Receiver and aspects thereof

• US 20080134276A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Antony Rix, Coreena Fiona, Anne Lofting, Martin Orrell
• Original Assignee: Antony Rix, Coreena Fiona, Anne Lofting, Martin Orrell
• Inventors: Rix, Antony, Lofting, Coreena Fiona, Anne, Orrell, Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/822,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134276A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/132
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/426 Receiver side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/37 via a different channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85

Abstract

A method of provisioning a mobile communications device with a digital audio broadcast (DAB) application configured to run on the mobile communications device, the method comprising: generating a request for at least one component of the DAB application using a communications application of said mobile communications device; communicating the request over a bi-directional wireless communications network to a remote server; receiving the request at the remote server; processing the request to identify one or more DAB application components suitable for download to the mobile communications device; downloading said one or more DAB application components to the mobile communications device over said bi-directional wireless communications network; and installing said one or more DAB application components onto said mobile communications devices.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning a mobile communications device with a tuneable receiver for digitally broadcast signals, the receiver comprising receiver software and receiver hardware, the receiver software comprising software configuring the receiver hardware and software supported by an operating system of the mobile communications device and sharing resources with other applications supported by the operating system, the receiver being at least in part capable of being reconfigured using receiver software, method comprising:

determining that said mobile communications device cannot correctly process a broadcast signal;

generating a request for reconfiguration of the receiver to enable the receiver to correctly process said broadcast signal;

communicating the request over a communications link to a remote server;

receiving the request at the remote server;

processing the request to identify one or more receiver software components suitable for the mobile communications device;

downloading said one or more receiver software components; and

installing said one or more receiver software components onto said mobile communications device to provide said receiver on said mobile communications device with means to correctly processing said broadcast signal.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

processing the received broadcast signal to selectively extract a plurality of partially decoded sub-channels;

selectively remultiplexing said partially decoded sub-channels using receiver hardware; and

providing a multiplex of selected sub-channels to said receiver software;

demultiplexing said remultiplexed partially decoded sub-channels; and

decoding the contents of said decoded sub-channels, to enable the content of a plurality of sub-channels of one or more digitally broadcast signals to be processed simultaneously by the receiver software using resources shared with other applications supported by the operating system of the mobile communications device.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiver and/or said mobile communications device further comprises means to automatically perform said step of determining a received broadcast signal is not being correctly processed.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said step of determining a received broadcast signal is not being correctly processed is determined from one or more quality criteria of the audio and/or video content carried by said broadcasts signal not being complied with.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a server performs said step of determining said mobile communications device cannot correctly process a broadcast signal, and said server generates said request for reconfiguration of the receiver, and said request for reconfiguration of the receiver contains an identifier for the mobile communications device and/or the type of receiver.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said server generating said request for reconfiguration communicates said request to said remote platform arranged to identify said one or more receiver components.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said server performing the step of determining the mobile communications device cannot correctly process a broadcast signal generates said request virtually and also performs said step of processing said request to identify one or more receiver software components suitable for said mobile communications device and wherein said request comprises an internal processing request.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiver is arranged to share a resource with at least one other application supported by the operating system of said mobile communications device, wherein said request provides an indication of said shared resource, and wherein said one or more installed received software components are identified by said remote server in dependence on said shared resource to maintain the usage of the shared resource by the receiver within a predetermined range.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined range is included in said request.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined range is determined in dependence on the type of resource.

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined range is determined in dependence on the type of mobile communications device.

12. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said predetermined range is determined dynamically by said mobile communications device when said request is generated.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiver software components are downloaded and are processed in the background of the operating system whilst said receiver is processing a received broadcast signal and said mobile communications device is playing audio and/or video content from a received digitally broadcast signal.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of generating said request reconfiguration of the receiver is triggered by an action performed by a user of the mobile communications device.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request is communicated to the remote server by the mobile communications device.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request is communicated to the remote server by another device.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said downloading step downloads said one or more software components for receiving a digitally broadcast television service to said mobile communications device.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said downloading step downloads said one or more receiver software components to said other device, said downloaded software components being arranged for installation on said mobile communications device when connected to said other device.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request provides an identifier for a user of another device and the mobile communications device and said method further comprises the step of:

determining said user is connected to a communications network via said other device;

determining if said mobile communications device is connected to said other device, and if not,

prompting said user to connect said mobile communications device to said other device; and

downloading said one or more receiver software components to said mobile communications device via network connection established by said other device.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein if said mobile communications device is connected to said other communications device, said step of downloading said one or more receiver software components to said mobile communications device automatically removes any temporary software associated with said receiver and/or said download on said other communications device.

21. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital broadcast receiver comprises a detachable digital television broadcast receiver device which is connectable by a user to a plurality of host devices including said mobile communications device via a universal serial bus type interface, and wherein said detachable television broadcast receiver device is arranged to interface with a plurality of resources of said plurality of host devices for the processing and play of audio and/or video content provided by a digital television broadcast signal.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said plurality of resources comprises two or more of the following:

an audio output resource;

a video output resource;

a processing resource;

a memory resource;

an electrical power resource.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein said digital broadcast receiver device operates through said interface to control said plurality of resources without requiring software to be previously installed on any one of said other devices.

24. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of installing said one or more receiver software components modifies the decoding process provided by a decoder component of said receiver.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said software implements said decoder by reconfiguring said receiver hardware.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said modification to the decoding process enables said receiver to decode signals provided according to a different source data encoding or transport protocol than said receiver was configured to decode prior to installing said one or more downloaded receiver software components on said mobile communications device.

27. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of installing one or more receiver software components enables said mobile communication device to perform one or more of the following functions:

display signals of a higher definition than the definition displayed prior to said one or more downloaded receiver software components being installed on said mobile communications device; and

/or

play a signal having a different codec to a codec playable prior to said step of installing said one or more downloaded receiver software component on said mobile communications device; and

/or

implement a new conditional access scheme for receiving digitally broadcast signals.

28. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said method of installing one or more receiver software components further comprises connecting said mobile communications device to another device having the capability to establish said communications links with said server for requesting and forwarding downloaded receiver components to said mobile communications device, and wherein said mobile communications device sends said request and receives said downloaded receiver software components using the communications link between said other device and said server.

29. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mobile communications device generates said request using a wireless communications link, and wherein said other device receives said downloaded receiver application components over a different communications link.

30. A method as claimed in claim 28, when said mobile communications device is connected to the other device subsequent to said other device receiving said downloaded receiver components.

31. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein a device identity for the mobile communications device and a device identity for the other device is included in said request to said server.

32. A method of provisioning a mobile communications device with receiver software according to any previous claim, wherein said step of installing said one or more receiver software components on to said mobile communications device comprises:

configuring a digital audio broadcast (DAB) television receiver including one or more DAB television receiver software components to interface with said DAB television receiver hardware, thereby enabling said DAB receiver to simultaneously decode a plurality of audio and/or video content sub-channels output by said receiver hardware to said mobile communications device to enable said device to play audio and/or video and/or data content from a DAB television service channel which previously could not be played to a user of the mobile communications device in the manner intended by the DAB television service channel provider.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

said request establishing an Internet supported web-browser session with said remote server over said wireless communications network, and

maintaining said web-browser session during said step of downloading said receiver software components.

34. A method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

said request establishing an initial Internet supported web-browser session with said remote server over said wireless communications network; and

terminating said initial web-browser session prior to said step of downloading said receiver software components, and

wherein said receiver software components are subsequently downloaded using either a file-transfer protocol from a remote site or in a new session associated with the same user identity as a user identity associated with the original session

35. A mobile communications device having a receiver for tuning to digitally broadcast television signals via wireless communications link, wherein the receiver comprises a plurality of software and reconfigurable hardware components arranged to output data including audio and/or video content from a received digitally broadcast signal to the mobile communications device, the receiver being arranged to be reconfigured using a method according to claim 1.

36. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 35, comprising:

means to communicate said request for reconfiguration of said receiver over a bi-directional wireless communications network to a remote server;

means to download said one or more receiver software components to the mobile communications device over said bi-directional wireless communications network; and

means to install said one or more receiver software components onto said mobile communications device.

39. A signal arranged to convey data from a server as claimed in claim 37 to a mobile communications device as claimed in claim 36 or 37 over a wireless communications network, said signal comprising data for downloading said one or more receiver software components to the mobile communications device.

51. A DAB television software application arranged to be provisioned for remote configuring on a mobile communications device using a method as claimed in claim 1, thereby enabling said mobile communications device to display a DAB television service channel.

59. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one DAB application component comprises a component related to a characteristic of an electronic programme guide for bearer content received by said DAB application from a DAB receiver module of said mobile communications device.

67. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote server selects one or more software components for download to said device based on information provided by an identifier for said mobile communications device which identifies what, if any, existing components are already installed on said mobile communications device.

68. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request specifies the receiver software components to be downloaded, and said remote server identifies said receiver software components from said request.

69. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein prior to said the step of installing said software components, said mobile communications device determines what resources controlled by the operating system of the mobile communications device are required to complete the installation, and if not available, requests the operating system of the mobile communications device to reallocate resources utilised by other applications to enable said installation process to proceed.

70. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein during said the step of installing said DAB application components, said mobile communications device determines what resources controlled by the operating system of the mobile communications device are required to complete the installation, and if not available, requests the operating system of the mobile communications device to reallocate resources utilized by other applications to enable said installation process to proceed.

71. A method as claimed in claim 69, wherein if sufficient resources are not made available following said request for more resources, the installation process is terminated.

72. A method as claimed in claim 69, wherein the user of the mobile communications device is alerted to one or more characteristics of the resource conflict between the installation process and other applications running on said operating system, and said alert is arranged to prompt the user to selectively terminate one or more other applications or the installation process.

73. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one software component comprises a component related to a characteristic of an electronic programme guide for bearer content received by a software component of said receiver which is provided by a hardware component of said receiver receiving a digitally broadcast television signal.

37. A server arranged in use to be accessible over a wireless communications network to a mobile communications device, the server being arranged to provision said mobile communications device with one or more software components for reconfiguring a receiver associated with said mobile communications device with means to receive a digital broadcast television signal, the server performing said step of identifying one or more receiver software components which when installed comprises said means for said receiver to correctly receive the digital broadcast television signal.

38. A server as claimed in claim 37, the server comprising:

means to receive a request generated by a mobile communications device which is communicated using a bi-directional wireless communications network;

means to process the request to identify one or more receiver software components suitable for download to the mobile communications device; and

means to generate a signal comprising data for downloading said one or more receiver software components to the mobile communications device over said bi-directional wireless communications network.

40. A digital receiver module for receiving digitally broadcast television signals, the module comprising receiver hardware arranged to be integrated into a mobile communications device and receiver software and comprising:

means for tuning and receiving a digitally broadcast signal comprising at least one multiplex of sub channels;

means for partially decoding a received multiplex to extract at least sub channel identifiers for a plurality of sub channels of said multiplex;

means to signal said received identifiers for said multiplex sub channels to a receiver application supported by an operating system of said mobile communications device; and

means to send said received sub channels to said receiver application;

wherein, said step of partial decoding said received multiplex is implemented by a decoder of said digital receiver module arranged to utilize resources shared with other applications supported by said operating system of said mobile communications device;

means to selectively remultiplex a sub-set of a plurality of sub-channels demultiplexed from a digitally broadcast signal by said digital broadcast television signal receiver circuitry,

wherein said step of sending said received sub-channels to said receiver application comprises sending said remultiplexed subset of sub-channels, and

wherein said receiver application comprises means to demultiplex said received subset of sub-channels.

41. A digital receiver module as claimed in claim 40, wherein the receiver hardware is arranged to be integrated into the mobile communications device by interfacing with said mobile communications device via a data interface.

42. A digital receiver module as claimed in claim 41, wherein said data interface comprises a universal serial bus port.

43. A receiver module as claimed in claim 40, wherein said shared resources comprise one or more of the following:

a shared random access memory resource;

a shared flash memory resource;

a shared dynamic memory resource;

a shared processor resource.

44. (canceled)

45. A mobile communications device comprising a receiver for digital television broadcast signals, the receiver comprising:

means to separate out sub channels in a received digitally broadcast time-division multiplexed television signal, at least two of said sub channels comprising audio and/or video content and at least one sub-channel comprising programme guide information, said

sub channels being provided as input to a plurality of decoding means,

wherein the decoding means decode the sub-channels to provide displayable/playable content through means provided on said mobile communications device; and

wherein said decoding means is reconfigurable to change the protocol of the video and/or audio content decoded.

46. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 45, wherein said decoding means is remotely configurable.

47. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 46, wherein said decoding means is reconfigurable remotely in an automated manner by an application running on said device.

48. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 47, wherein said decoding means is reconfigurable in a user controllable manner.

50. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 47, wherein said multiplex comprises a plurality of sub channels, at least two sub channels relating to the same type of content conforming to differing protocols.

