Clock-based time slicing

• US 6,907,028 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Auranen, Tommi, Laiho, Kimmo
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US10/075,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20030153369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 370/347, 370/441, 370/442, 370/351, 370/352, 370/485, 370/318, 370/321, 370/337, 370/338, 370/466, 370/468, 370/470, 370/474, 370/529, 370/527, 455/13.4
• US Class Current: 370/347
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/63 Generation or supply of power specially adapted for television receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0248 dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system that allows mobile terminals to periodically remove power from at least some components is disclosed. The mobile terminal receives bursts of content. Some of the bursts of content include relative time information identifying the transmission time of a subsequent burst of content. The mobile terminal may remove power from a receiving module during times when the mobile terminal is not scheduled to receive content bursts.

Claims

1. A method of providing streaming content, the method comprising:

(a) receiving an information stream containing content;

(b) creating a first burst containing a first portion of the content;

(c) creating a second burst containing a second portion of the content; and

(d) encoding in the first burst a first relative time period between a transmission of the first burst and a transmission of the second burst.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

(e) transmitting the first burst to a transmission medium; and

(f) transmitting the second burst to the transmission medium at a time determined by the first relative time period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the bandwidth of the first burst corresponds to a maximum bandwidth of a channel of the transmission medium.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the bandwidth of the first burst is less than a maximum bandwidth of a channel of the transmission medium.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the bandwidth of the first burst corresponds to a maximum bandwidth of the transmission medium.

6. The method of claim 1, further including:

(e) encoding in the second burst a second relative time period between a transmission of the second burst and a transmission of a third burst that contains a portion of the content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein (d) further includes encoding a duration of the first burst in the first burst.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time period encoded in (d) is encoded in a multiprotocol encapsulation frame.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time period encoded in (d) is encoded in an Internet protocol packet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first time period encoded in (d) is encoded in digital video broadcast modulation data.

11. A method of processing bursts of content data received at a terminal, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a first burst of content;

(b) extracting from the first burst a first relative time period until a transmission of a second burst of content; and

(c) after (a), removing power from at least a portion of the mobile terminal for a time period less than the first relative time period.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least a portion of the mobile terminal comprises a receiving module.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving module comprises a packet filter.

14. The method of claim 11, further including:

(d) after (c), providing power to the at least a portion of the mobile terminal and receiving a second burst of content; and

(e) after (d), removing power from the at least a portion of the mobile terminal for the time period less than the first relative time period.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

(f) creating a content stream from the content contained in the first burst and the second burst.

16. The method of claim 11, further including:

(d) after (c), providing power to the at least a portion of the mobile terminal and receiving a second burst of content;

(e) extracting from the second burst a second relative time period until a transmission of a third burst of content; and

(f) after (d), removing power from the at least a portion of the mobile terminal for a time period less than the second relative time period.

17. The method of claim 16, further including:

(g) creating a content stream from the content contained in the first burst and the second burst.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein (b) comprises extracting the first relative time period from a multiprotocol encapsulation frame.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein (b) comprises extracting the first relative time period from an Internet protocol packet.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein (b) comprises extracting the first relative time period from digital video broadcast modulation data.

21. A mobile terminal that processes bursts of content, at least some of the bursts of content include relative time periods, the mobile terminal comprising:

a receiving module that receives bursts of content;

an extraction module configured to extract relative time periods from the bursts of content; and

a power management module that removes power from at least the receiving module for power off time periods that correspond to the relative time periods.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, further including a time source coupled to the power management module and that provides relative time information to the power management module.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 22, further including a buffer that stores the bursts of content.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23, further including a processor that creates a continuous content stream from the bursts of content.

25. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the extraction module extracts the relative time periods from multiprotocol encapsulation frames.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the extraction module extracts the relative time periods from Internet protocol packets.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the extraction module extracts the relative time periods from digital video broadcast modulation data.

28. A mobile terminal that processes bursts of content, at least some of the bursts of content include relative time data indicating a relative time between bursts, the mobile terminal comprising:

a means for receiving bursts of content;

a means for extracting relative time periods from the bursts of content; and

a means for removing power from at least the means for receiving for power off time periods that correspond to the relative time periods.

29. A receiver that processes bursts of content, at least some of the bursts of content include relative time periods, the video receiver comprising:

a receiving module that receives bursts of content;

an extraction module configured to extract relative time periods from the bursts of content; and

a power management module that removes power from at least the receiving module for power off time periods that correspond to the relative time periods.