises second coding parameters that differ from the first coding parameters. 
     
     
         8 . A communication device that wirelessly communicates a single data element to a single recipient device, the communication device comprising:
 a processor configured to analyze at least one characteristic associated with the single data element to generate from the single data element a plurality of independent bit streams, each of the plurality of independent bit streams having an assigned one of at least two priority levels; and   a transmitter block configured to simultaneously and independently communicate the plurality of bit streams using at least a first RF output and a second RF output, at least one of the first RF output and the second RF output comprises a beamformed output, the first RF output and the second RF output differ in at least one communication pathway characteristic, and the first RF output and the second RF output being communicated for receipt by the single recipient device for reconstruction into the single data element.   
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the single data element comprises multimedia content. 
     
     
         10 . The communication device of  claim 9 , wherein the single data element comprises streamed multimedia content. 
     
     
         11 . The communication device of  claim 10 , wherein the first RF output comprises I-frames and the second RF output comprises P-frames. 
     
     
         12 . The communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the first RF output and the second RF output comprise differing Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) spatial streams. 
     
     
         13 . The communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the first RF output is transmitted from at least one first antenna and the second RF output is transmitted from at least one differing second antenna. 
     
     
         14 . The communication device of  claim 8 , wherein the first RF output comprises first coding parameters and the second RF output comprises second coding parameters that differ from the first coding parameters. 
     
     
         15 . A communication device that wirelessly communicates a single data element to a single recipient device, the single data element having higher priority portions and lower priority portions, the communication device comprising:
 a processor configured to generate from the single data element a first bit stream and a second bit stream, the first bit stream being based on the higher priority portions and the second bit stream being based on the lower priority portions; and   a transmitter block configured to simultaneously communicate both the first bit stream via a first RF output and the second bit stream via a second RF output, at least one of the first RF output and second RF output comprising a beamformed output, and the first RF output and the second RF output differing in at least one communication pathway characteristic, and wherein the first RF output and the second RF output being communicated for receipt by the single recipient device for reconstruction of the single data element.   
     
     
         16 . The communication device of  claim 15 , wherein the single data element comprises multimedia content. 
     
     
         17 . The communication device of  claim 16 , wherein the single data element comprises streamed multimedia content. 
     
     
         18 . The communication device of  claim 17 , wherein the first RF output comprises I-frames and the second RF output comprises P-frames. 
     
     
         19 . The communication device of  claim 15 , wherein the first RF output and the second RF output comprise differing Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) spatial streams. 
     
     
         20 . The communication device of  claim 15 , wherein the first RF output is transmitted from at least one first antenna and the second RF output is transmitted from at least one differing second antenna.