Virtual Home Channel For Mobile Broadcast Networks

Abstract

Methods and systems simplify discovery and handoff for multi-frequency broadcast receiver devices, such as mobile TV devices, by providing a virtual home channel that is not dependent on a single frequency network upper layer. The methods and systems may be used in conjunction with a single frequency network upper layer to support areas without upper layer available, or to off load some portion of the common data bandwidth in the single frequency network. For example, the single frequency network may only carry frequency data for the multiple frequency network or only the frequency data for networks with comprehensive market metadata.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A receiver device, comprising:
 a processor; and   a multi-frequency receiver circuit coupled to the processor and configured to receive broadcast transmissions from multi-frequency broadcast networks,   wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
 acquiring metadata from a broadcast by a local multi-frequency broadcast network including metadata for another multi-frequency broadcast network; 
 using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to prepare to perform a handoff to a different network; 
 determining when a handoff should be accomplished; and 
 accomplishing the handoff to the different network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The receiver device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that the different network is the other multi-frequency broadcast network. 
     
     
         3 . The receiver device of  claim 1 , the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising using the metadata for another multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market. 
     
     
         4 . The receiver device of  claim 1 , the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising determining whether the received metadata is similar to metadata received from the local multi-frequency broadcast network,
 wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that accomplishing the handoff to the different network comprises accomplishing an implicit handoff to same or similar content when the received metadata is similar to metadata received from the local multi-frequency broadcast network.   
     
     
         5 . The receiver device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that the receiver device uses the received metadata broadcast to achieve faster power up acquisition, and faster recovery from loss of signal conditions. 
     
     
         6 . The receiver device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to prepare to perform a handoff to that network comprises:
 using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to receive the other multi-frequency broadcast network;   receiving a metadata broadcast from the other multi-frequency broadcast network; and   using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market.   
     
     
         7 . The receiver device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market which broadcasts similar service metadata. 
     
     
         8 . The receiver device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata includes a unique content identifier that matches a unique content identifier of content currently being received. 
     
     
         9 . The receiver device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata which exactly matches one or both of service data and multiplex details of from the local multi-frequency broadcast network. 
     
     
         10 . The receiver device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata including provisioning of physical layer configurations which match those of from the local multi-frequency broadcast network. 
     
     
         11 . The receiver device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata including provisioning of physical layer configurations which the receiver device can receive. 
     
     
         12 . The receiver device of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market broadcasting a content currently being received for which broadcast metadata including provisioning of physical layer configurations which the receiver device can receive. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations comprising:
 acquiring metadata from a broadcast by a local multi-frequency broadcast network including metadata for another multi-frequency broadcast network;   using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to prepare to perform a handoff to a different network;   determining when a handoff should be accomplished; and   accomplishing the handoff to the different network.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that the different network is the other multi-frequency broadcast network. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations further comprising using the metadata for another multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations further comprising determining whether the received metadata is similar to metadata received from the local multi-frequency broadcast network,
 wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that accomplishing the handoff to the different network comprises accomplishing an implicit handoff to same or similar content when the received metadata is similar to metadata received from the local multi-frequency broadcast network.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that the receiver device uses the received metadata broadcast to achieve faster power up acquisition, and faster recovery from loss of signal conditions. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to prepare to perform a handoff to that network comprises:
 using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to receive the other multi-frequency broadcast network;   receiving a metadata broadcast from the other multi-frequency broadcast network; and   using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market which broadcasts similar service metadata. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata includes a unique content identifier that matches a unique content identifier of content currently being received. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata which exactly matches one or both of service data and multiplex details of from the local multi-frequency broadcast network. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata including provisioning of physical layer configurations which match those of from the local multi-frequency broadcast network. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market for which broadcast metadata including provisioning of physical layer configurations which the receiver device can receive. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory processor-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor of a receiver device to perform operations such that using the metadata broadcast received from the other multi-frequency broadcast network to select the different network from a plurality of networks in a market comprises selecting one of the plurality of networks in the market broadcasting a content currently being received for which broadcast metadata including provisioning of physical layer configurations which the receiver device can receive. 
     
     
         25 . A method for conducting a handoff from one multi-frequency broadcast network to another in a receiver device, comprising:
 acquiring metadata from a broadcast by a local multi-frequency broadcast network including metadata for another multi-frequency broadcast network;   using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to prepare to perform a handoff to a different network;   determining when a handoff should be accomplished; and   accomplishing the handoff to the different network.   
     
     
         26 . A receiver device, comprising:
 means for acquiring metadata from a broadcast by a local multi-frequency broadcast network including metadata for another multi-frequency broadcast network;   means for using the metadata for the other multi-frequency broadcast network to prepare to perform a handoff to a different network;   means for determining when a handoff should be accomplished; and   means for accomplishing the handoff to the different network.