Method for operating a data receiver and data receiver, in particular in a vehicle

• US 9,179,176 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Hehn, Thorsten, Krause, Jens, Thrmann, Urs, Weiser, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): SHANG, ANNAN Q
• Application Number:
  US14/343,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20140298391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 725 75- 77, 725131-134, 725139-142, 709217-232
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A method for operating a data receiver for audio and/or video data, wherein a planned and variable program title sequence having program titles is recorded, audio and/or video data relating to at least one program title are received via a data link and are buffered, and audio and/or video data of at least one program title are reproduced. The transmission resources of the data link for audio and/or video data to be transmitted and to be buffered are distributed over at least two program titles that have not yet been reproduced by the data receiver. Also disclosed are a data receiver associated with the method and a media reproduction system connected thereto, in particular in a vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for operating a data receiver for audio and/or video data, the method comprising:

recording a planned and variable sequence of program titles having a number of program titles;

receiving and buffering audio and/or video data for at least one program title via transmission resources of a data link;

reproducing audio and/or video data of the at least one program, and

distributing, by the data receiver, the transmission resources of the data link for audio and/or video data to be transmitted to at least two program titles not yet reproduced,

wherein the distribution of the transmission resources to at least two program titles not yet reproduced is based at least on an estimate of acceptance of the at least two program titles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

references to a user behavior with respect to a reproduced program title are recorded and

the relative proportion of the transmission resources of the data link for audio and/or video data to be transmitted and buffered of at least two program titles not yet reproduced is changed in dependence on at least one recorded reference to a user behavior.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein,

for a plurality of distinguishable references to a user behavior, the probability is determined with which a particular acceptance category is allocated to the reproduced program title on the recording of a reference to a particular user behavior,

based on a plurality of probabilities thus determined, an acceptance profile is allocated to the reproduced program title, and

the relative proportion of the transmission resources of the data link for audio and/or video data to be transmitted and buffered of at least two program titles not yet reproduced is changed based on the acceptance profile of the program title reproduced.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution or change of the relative proportion of the transmission resources for audio and/or video data to be transmitted and buffered of at least two program titles not yet reproduced depends on the position of a program title in the sequence of program titles and/or the remaining volume of data of a program title still to be transmitted.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the weighting of the factors based on which the relative proportions of the transmission resources of audio and/or video data to be transmitted and buffered are changed, is changed during the operation of the data receiver.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the planned sequence of program titles is changed based on a reference to a user behavior.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, in dependence based on changes in the sequence of program titles, the available transmission resources, their variability and/or the volume of data to be transmitted of a program title following the reproduced program title, a data format is set which determines the transmission rate of the following program titles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the sequence of program titles comprises locally stored program titles not transmitted via the data link,

a locally stored program title being optionally inserted at the front position of the sequence of program titles if no program title transmitted via the data link and is replayed due to insufficient transmission resources and/or

the locally stored program titles in the sequence of program titles being optionally selected based on a previously defined selection algorithm, based on program titles to be transmitted in the sequence of program titles and/or based on the previously recorded history of the references to a user behavior.

9. A data receiver, comprising:

a radio module that records a planned and rearrangeable sequence of program titles having a number of program titles;

a data interface for receiving audio and/or video data;

a memory unit for buffering audio and/or video data for at least one program title, received via the data interface;

an interface to a media reproduction system for audio and/or video data of at least one program title; and

a control unit which is connected to the radio module for recording a planned and changeable sequence of program titles, the data interface, the memory unit and the interface to the reproduction device,

wherein by the control unit, the transmission resources of the data interface can be distributed by the data receiver to audio and/or video data to be transmitted and buffered of at least two program titles not yet reproduced.

10. A media reproduction system for audio and/or video data for a vehicle which is connected to a data receiver as claimed in claim 9.