Embodiments of the invention provide methods for maximizing the bandwidth utilization in the uplink of a communication system supporting time division multiplexing between unicast and multicast/broadcast communication modes during transmission time intervals in the downlink of a communication system. This is accomplished by multiplexing at least unicast control signaling for UL scheduling assignments in TTIs supporting the multicast/broadcast communication mode. Moreover, multiplexing of unicast control signaling can also be accomplished by splitting a symbol of the multicast/broadcast TTI into two shorter symbols with the first of these two shorter symbols carrying at least unicast control signaling and the second of these shorter symbols carrying multicast/broadcast signaling.

The present application is applied to the field of communication technology, and provides a method and system for realizing seamless connection of streaming media data in a smart home. The method includes: caching, by a streaming media server, streaming media data between a current frame and a latest streaming media data frame in a streaming media file, the latest streaming media data frame is a streaming media data frame last received from a network, and the current frame is a first streaming media data frame corresponding to a current play progress when a first client plays the streaming media file; transmitting, by the streaming media server, streaming media data starting from the current frame to a second client requesting the streaming media file; transmitting, by the second client, a second streaming media data frame corresponding to a current play progress when playing the streaming media file to the streaming media server. In the present disclosure, when two mutually isolated terminals play the streaming media data, one terminal may resume contents of another terminal and fast seamless switch is achieved, thereby making the streaming media data be more easily transferred between different smart terminals.

The invention includes; A method for a companion device to receive current state information from a primary device comprising: (a) said companion device receiving from said primary device based upon a subscription request from said companion device to said primary device, said current state information including at least one of: (i) a media playback state including at least one of: (1) playing; (2) paused; (3) stopped; (4) fast forward; (5) fast backward; (6) buffering; (7) unknown; (8) reserved; (ii) a media playback speed including at least one of: (1) current speed of media state relative to normal speed; (2) current speed at which a media timeline is moving forward; (3) current speed at which a media timeline is moving backward.

Some of the various features described herein include providing an enhanced view of content. Some content may be cropped or edited for general transmission, and a primary- or second-screen device may be used to receive and view additional views or portions of content that may otherwise be unavailable. For example, if a cropped portion of content is delivered to a device, a different device may be used to view at least a portion of the content that was removed during the cropping process. Another aspect may include providing a higher-resolution version of content to a second-screen device.

A satellite reception assembly may include a housing configured to support receipt and handling of a plurality of satellite signals. The housing may include circuitry incorporating integrated stacking architecture for supporting and/or providing channel and/or band stacking whereby particular channels or bands, from multiple satellite signals that are received via the satellite reception assembly, may be combined onto a single output signal that may be communicated from the satellite reception assembly to a gateway device for concurrent distribution thereby to a plurality of client devices serviced by the gateway device.

A satellite reception assembly may include a housing configured to support receipt and handling of a plurality of satellite signals. The housing may include circuitry incorporating integrated stacking architecture for supporting and/or providing channel and/or band stacking whereby particular channels or bands, from multiple satellite signals that are received via the satellite reception assembly, may be combined onto a single output signal that may be communicated from the satellite reception assembly to a gateway device for concurrent distribution thereby to a plurality of client devices serviced by the gateway device.

Data sets are transmitted to mobile terminals, which are connected by a radio network to a data server connected to a data network, wherein the data server is configured to transmit the data sets via the radio network to terminals located in a radio cell of the radio network as a broadcast signal or optionally as an individual signal directed specifically to one or more terminals, wherein a total signal emitted into the radio cell contains a corresponding broadcast signal part and a corresponding individual signal part. In one embodiment, a user profile is associated with each of the terminals identified in the radio cell and the content of the data sets transmitted in the broadcast signal part in accordance with a determined broadcast signal part factor is compiled in accordance with the information stored in the user profiles.

An apparatus and a method for controlling content distribution control method for controlling distribution to a plurality of distribution destinations of content that is reproducible at different reproduction positions, The apparatus groups the plurality of distribution destinations based on a reproduction position of the content and information indicating a predetermined time period from the reproduction position that is obtained from each of the plurality of distribution destinations, and determines a distribution method for distributing content to a group that is formed by the grouping, based on a usage status of a network that is used to distribute the content to the plurality of distribution destinations.

For streaming data in a mobile communication network, a descriptive file (100) of a stream (200) is provided. The descriptive file (100) comprises a list (110) of delivery source identifiers, e.g. URIs, for unicast delivery of data segments (210) of the stream. A broadcast indicator (120) is selectively added to the descriptive file (100) so as to indicate whether broadcast delivery of the data segments (210) is available. Adding the broadcast indicator (120) and initiating the broadcast delivery may be accomplished on the basis of a popularity of the stream.

For streaming data in a mobile communication network, a descriptive file (100) of a stream (200) is provided. The descriptive file (100) comprises a list (110) of delivery source identifiers, e.g. URIs, for unicast delivery of data segments (210) of the stream. A broadcast indicator (120) is selectively added to the descriptive file (100) so as to indicate whether broadcast delivery of the data segments (210) is available. Adding the broadcast indicator (120) and initiating the broadcast delivery may be accomplished on the basis of a popularity of the stream.