Method of measuring goodness of a module schedule for a carousel

• US 7,269,840 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Crinon, Regis J., Stanley, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, HAI V
• Application Number:
  US09/895,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20030009763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: 725/50, 725/61, 725/80, 725/87, 725/104, 725/39, 725 44- 46, 725/48, 725/54, 725/59, 725/86, 725/92, 725/96, 370/468, 370/486, 709/217, 709/231
• US Class Current: 725/92
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26266 for determining content or additional data repetition rate, e.g. of a file in a DVB carousel according to its importance arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65

Abstract

A method of determining a goodness metric of a module schedule. The module schedule comprises a plurality of modules, at least one of which exhibits multiple instances, that are arranged within the period of a carousel. The goodness metric is based, at least in part, upon the interval difference associated with each instance of all modules on the carousel. The interval difference for an instance of a module is the difference between the actual interval of the instance and a desired interval for that module.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a carousel schedule to a processing system, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

creating a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein to create the metric, the processing system

determines an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applies a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module,

adds the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric,

adds a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling one, and

adds a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling negative one; and

outputting the metric, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule.

2. A method comprising:

providing a carousel schedule to a processing system, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

creating a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein to create the metric, the processing system

determines an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applies a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module, and

adds the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric; and

outputting the metric, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule,

wherein to apply the function to the interval difference, the processing system;

determines an absolute value of the interval difference;

or

determines a square of the interval difference;

or

determines a Logarithmic of a number, wherein the number is determined by adding one to a square of the interval difference.

3. A method comprising:

providing a carousel schedule to a processing system, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

creating a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein to create the metric, the processing system

determines an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applies a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module,

adds the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric,

adds a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling one, and

adds a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling negative one; and

providing the metric to a user interface, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule.

4. A method comprising:

providing a carousel schedule to a processing system, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

creating a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein to create the metric, the processing system

determines an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applies a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module, and

adds the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric; and

providing the metric to a user interface, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule,

wherein to apply the function to the interval difference, the processing system;

determines an absolute value of the interval difference;

or

determines a square of the interval difference;

or

determines a Logarithmic of a number, wherein the number is determined by adding one to a square of the interval difference.

5. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium encoded with computer instructions capable of being executed by a computer and that cause the computer to;

receive a carousel schedule, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

create a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein creating the metric includes;

determining an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applying a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module,

adding the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric,

adding a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling one, and

adding a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling negative one; and

output the metric, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule.

6. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium encoded with computer instructions capable of being executed by a computer and that cause the computer to;

receive a carousel schedule, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

create a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein creating the metric includes;

determining an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applying a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module, and

adding the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric; and

output the metric, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule,

wherein applying the function to the interval difference comprises;

determining an absolute value of the interval difference;

or

determining a square of the interval difference;

or

determining a Logarithmic of a number, wherein the number is determined by adding one to a square of the interval difference.

7. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium encoded with computer instructions capable of being executed by a computer and that cause the computer to;

receive a carousel schedule, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

create a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein creating the metric includes

determining an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applying a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module,

adding the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric,

adding a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling one, and

adding a penalty term to the sum in response to an actual interval of any instance of any of the modules equaling negative one; and

provide the metric to a user interface, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule.

8. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium encoded with computer instructions capable of being executed by a computer and that cause the computer to;

receive a carousel schedule, the carousel schedule including a plurality of modules, at least one of the modules having at least two instances;

create a metric for the carousel schedule, wherein creating the metric includes

determining an interval difference for each instance of each module of the plurality of modules,

applying a function to the interval difference to determine a result for each instance of each module, and

adding the result for each instance of each module to a sum, the sum corresponding to the metric; and

provide the metric to a user interface, the metric for use in evaluating the carousel schedule,

wherein applying a function to the interval difference comprises;

determining an absolute value of the interval difference;

or

determining a square of the interval difference;

or

determining a Logarithmic of a number, wherein the number is determined by adding one to a square of the interval difference.