Method and apparatus for commencing shared or individual transmission of broadcast content in a wireless telephone network

摘要

A wireless communications network includes roving subscriber-stations and base stations receiving broadcast programs from a content server. A subscriber-station evaluates whether a desired program is available from a subject base station. According to this evaluation, the subscriber-station takes steps to (1) receive the desired program on a shared channel for reception by multiple subscriber-stations, or (2) initiate base station delivery of the desired program to the subscriber-station on an individual channel. Responsive to a message from a subject subscriber-station identifying a desired program, a base station either (1) continues transmitting the desired program upon a shared channel, (2) starts transmitting the desired program on a shared channel, or (3) sends the subject subscriber-station a channel assignment message and commences transmission of the desired program on the assigned individual channel.