Power Management Techniques for Buffering and Playback of Audio Broadcast Data

• US 20110039508A1
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Powell, Richard Michael, Williams, Joseph M., Lindahl, Aram
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/18 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving

Abstract

Various techniques that relate to prolonging the battery life on a portable electronic device during the buffering and playback of audio broadcast data are provided. In accordance with disclosed embodiments, upon detecting a low power state, the device may implement one or more low power actions, including starting, continuing, or stopping one or more audio broadcast functions, such as buffering or playing back audio broadcast data, to reduce overall power consumption, and thus prolong battery life. In one embodiment, a user may specify one or more low power actions that are to be implemented during a low power state by configuring user settings stored on the device. In another embodiment, the device, upon detecting a low power state, may prompt the user to make a selection from a listing of selectable low power action options and perform the selected low power action.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a live audio broadcast on an electronic device initially operating in a normal power state;

initiating the buffering of the live audio broadcast at a first time;

initiating the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data at a second time subsequent to the first time;

detecting if the electronic device is operating in a low power state based upon the amount of power remaining in a power source configured to power the electronic device; and

if the electronic device is operating in the low power state, performing one or more low power actions, wherein the one or more low power actions are determined based upon low power settings configured by a user of the electronic device prior to the detection of the low power state, and wherein the one or more low power actions comprises stopping at least one of buffering the live audio broadcast or playing back the buffered audio broadcast data during the low power state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the low power settings by the user prior to the detection of the low power state comprises:

receiving a first set of user inputs;

configuring the low power settings based upon the first set of user inputs; and

storing the low power settings on the electronic device, wherein the low power settings define the one or more low power actions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more low power actions comprise either stopping the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data while continuing to buffer the live audio broadcast, stopping the buffering of the live audio broadcast while continuing to play back the buffered audio broadcast data, or stopping the buffering of the live audio broadcast and the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data while initiating the output of the live audio broadcast.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the low power settings include a duration of time over which the electronic device is to continue buffering the live audio broadcast or continue playing back the buffered audio broadcast data during the low power state.

5. The method of claim 2, comprising:

prior to performing the one or more low power actions, determining if the amount power remaining in the power source is sufficient to perform the one or more low power actions; and

if the remaining power is not sufficient to perform the one or more low power actions, prompting the user to reconfigure the low power settings, the reconfigured low power settings defining one or more reconfigured low power actions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein reconfiguring the low power settings comprises:

receiving a second set of user inputs;

reconfiguring the low power settings based upon the second set of user inputs; and

storing the reconfigured low power settings on the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

subsequent to the detection of the low power state, detecting whether the electronic device is in a charging state; and

stopping the one or more low power actions if the charging state is detected and resuming operation of the electronic device in the normal power state.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising recharging the power source when the charging state is detected.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the power consumed when operating the electronic device in the low power state over a period of time is less than the power consumed when operating the electronic device in the normal power state over the same period of time.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving a live audio broadcast on an electronic device initially operating in a normal power state;

initiating the buffering of the live audio broadcast at a first time;

initiating the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data at a second time subsequent to the first time;

detecting if the electronic device is operating in a low power state based upon the amount of power remaining in a power source configured to power the electronic device; and

if the electronic device is operating in the low power state, providing the user of the electronic device with a plurality of low power actions that may be performed by the electronic device, prompting the user to select one of the plurality of low power actions, and performing the low power action selected by the user;

wherein the plurality of low power actions comprises at least one low power action that, when selected by the user, stops at least one of buffering the live audio broadcast or playing back the buffered audio broadcast data on the electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting if the electronic device is operating in the low power state comprises comparing the amount of power remaining in the power source to a low power threshold value.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of low power actions comprises:

a first action that stops the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data while continuing to buffer the live audio broadcast;

a second action that stops the buffering of the live audio broadcast while continuing to playback the buffered audio broadcast data; and

a third action that stops the buffering of the live audio broadcast, stops the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data, and starts outputting the live audio broadcast.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising, if the first action is selected:

stopping the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data;

determining an amount of time that the electronic device is able to continue buffering the live audio broadcast based upon the remaining power;

informing the user of the determined amount of time; and

continuing to buffer the live audio broadcast for the determined amount of time.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising, if the second action is selected:

stopping the buffering of the live audio broadcast; and

playing back at least a portion of unplayed buffered audio broadcast data stored on the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein playing back at least a portion of unplayed buffered audio broadcast data comprises:

determining the amount of unplayed buffered audio broadcast data stored on the electronic device;

determining whether the electronic device is able to play back all of the unplayed buffered audio broadcast data based upon the remaining power;

playing back all of the unplayed buffered audio broadcast data if the remaining power is sufficient; and

if the remaining power is not sufficient to play back all of the unplayed buffered audio broadcast data, identifying a portion of the unplayed buffered audio broadcast data that the electronic device is able to play back based upon the remaining power, and playing back the identified portion.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the user with the plurality of low power actions comprises displaying the plurality of low power options as a listing of selectable options on a display device.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

an audio broadcast receiver configured to receive a live audio broadcast;

an audio output device configured to output audio data;

a power source configured to provide power to the electronic device; and

processing logic configured to initiate buffering of the live audio broadcast at a first time and to initiate the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data at a second time subsequent to the first time, wherein the processing logic comprises;

encode/decode logic configured to encode the live audio broadcast using a codec during buffering and to decode the buffered audio broadcast using the codec during playback; and

low power management logic configured perform one or more low power actions when the electronic device is operating in a low power state, wherein the one or more low power actions comprises stopping at least one of buffering the live audio broadcast or playing back the buffered audio broadcast data.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the low power management logic is configured to determine if the electronic device is operating in the low power state by receiving, from a power management unit communicatively coupled to the power source, data indicative of the amount of power remaining in the power source, comparing the remaining power to a low power threshold, and determining that the electronic device is in the low power state if the amount of power remaining in the power source is less than the low power threshold.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the one or more low power actions are determined based upon a set of low power settings configured by a user of the electronic device prior to detection of a low power state.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, the electronic device comprises a display device, and wherein the low power settings are configurable by the user using a graphical user interface displayed on the display device.

21. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the low power management logic is configured to determine the one or more low power actions by prompting a user to select a low power action from a plurality of low power actions that may be performed by the low power management logic upon detection of the low power state, and selecting one of the plurality of low power actions in accordance with a user selection input received in response to the prompt.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the plurality of low power actions that may be performed by the low power management logic during the low power state comprises:

stopping the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data using the audio output device while continuing to buffer the live audio broadcast;

stopping the buffering of the live audio broadcast while continuing to play back the buffered audio broadcast data;

or

stopping both the buffering of the live audio broadcast and the playback of the buffered audio broadcast data and outputting the live audio broadcast to the audio output device.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the prompt further provides a user with a selectable option to not perform any low power actions during the low power state.

24. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the encode/decode logic is configured to compress the live audio broadcast using a first compression bit-rate when the electronic device is not operating in a low power state and using a second compression bit-rate when the electronic device is operating in the low power state, wherein the first compression bit-rate is greater than the second compression bit-rate.

25. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises a portable digital media player, and wherein the power source comprises one or more batteries.

26. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the low power management logic is configured to stop performing the one or more low power actions if it is determined that the electronic device is no longer operating in the low power state.

27. The electronic device of claim 17, comprising at least one of a display device or a network device, wherein the low power management logic, upon detecting the low power state, is further configured to reduce a brightness level of the display device, temporarily power off the display device, power off the network device, or some combination thereof.

28. One or more tangible computer-readable storage media having instructions encoded thereon for execution by a processor, the instructions comprising:

code to cause a live audio broadcast received by an electronic device to be buffered beginning at a first time;

code to cause the buffered audio broadcast data to be played back beginning at a second time subsequent to the first time;

code to detect if the electronic device is operating in a low power state; and

code to cause the live audio broadcast to stop being buffered, to cause the buffered audio broadcast data to stop being played back, and to cause the live audio broadcast to start being outputted using an audio output device when the low power state is detected.

29. The one or more tangible computer-readable storage media of claim 28, comprising:

code to cause the live audio broadcast to stop being outputted at the conclusion of the live audio broadcast;

code to identify unplayed buffered audio broadcast data stored on the electronic device;

code to determine whether the electronic device has sufficient power at the conclusion of the live audio broadcast to play back at least a portion of the unplayed buffered audio broadcast data; and

code to cause at least a portion of the unplayed buffered audio broadcast data to be played back if the electronic device has sufficient power.