System and method for automatically synchronizing and acquiring content for battery powered devices

• US 7,768,234 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Viviana Research LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M., Nichols, Jonathan L., Kalayjian, Nicholas, Fuchs, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fantu; Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US11/069,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20050258806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 320/133, 320/107, 320/106, 320/155, 320/157
• US Class Current: 320/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• 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 21/4436 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: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Various synchronization and content acquisition tasks able to be performed by a portable device are governed by reference to a budget. In operation, the budget may be adjusted as a function of a state of a battery associated with the portable device, as a function of one more file sizes associated with content to be acquired, as a function of a data transfer rate, and/or as a function of a temperature associated with the portable device. A filter may also be provided for use in determining which content the portable device will acquire.

Claims

1. For use in connection with a battery-powered device, a method of downloading media content from a media content server comprising:

establishing a period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server; and

adjusting the period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server as a function of a state of a battery associated with the battery-powered device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the state of the battery comprises the battery being charged.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the state of the battery comprises the battery being discharged.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising adjusting the period of time in response to the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media content server.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, comprising using a threshold value for the period of time to halt the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media server.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a threshold value for the period of time to prevent the battery-powered device from downloading media content from the media server.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of a state of the battery associated with the battery-powered device to enable the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media content server.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of content size to enable the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media content server.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of media content file size to determine which content the battery-powered device will download from the media content server in the period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of data transfer rate to enable the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media content server.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of data transfer rate to determine which media content the battery-powered device will download from the media content server in the period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising adjusting the period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download content from the media content server as a function of a temperature associated with the battery-powered device.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of temperature to enable the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media content server.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising adjusting the period of time as a function of a measure of a state of a battery within the battery-powered device.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a filter to determine which media content the battery-powered device will download from the media content server in the period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the filter comprises one or more media content genres.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the filter comprises one or more media ratings categories.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the filter comprises one or more media content play dates.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the filter comprises one or more media content publication dates.

20. For use in connection with a battery-powered device, a method of downloading media content from a media content server comprising:

measuring a state of a battery associated with the battery-powered device; and

using the measure of the state of the battery associated with the battery-powered device to determine if the battery-powered device is to be enabled to download media content from the media content server.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the state of the battery comprises a voltage level.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the state of the battery comprises a current level.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the state of the battery comprises a battery charge time.

24. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the state of the battery comprises a battery discharge time.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a battery providing power, and

a content acquisition budget manager that determines a length of time to download media content from a media content server and that adjusts the length of time to download the media content from the media content server as a function of a state of the battery.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 25 further comprising a filter to determine which media content is acquired.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein the content acquisition budget manager uses content size of the media content as a factor in adjusting the length of time to download the media content.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein the state of the battery comprises a voltage level.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein the state of the battery comprises a battery charge time.

30. A system comprising:

means for establishing a period of time during which a battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server; and

means for adjusting the period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server as a function of a state of a battery associated with the battery-powered device.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, further comprising means for adjusting the period of time in response to the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media content server.

32. The system as recited in claim 31, further comprising means for using a threshold value for the period of time to halt the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media server.

33. The system as recited in claim 30, further comprising means for using a threshold value for the period of time to prevent the battery-powered device from downloading media content from the media server.

34. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

establish a period of time during which a battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from a media content server; and

adjust the period of time during which the battery-powered device is allowed to download media content from the media content server as a function of a state of a battery associated with the battery-powered device.

35. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the computing device is further caused to adjust the period of time in response to the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media content server.

36. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 35, wherein the computing device is further caused to use a threshold value for the period of time to halt the battery-powered device downloading media content from the media server.

37. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 34, wherein the computing device is further caused to use a threshold value for the period of time to prevent the battery-powered device from downloading media content from the media server.