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

• US 20060194549A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M., Nichols, Jonathan L., Kalayjian, Nicholas, Fuchs, Axel
• Granted Patent: US 7,525,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/73
• 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 acquiring content comprising:

establishing a period of time during which the battery-powered device will be enabled to acquire content; and

adjusting the period of time 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 acquiring content.

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

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

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 acquiring content.

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

9. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of content size to determine which content the battery-powered device will acquire.

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

11. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using a measure of data transfer rate to determine which content the battery-powered device will acquire.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising adjusting the period of time 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 acquiring content.

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 content the battery-powered device will acquire.

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

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

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

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

20. For use in connection with a battery-powered device, a method of acquiring content 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 should be enabled to acquire content.

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. For use in connection with a portable device, a method of acquiring content comprising:

establishing a budget for enabling the portable device to acquire content; and

using the budget and a filter to determine which content the portable device will acquire.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the filter comprises one or more content genres.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the filter comprises one or more ratings categories.

28. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the filter comprises one or more play dates.

29. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the filter comprises one or more publication dates.

30. For use in connection with a portable device, a method of acquiring content comprising:

periodically determining if content is available for acquiring; and

using a budget to determine an amount of the content the portable device will acquire.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, comprising adjusting the budget as a function of a state of a battery associated with the portable device.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the state of the battery comprises the battery being charged.

33. The method as recited in claim 31, wherein the state of the battery comprises the battery being discharged.

34. The method as recited in claim 30, comprising adjusting the budget as a function of one more file sizes associated with the content.

35. The method as recited in claim 30, comprising adjusting the budget as a function of a data transfer rate.

36. The method as recited in claim 30, comprising adjusting the budget as a function of a temperature associated with the portable device.