Sharing A Radio Frequency Interface Resource

• US 20090290490A1
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Linda Bucsay Welsh
• Original Assignee: Linda Bucsay Welsh
• Inventors: Welsh, Linda Bucsay
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/426 Receiver side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/17381 the upstream transmission being initiated by the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 Hybrid access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02

Abstract

Applications may seek access to a radio frequency interface resource on a processor-based system that exceeds the available capacity of that resource. When more than one application needs access to an RF interface resource at the same time and the available capacity of the RF interface resource does not permit all these requests to be granted, contention resolution may be provided. In one embodiment, the contention resolution may involve determining the priority of each application seeking RF interface resource access and granting access based on that priority.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving radio frequency interface resource requests on a platform from at least two applications that create contention because the platform does not have the resources to grant both requests;

determining the priority of the at least two applications;

based on the priority, granting one of said resource requests for a period of time; and

determining if the granted resource can be yielded before the end of the period of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising granting all of the resource requests that can be handled by the platform.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least two requests for access to a resource and scheduling those requests automatically.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining when two applications request access to the same resource.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising obtaining priority information from the requesting applications.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising obtaining priority information from a database.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising obtaining priority information from the user.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising advising the requesting applications of granting the resource request of one of said applications.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a response to the granting of the resource request from an application whose request was not granted.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to said response from said application whose request was not granted, requesting that the application, whose request was granted, yield the resource to an application whose request was not granted.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically setting a time to request that an application yield its priority to another application.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising setting the time to request an application yield close in time to the time of the schedule contention.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the granted resource can be yielded before the end of the period of time comprises determining if the resource can be yielded by an application among the at least two applications.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the granted resource can be yielded before the end of the period of time comprises determining if the resource can be yielded by an application with a granted resource request.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one application performs functions selected from a group consisting of:

TV recording or viewing, music radio recording or listening, video content recording or playback, voice or data communication and exchange, and delivery or download of;

movies, music, software, games, news, and/or Internet content.

16. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage storing instructions that enable the processor to receive radio frequency interface resource requests from at least two applications that create contention because the system does not have the resources to grant both requests, determine the priority of each application, based on the priority, grant one of the resource requests for a period of time, and determine if the granted resource can be yielded before the end of the period of time.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said storage stores instructions that enable the system to grant as many requests for resources as possible.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a broadcast receiver.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a television receiver.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising a radio receiver.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising one of:

a set top box, a personal digital assistant, a desktop computer, a portable computer, a handheld computer, a media server, a media gateway, a mobile phone, a wireless appliance.

22. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a radio frequency interface resource coupled to said processor, said resource including at least one element selected from the group including a tuner, a modulator, a demodulator, a multiplexer, a demultiplexer, an encoder, or a decoder.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a first resource of a particular type, said type being from the group including a tuner, a modulator, a demodulator, a multiplexer, a demultiplexer, an encoder, a decoder, or any combination thereof, said resource coupled to said processor.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

a second resource of substantially the same type as said first resource.