49. (canceled)

52. A method of provisioning a mobile communications device with a digital audio broadcast (DAB) application configured to run on an operating system of the mobile communications device, the method comprising:

generating a request for at least one component of the DAB application, said request indicating an identifier for the requesting device capable of being associated with a user profile for a plurality of devices;

communicating the request over a communications link to a remote server;

receiving the request at the remote server;

processing the request to identify one or more DAB application components suitable for the mobile communications device;

downloading said one or more DAB application components to a device selected in accordance with a predetermined set of rules associated with said user profile; and

installing said one or more DAB application components onto said mobile communications device directly if selected, or if another device is selected downloading said one or more DAB application components to said other device, wherein said installation of said DAB application components occurs when said mobile communications device connects to said other device.

53. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein the downloading server selects one or more DAB application components for download to said device based on information provided by an identifier for said mobile communications device which identifies what, if any, existing DAB application components are already installed on said mobile communications device.

54. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein the request specifies the DAB application components which are to be downloaded.

55. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein prior to said the step of installing said DAB application components, said mobile communications device determines what resources controlled by the operating system of the mobile communications device are required to complete the installation, and if not available, requests the operating system of the mobile communications device to reallocate resources utilized by other applications to enable said installation process to proceed.

56. A method as claimed in claim 52, wherein during said the step of installing said DAB application components, said mobile communications device determines what resources controlled by the operating system of the mobile communications device are required to complete the installation, and if not available, requests the operating system of the mobile communications device to reallocate resources utilized by other applications to enable said installation process to proceed.

57. A method as claimed in claim 55, wherein if sufficient resources are not made available following said request for more resources, the installation process is terminated.

58. A method as claimed in claim 55, wherein the user of the mobile communications device is alerted to one or more characteristics of the resource conflict between the installation process and other applications running on said operating system, and said alert is arranged to prompt the user to selectively terminate one or more other applications or the installation process.

60. A mobile communications device comprising:

pre-installed receiver hardware for the reception of digitally broadcast signals, said receiver hardware being pre-installed in a form unable to play received signals on said communications device;

means to install one or more components of an application on said mobile communications device, the installed application enabling the play of a selected received signal on said mobile communications device;

means for determining that said received signal is not playable on said device;

means for generating a request for means to play said signal on said device, said means comprising one or more components of an application whose installation on said mobile communications device will enable said received signal to be played on said device;

means for receiving said one or more components; and

means for installing said one or more components on said mobile communications device,

whereby the installed application enables the play of said received said communications device.

61. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 60, further comprising:

means to receive one or more additional components of an application, whereby said one or more additional components enable play of a received signal previously not playable on said mobile communications device.

62. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 60, wherein the installed application activates and control said pre-installed receiver hardware to enable play of a selected signal.

63. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 60, wherein said one or more components are provided by a remote server and are downloaded to said mobile communications device.

64. A method of enabling a mobile communications device to play a received signal, the mobile communications device comprising pre-installed receiver hardware for the reception of digitally broadcast signals, said receiver hardware being pre-installed in a form unable to play said received signal on said communications device, the method comprising:

determining that said received signal is not playable on said device;

generating a request for means to play said signal on said device, said means comprising one or more components of an application whose installation on said mobile communications device will enable said received signal to be played on said device;

receiving said one or more components;

installing said one or more components on said mobile communications device, whereby the installed application enables the play of said received said communications device.

65. A method as claimed in claim 64, wherein in said step of generating a request, said request is sent to a remote server which processes information provided in said request to determine which one or more components will enable said received signal to be played on said device.

66. A method as claimed in claim 64, wherein in said step of generating a request, said request is sent to a remote server containing an indication of which one or more components will enable said received signal to be played on said device.

74. A method of reconfiguring a mobile communications device having a receiver components arranged to receive a digitally broadcast signal in a communications network, the receiver components comprising components implemented using hardware and components implemented using software and arranged to share one or more resources of the communications device with at least one other component of the communications device, the method comprising:

determining that at least one element of a digitally broadcast signal is not capable of being correctly processed when received by a component of the communications device;

sending a request over a communications network to a remote server for means to enable said communications device to process said received signal correctly;

providing a signal containing means to process said at least one element of said received signal correctly to said mobile communications device;

processing said received signal providing said means to reconfigure said receiver to process said at least one element of said digitally broadcast signal correctly.

75. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said request comprises:

an identifier to enable said remote server to identify the type of mobile communications device.

76. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said request comprises:

an identifier to enable said remote server to identify a type of receiver of the mobile communications device.

77. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said request comprises:

an identifier to enable said remote server to identify a type of component of a receiver of the mobile communications device.

78. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said request comprises:

an identifier to enable said remote server to identify a type of resource of said mobile communications device shared by said receiver with other components of said mobile communications device.

79. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said request comprises:

an identifier to enable said remote server to identify a type of component of said mobile communications device which shares a resource with said receiver.

80. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein the mobile communications device generates the request when the communications device determines that at least one element of a received digitally broadcast signal is not capable of being correctly processed by a component of the communications device.

81. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein a remote server generates the request for the communications device when the remote server determines that at least one element of said digitally broadcast signal is not capable of being correctly processed by a component of the communications device.

82. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

generating diagnostic data to diagnose why said at least one element of the received digitally broadcast signal is not being correctly processed by said mobile communications device.

83. A method as claimed in claim 82, wherein said method further comprises:

determining from said diagnostic data the means which will enable said communications device to process said received signal correctly.

84. A method as claimed in claim 83, wherein said diagnostic data is generated by said mobile communications device and is included in said request for said means.

85. A method as claimed in claim 82, wherein said diagnostic data indicates correct processing of said received signal is dependent on the amount of said at least one shared resources which is accessible by said receiver with another component of said mobile communications device.

86. A method as claimed in claim 85, wherein said means to reconfigure said receiver to process said at least one element of said digitally broadcasts signal correctly comprises a control signal which reconfigures said mobile communications device to increase the share of at least one shared resource available for use by said receiver and to decrease the share of said resource available to another component of said communications device.

87. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said a resource shared by said receiver with at least one other component of said mobile communications device comprises:

access to an interface to an operating system of said mobile communications device.

88. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said a resource shared by said receiver with at least one other component of said mobile communications device comprises one or more of the following:

a power resource;

a computer processing resource; and

/or

a memory resource.

89. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said means comprises data which when received by said mobile communications device is processed by said device to reconfigure a software component of said mobile communications device to process said at least one element of said digitally broadcast signal correctly.

90. A method as claimed in claim 89, wherein said receiver comprises hardware and software components, and said means comprises data which when processed by said mobile communications device automatically reconfigures at least one of receiver component to correctly process said at least one element of said digitally broadcast signal.

91. A method as claimed in claim 74, further comprising the steps of:

determining the location of the mobile communications device,

wherein said means comprises data which is received by said mobile communications device in dependence on the location of the mobile communications device supporting data reception via a high-bandwidth communications link.

92. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein said means comprises data which is stored at a proxy location until said mobile communications device is in said location supporting data reception via a high-bandwidth communications link.

93. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein until said communications device receives said means, said communications device is configured to display a notice to alert the user to the need to obtain said means and requesting the user to move to a location in which the means can be received by the communications device.

94. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein the processing of the received signal incorrectly provides in one or more of the following:

output not enabling audio content of the signal to be played by the mobile communications device;

output not enabling video content of the signal to be played correctly; and

/or output not enabling textual content of the signal to be displayed correctly.

95. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein a user of the communications device determines that said received signal is not being properly processed due to the quality of a played audio signal and said user operates said communications device to request said means to enable said communications device to process said received signal correctly.

96. A method as claimed in claim 95, wherein when said user operates said communications device to generate said request, said communications device automatically generates said diagnostic data for inclusion with said request.

97. A method as claimed in claim 74, wherein when said communications device determines an element of a received signal is not being processed correctly, the receiver of said communications device interfaces via the operating system of said communications device with said at least one shared resource to cause any other component of said communications device to reduce its usage of said shared resource.

98. A method of enabling a mobile communications device to correctly process at least one element of a received digital signal, said at least one element of the digital signal having a configuration enabling processing by a suitably configured mobile communications device receiving the signal, wherein the receiving mobile communications device comprises a receiver comprising hardware and software which co-operate to enable said mobile communications device to receive digitally broadcast signals but wherein said hardware and/or software have a configuration which does not enable said mobile communications device to play said at least one element of said received digital signal, the method comprising:

remotely determining that at least one element of said received signal is not being processed correctly by said receiving communications device;

generating a request for means to enable said receiving communications device to process said signal correctly, said means comprising one or more components of an application comprising computer program code, the computer program code being arranged to be installable on said mobile communications device, whereby when said received computer code is installed on said mobile communications device, said mobile communications device is able to correctly process said at least one element of said received signal;

sending said request to a remote server arranged to process the received request and to determine said one or more components of said application whose installation on said mobile communications device will enable said at least one element of said received signal to be processed correctly;

receiving a signal containing said one or more components determined by said remote server; and

installing said one or more components on said mobile communications device, whereby once installed, said receiver hardware and software able to correctly process said at east one element of said received signal.