Method and apparatus for transmitting data

• US 6,301,243 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Two Way TV Ltd. (Two-Way Media Ltd)
• Inventors: Johnson, Andrew, Woodfield, David Alan, Walton, Anthony Stephen, Weston, David Robert, Copper, Andrew James
• Primary Examiner(s): YAO, KWANG BIN
• Application Number:
  US09/203,967
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/329, 370/336, 370/339, 370/345, 370/346, 370/347, 370/348, 370/349, 370/350, 370/360, 370/375, 370/376, 370/377, 370/422, 370/426, 370/437, 370/442, 370/443, 370/445, 370/447, 370/448, 370/458, 370/461, 370/462, 370/498, 340/870.11, 340/870.13, 340/870.14
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling

Abstract

A method of transmitting items of information from a plurality of data sources (25-28) to a data destination (9) over a common data channel. The method comprises:

transmitting the items of information from each data source to the data destination as a series of data packets (70-73), each data packet being separated from successive data packets transmitted by the same data source by a repetition period, the repetition period of each data source being different from the repetition periods of the other data sources; and

repeatedly transmitting each item of information from the same data source in at least N adjacent data packets, where N is the number of data sources, in order to ensure that at least one of the N successive data packets is received at the data destination without overlapping with data packets from the other data sources, wherein

Period n=2*burst period*[(N−1)²+n]

where Period n is the repetition period of the nth data source and burst period is a parameter related to the length of the data packets.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting items of information from a plurality of data sources to a data destination over a common data channel, the method comprising:

transmitting the items of information from each data source to the data destination as a series of data packets, each data packet being separated from successive data packets transmitted by the same data source by a repetition period, the repetition period of each data source being different from the repetition periods of the other data sources; and

repeatedly transmitting each item of information from the same data source in at least N adjacent data packets, where N is the number of data sources, in order to ensure that at least one of the N successive data packets is received at the data destination without overlapping with data packets from the other data sources, wherein

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data packets from each data source are transmitted over a wireless link.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the wireless link is an infra-red link.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein each item of information is transmitted from the same data source in N data packets.

5. A method of controlling a broadcast media receiving system constituting a data destination, the method comprising transmitting control items of information to the broadcast media receiving system from a plurality of data sources over a common data channel by transmitting the items of information from each data source to the data destination as a series of data packets, each data packet being separated from successive data packets transmitted by the same data source by a repetition period, the repetition period of each data source being different from the repetition periods of the other data sources;

and

repeatedly transmitting each item of information from the same data source in at least N adjacent data packets, where N is the number of data sources, in order to ensure that at least one of the N successive data packets is received at the data destination without overlapping with data packets from the other data sources, wherein

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the items of information control a channel to which the broadcast media receiving system is tuned.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the broadcast media receiving system is adapted to receive broadcast game data, the data sources being adapted to generate game play data which is transmitted to a game controller forming part of the broadcast media receiving system.

8. Communication apparatus comprising a data destination having a receiver for receiving data transmitted over a common data channel;

and a plurality of data sources each comprising;

a) a transmitter for transmitting items of information to the data destination over the common data channel; and

b) a processor for controlling the transmitter such that the transmitter transmits the items of information as a series of data packets, each data packet being separated from successive data packets transmitted by the same data source by a repetition period, and each item of information being transmitted in at least N adjacent data packets from the same data source, where N is the number of data sources,

wherein the repetition period of each data source is different from the repetition periods of the other data sources, and wherein

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the receiver and transmitters communicate over a wireless link.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the wireless link is an infra-red link.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each data source comprises an oscillator which controls the repetition period of the data source, wherein the oscillator has an accuracy equal to or worse than 1%.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each data source comprises a counter which cyclically counts to generate a time slot clock signal, wherein each processor responds to a respective time slot clock signal to cause the transmitter to transmit a data packet.

13. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the data destination is unable to transmit data to the data sources, and the data sources are unable to receive data from the data destination.

14. Broadcast media receiving apparatus comprising a broadcast media receiving system;

and communication apparatus for controlling the broadcast media receiving system, the communication apparatus comprising a data destination having a receiver for receiving data transmitted over a common data channel; and

a plurality of data sources each comprising;

a) a transmitter for transmitting items of information to the data destination over the common data channel; and

b) a processor for controlling the transmitter such that the transmitter transmits the items of information as a series of data packets, each data packet being separated from successive data packets transmitted by the same data source by a repetition period, and each item of information being transmitted in at least N adjacent data packets from the same data source, where N is the number of data sources,

wherein the repetition period of each data source is different from the repetition periods of the other data sources, and wherein

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the broadcast media receiving system includes a receiver which can be tuned to one of a number of different broadcast channels, the communication apparatus being adapted to control the channel to which the broadcast media receiver is tuned.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the broadcast media receiver can be tuned to one of a number of broadcast TV channels.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the broadcast media receiving system includes a broadcast media receiver adapted to receive game data, the data sources being adapted to generate game play data which is transmitted to a game controller of the broadcast media receiving system.