Method & Apparatus for Content Delivery to Devices

• US 20080049660A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Balatsos, Aris, O'Neil, Kevin, Kwan, Wilson
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/318
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/267 taking into account the information rate

Abstract

A technique for adjusting or modifying content delivery to devices is provided, thereby offering a degree of power consumption control in such devices. The device can determine a need to modify power consumption, either in response to an input or via detection of an unfavorable power supply condition. In response, the device sends a request to an infrastructure for at least one reduced rate data stream. Because the at least one reduced rate data stream requires less processing power when undergoing decoding operations, the device subsequently consumes less power. In one embodiment of the present invention, the determination of the unfavorable power supply condition may be based on a configurable power condition profile. Furthermore, subsequent to receiving the at least one reduced rate data stream, the device may provide a request to the infrastructure for at least one increased rate data stream.

Claims

1. In a device capable of receiving at least one data stream from an infrastructure, a method for adjusting content delivery to the device, the method comprising:

determining a need to modify power consumption of the device;

sending a request to the infrastructure for at least one reduced rate data stream responsive to the need to modify power consumption of the device; and

receiving the at least one reduced rate data stream from the infrastructure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the at least one data stream from the infrastructure simultaneously with determining the need to modify power consumption of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the need to modify power consumption of the device further comprises determining an unfavorable power supply condition of the device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining the unfavorable power supply condition based on a configurable power condition profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the need to modify power consumption of the device further comprises receiving an input to reduce power consumption.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request further comprises sending the request via a wireless communication path.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining another need to modify power consumption of the device;

sending another request to the infrastructure for at least one increased rate data stream responsive to the other need to modify power consumption of the device; and

receiving the at least one increased rate data stream from the infrastructure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the other need to modify power consumption of the device further comprises determining a favorable power supply condition of the device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the other need to modify power consumption of the device further comprises receiving an input to increase power consumption.

10. In an infrastructure device in communication with a device, a method for adjusting content delivery to the device, the method comprising:

providing at least one data stream to the device;

receiving a request from the device for at least one reduced rate data stream, the request being based on a determination by the device of a need to modify power consumption of the device; and

providing the at least one reduced rate data stream to the device responsive to the request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the at least one reduced rate data stream further comprises:

determining, responsive to the request, how to provide the at least one reduced rate data stream.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the at least one reduced rate data stream further comprises modifying compression of data to provide the at least one reduced rate data stream.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, from the device, another request for at least one increased rate data stream; and

providing the at least one increased rate data stream to the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the at least one increased rate data stream further comprises modifying compression of data to provide the at least one increased rate data stream.

15. A device capable of receiving at least one data stream from an infrastructure, comprising:

a controller operative to determine a need to modify power consumption of the device and to generate a request for at least one reduced rate data stream responsive to the need to modify power consumption of the device; and

an infrastructure interface, coupled to the controller, operative to send the request to the infrastructure.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a power supply monitor coupled to a battery for the device and configured to provide information regarding a power supply condition of the device to the controller, wherein the controller is further operative to determine an unfavorable power supply condition based on the information regarding the power supply condition.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller further comprises a configurable power condition profile operable to determine the unfavorable power supply condition based on the information regarding the power supply condition.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller is further operative to determine a favorable power supply condition based on the information regarding the power supply condition and to generate another request for at least one increased rate data stream responsive to the favorable power supply condition.

19. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

a user input device, in communication with the controller, operative to provide an input to reduce power consumption of the device.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the user input device is further operative to provide an input to increase power consumption of the device.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein the infrastructure interface is further operative to receive an input to reduce power consumption of the device.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the infrastructure interface is further operative to receive an input to increase power consumption of the device.

23. The device of claim 15, wherein the infrastructure interface comprises a wireless infrastructure interface.

24. An infrastructure device capable of providing at least one data stream to a device, comprising:

a transmitter operable to provide at least one data stream to the device;

a receiver operable to receive a request from the device for at least one reduced rate data stream, the request being based on a determination by the device of a need to modify power consumption of the device; and

a controller, coupled to the transmitter and the receiver, operable to provide the at least one reduced rate data stream to the transmitter for transmission to the device responsive to the request.

25. The infrastructure device of claim 24, wherein the controller is further operable to cause compression of data to be modified to provide the at least one reduced rate data stream.

26. The infrastructure device of claim 24, wherein the receiver is further operable to receive, from the device, another request for at least one increased rate data stream and wherein the controller is further operable to provide the at least one increased rate data stream to the transmitter for transmission to the device responsive to the other request.

27. The infrastructure device of claim 26, wherein the controller is further operable to cause compression of data to be modified to provide the at least one increased rate data stream.

28. The infrastructure device of claim 24, wherein the transmitter is a wireless transmitter and the receiver is a wireless receiver.