Abstract: A wireless service provider server includes a transceiver to provide data for transmission to and receive data from one or more subscribers to a wireless service plan at a quality-of-service (QoS). The wireless service provider server also includes a processor to modify the QoS for the at least one subscriber based on a comparison of data usage by the at least one subscriber during a time interval specified by the wireless service plan and an elapsed portion of the time interval.

Abstract: A video session management capability is disclosed. The video session management capability enables management of potential and/or established video sessions of mobile devices of a cellular sector (e.g., for supporting dynamic changes to the transmission bit rates of established video sessions in a cellular sector). In response to an indication of a condition associated with the cellular sector, a manager determines, for each of a plurality video senders of a respective plurality of uplink video sessions of the cellular sector, a modified transmission bit rate for the video sender for the uplink video session and propagates, toward the video sender, a message for instructing the video sender to use the modified transmission bit rate for its uplink video session.

Abstract: A video session scheduling capability is disclosed. The video session scheduling capability enables scheduling of video transmissions by mobile devices of a cellular sector. In response to a request by a mobile device to transmit a video via a wireless uplink of the cellular sector, a scheduler determines scheduling of the video session. The scheduler receives information indicative of an amount of wireless uplink resources available for supporting uplink video sessions within the cellular sector, receives information associated with the request by the mobile device to establish a video session for transmission of video content from the mobile device via a wireless uplink in the cellular sector, and determines, using the information indicative of an amount of wireless uplink resources available within the cellular sector and the information associated with the video session request, scheduling of the video session via the wireless uplink in the cellular sector.

Abstract: A Wireless Service Provider (WSP) receives a request for a video stream from a user device. The WSP determines if the video stream should have the video portion modified or removed, based upon a user's manual request or a predetermined condition being met. The modification can be removal of the video portion or the replacement of the original video portion with a lower bandwidth video portion. The modified video stream is then sent to the user device.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating wireless video resources among video streaming sources at an event (or events) according to a crowd selection mechanism.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for efficiently archiving variable quality streaming video by contemporaneously storing higher quality video stream segments and subsequently storing lower quality video stream segments via a backfilling process.

Abstract: A method for offering wireless data at a discounted rate is provided. A wireless service provider is queried to discover discounted data transfer rates. A discount rate proposal is sent to the querying mobile user. The discount rate proposal includes a discount rate, a data bit rate, and an offered time period. If the mobile unit accepts the discount rate proposal, user data is carried at the data bit rate during the offered time period priced at the discount rate.

Abstract: A method is provided to efficiently transport video signals on a wireless network when resources are scarce. In an embodiment, a user's mobile terminal codes the video in multiple layers. If resources are scarce, the mobile terminal reduces current bandwidth requirements by streaming a subset, i.e., one or more of the lower coded video layers only. This streamed video can be viewed by peers and saved on a server. Meanwhile, the higher layers that were not sent are saved on the mobile device. When network resources eventually become available, the saved higher layers only are sent to the destination server that saved the lower layers. The entire video can then be reconstructed on the destination server.

Abstract: An application server in a communication network receives a plurality of data streams from a plurality of mobile stations that include a client for the application server. The data streams may be video, audio or a combination thereof and include an indicator of originating location of the data stream. A subset of the plurality of data streams that originates from an area are determined. The first set may also be determined based on a tag that is included in each of the data streams of the first set, the tag indicating a sharing status for a respective data stream and/or a subject of the respective data stream. A first data stream of the first subset transmitted to a service subscriber having an interest preference corresponding to the tag of first set data streams. The transmitted first data stream may include overlay content associated with the service provider.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting, over a wireless link, video that is coded in multiple layers such that higher priority for the use of the transmission resources may be given to the lower layers of the layered video stream. The level of priority is signified by the session identification parameters, i.e., by the source and destination ip addresses and port numbers. These parameters are assigned to the base layer and to the one or more additional layers, respectively, such that at least two of said layers are assigned different parameter sets. At least the base layer is then transmitted on the wireless link.

Abstract: A video session management capability is disclosed. The video session management capability enables management of potential and/or established video sessions of mobile devices of a cellular sector (e.g., for supporting dynamic changes to the transmission bit rates of established video sessions in a cellular sector). In response to an indication of a condition associated with the cellular sector, a manager determines, for each of a plurality video senders of a respective plurality of uplink video sessions of the cellular sector, a modified transmission bit rate for the video sender for the uplink video session and propagates, toward the video sender, a message for instructing the video sender to use the modified transmission bit rate for its uplink video session.

Abstract: A video session scheduling capability is disclosed. The video session scheduling capability enables scheduling of video transmissions by mobile devices of a cellular sector. In response to a request by a mobile device to transmit a video via a wireless uplink of the cellular sector, a scheduler determines scheduling of the video session. The scheduler receives information indicative of an amount of wireless uplink resources available for supporting uplink video sessions within the cellular sector, receives information associated with the request by the mobile device to establish a video session for transmission of video content from the mobile device via a wireless uplink in the cellular sector, and determines, using the information indicative of an amount of wireless uplink resources available within the cellular sector and the information associated with the video session request, scheduling of the video session via the wireless uplink in the cellular sector.

Abstract: A method for operating a personal communication device includes, using a user interface, selecting a policy type and entering parameters of the selected policy type, thereby to designate a policy to govern the distribution of a video signal to viewers by a wireless network. One or more messages are transmitted from the personal communication device, in which the policy is communicated to a video server within the wireless network. A prompt is received from the video server to begin transmitting the video signal, and then the personal communication device begins wirelessly transmitting the video signal on an uplink to the wireless network for distribution according to the policy.

Abstract: A method for operating a personal communication device includes, using a user interface, selecting a policy type and entering parameters of the selected policy type, thereby to designate a policy to govern the distribution of a video signal to viewers by a wireless network. One or more messages are transmitted from the personal communication device, in which the policy is communicated to a video server within the wireless network. A prompt is received from the video server to begin transmitting the video signal, and then the personal communication device begins wirelessly transmitting the video signal on an uplink to the wireless network for distribution according to the policy.

Abstract: An application server in a communication network receives a plurality of data streams from a plurality of mobile stations that include a client for the application server. The data streams may be video, audio or a combination thereof and include an indicator of originating location of the data stream. A subset of the plurality of data streams that originates from an area are determined. The first set may also be determined based on a tag that is included in each of the data streams of the first set, the tag indicating a sharing status for a respective data stream and/or a subject of the respective data stream. A first data stream of the first subset transmitted to a service subscriber having an interest preference corresponding to the tag of first set data streams. The transmitted first data stream may include overlay content associated with the service provider.

Abstract: A method is provided to efficiently transport video signals on a wireless network when resources are scarce. In an embodiment, a user's mobile terminal codes the video in multiple layers. If resources are scarce, the mobile terminal reduces current bandwidth requirements by streaming a subset, i.e., one or more of the lower coded video layers only. This streamed video can be viewed by peers and saved on a server. Meanwhile, the higher layers that were not sent are saved on the mobile device. When network resources eventually become available, the saved higher layers only are sent to the destination server that saved the lower layers. The entire video can then be reconstructed on the destination server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting, over a wireless link, video that is coded in multiple layers such that higher priority for the use of the transmission resources may be given to the lower layers of the layered video stream. The level of priority is signified by the session identification parameters, i.e., by the source and destination ip addresses and port numbers. These parameters are assigned to the base layer and to the one or more additional layers, respectively, such that at least two of said layers are assigned different parameter sets. At least the base layer is then transmitted on the wireless link.