FAST STREAM SWITCHING

• US 20100007802A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Touzni, Azzedine, Zhang, Yunjun
• Granted Patent: US 8,212,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/731
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• 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 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64315 DVB-H
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers

Abstract

A method of fast stream switching including receiving at least one first stream at a device corresponding to at least one first program, wherein the device employs dynamic power management and is operating at a first power level; activating a selection panel; receiving a plurality of streams corresponding to a plurality of programs; and adjusting to a second power level. After a stream is selected, the non-selected streams may be deactivated and the device may return to the first power level.

Claims

1. A method of fast stream switching, the method comprising:

receiving at least one first stream at a device corresponding to at least one first program, wherein the device employs dynamic power management and is operating at a first power level;

activating a selection panel;

receiving a plurality of streams corresponding to a plurality of programs;

adjusting to a second power level, wherein the second power level is a higher power level that the first power level in order to accommodate an increased number of streams;

receiving a channel selection corresponding to a second program; and

switching to a second stream, wherein the dynamic power management switches the device to operate at the first power level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second power level is a continuous mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing powergrouping on the plurality of streams.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing powergrouping on the at least one first stream.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

decoding the video stream and synchronizing the decoding with front-end processing.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing time slicing when operating at the first power level.

7. A mobile device configured to perform fast stream switching, the mobile device comprising:

receiver configured to receive a plurality of streams;

a selection panel configured to receive a user input;

a multiprotocol encapsulation forward error correction module configured to determine the number of streams to be received by the receiver; and

a power sequencing module configured to perform dynamic power management and adjust the power consumption of the mobile device based on the number of streams being received.

8. The mobile device of claim 8, further comprising:

a multistream transport processor configured to perform powergrouping.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, further comprising:

a front-end block configured to perform front-end processing; and

a video decoder configured to perform video decoding, wherein the video decoder is configured to decode in parallel with and synchronize with the front-end processing.

10. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein the selection panel is configured with a television channel list.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the television channel list is based on user preference data.

12. A machine readable storage medium having a stored set of instructions executable by a machine, the instructions, when executed are adapted to perform operations comprising:

receive at least one first stream at a device corresponding to at least one first program, wherein the device employs dynamic power management and is operating at a first power level;

activate a selection panel;

receive a plurality of streams corresponding to a plurality of programs;

adjust to a second power level, wherein the second power level is a higher power level that the first power level in order to accommodate an increased number of streams;

receive a channel selection corresponding to a second program; and

switch to a second stream, wherein the dynamic power management switches the device to operate at the first power level.

13. A computer-readable medium containing a first set of instructions adapted to create a processor, wherein the processor is configured to implement a second set of instructions, the second set of instructions comprising:

instructions to activate a selection panel;

instructions to receive a plurality of streams corresponding to a plurality of programs;

instructions to adjust to a second power level;

instructions to receive a channel selection corresponding to a second program; and

instructions to switch to a second stream, wherein the dynamic power management switches the device to operate at the first power level.

14. The second set of instructions of claim 13, wherein the second power level is a continuous mode.

15. The second set of instructions of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions to perform powergrouping on the plurality of streams.

16. The second set of instructions of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions to perform powergrouping on the at least one first stream.

17. The second set of instructions of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions to decode the video stream and synchronize the decoding with front-end processing.

18. The second set of instructions of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions to perform time slicing when operating at the first power level.

19. The second set of instructions of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions to generate an individualized preference list based on a user'"'"'s watching habit.