Method and apparatus for individually estimating time required to download application programs to remote modules over wireless network

• US 7,219,145 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Minear, Brian, Jacobs, Paul, Chmaytelli, Mazen, Kenagy, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot; Bharat
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAZARO, DAVID R
• Application Number:
  US09/871,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/202, 709/218, 709/227, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

Estimation of user-specific length of time required to download application program over-the-air onto a remote module, such as a wireless device, is calculated based on data transfer rates for data files sent over network to wireless device preceding a requested download of application program. Data transfer rates are calculated while user of wireless device browses application programs for download and/or purchase. Wireless device utilizes data transfer rates and information representing size of selected application program to estimate length of time required to download application program onto the wireless device and displays estimate to user.

Claims

1. A method for estimating a length of time required to download one or more application programs onto a wireless device over a wireless network, said method comprising operations of:

the wireless device receiving one or more data files from a server, each data file of the one or more data files containing information representing a size of the data file, said data files including information about the one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device and a size of the one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device;

during the receiving, the server using the size of each of the one or more data files to measure one or more data transfer rates for the receiving operation;

receiving user input of one or more application programs to download;

at least one of the server and wireless device;

utilizing the one or more measured data transfer rates and the size of the selected one or more application programs to estimate a length of time required to download the one or more application programs onto the wireless device; and

the wireless device providing a quantitative output of the estimated time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the wireless device sending one or more requests to the server to obtain the data files from the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the one or more application programs describes the one or more application programs available for download onto the wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the server transmitting the application programs for download onto the wireless device in response to operation of the wireless device to purchase the one or more application programs.

5. The method of claim 1, the measuring operation comprising operations of:

the wireless device notifying the server immediately upon completion of the downloading of each of the one or more data files; and

in response, the server dividing a size of each of the one or more data files by a length of time between the server sending each data file to the wireless device, and the wireless device notifying the server of the completed download.

6. The method of claim 1, the utilizing operation comprising operations of:

calculating an average data transfer rate by averaging each measured data transfer rate; and

dividing the size of each of the one or more selected application programs by the average data transfer rate.

7. The method of claim 1, the utilizing operation comprising operations of:

calculating a weighted data transfer rate by averaging each measured data transfer rate, giving more weight to the data transfer rates calculated closer in time to the operation of the wireless device to select the one or more application programs for download; and

dividing the size of each of the one or more selected application programs by the weighted data transfer rate.

8. The method of claim 1, the utilizing operation comprising operations of:

calculating a moving data transfer rate by averaging each measured data transfer rates for a period of time immediately preceding the operation of the wireless device to select the one or more application programs for download; and

dividing the size of each of the one or more selected application programs by the moving data transfer rate.

9. The method of claim 1, the utilizing operation comprising operations of:

calculating a moving weighted data transfer rate by averaging each measured data transfer rate for a period of time immediately preceding the operation of the wireless device to select the one or more application programs for download and giving more weight to the calculated data transfer rates closer in time to the operation of the wireless device to select the one or more application programs for download; and

dividing the size of each of the one or more selected application programs by the moving weighted data transfer rate.

10. An information exchange system comprising:

one or more wireless devices programmed to perform operations over a wireless network comprising;

receiving one or more data files from a server, each data file of the one or more data files containing information representing a size of the data file, said data files including information about one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device and a size of the one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device;

notifying the server immediately upon completion of the downloading of each of the one or more data files sent from the server;

receiving user input of one or more selected application programs to download;

receiving an estimate of time to download the selected application programs from the server;

providing an output of the estimated time;

one or more servers, each server programmed to perform operations over a wireless network comprising;

after being notified by the one or more wireless devices, measuring, at the one or more servers, one or more data transfer rates for each of the one or more data files using the size of each of the one or more data files;

utilizing the one or more measured data transfer rates and the size of the selected one or more application programs to estimate a length of time required to download the one or more application programs onto the wireless device; and

sending the time estimate to the wireless device;

wherein said time estimate is quantitative.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more wireless devices programmed to perform operations over the network further comprises the operation of:

the wireless device sending one or more requests to the server to obtain the data files from the server.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more wireless devices programmed to perform operations over the network further comprises the operation of:

the server initiating a transmission of the data files to the wireless device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the operation of the server calculating one or more data transfer rates further comprises:

the server dividing the size of each of the one or more data files by a length of time between the server sending each data file to the wireless device, and the wireless device notifying the server of the completed download.

14. An information exchange system comprising:

one or more wireless devices programmed to perform operations over a wireless network comprising;

receiving one or more data files from a server, each data file of the one or more data files containing information representing a size of the data file, said data files including information about one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device and a size of the one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device;

during the receiving, measuring, at the server, one or more data transfer rates for the receiving operation for each of the one or more data files using the size of each of the one or more data files;

receiving user input of one or more application programs to download;

utilizing the one or more measured data transfer rates and the size of the selected one or more application programs to estimate a length of time required to download the one or more application programs onto the wireless device;

providing an output of the estimated time; and

one or more servers, each server programmed to perform operations over a wireless network, the operations comprising;

sending the one or more data files to the wireless device;

wherein said estimated time is quantitative.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more wireless devices programmed to perform operations over a wireless network further comprises operation of:

the wireless device sending one or more data requests to the server to obtain the data files from the server.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more wireless devices programmed to perform operations over a wireless network further comprises operation of:

the server initiating a transmission of the data files to the wireless device.

17. An information exchange system comprising:

wireless device means for performing operations comprising;

receiving one or more data files from a server, each data file of the one or more data files containing information representing a size of the data file, said data files including information about one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device and a size of the one or more application programs available for downloading onto the wireless device;

during the receiving, measuring, at the server, one or more data transfer rates for the receiving operation for each of the one or more data files using the size of each of the one or more data files;

receiving user input of one or more application programs to download;

utilizing the one or more measured data transfer rates and the size of the selected one or more application programs to estimate a length of time required to download the one or more application programs onto the wireless device;

providing a quantitative output of the estimated time; and

server means for performing operations comprising;

sending the one or more data files to the wireless device.

18. A method for estimating a length of time required to download a download file onto a wireless device, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the wireless device, one or more data files, each containing an associated size field, wherein each associated size field indicates the size of the data file to which the size field is associated, the one or more data files including information about the download file and the size of the download file;

measuring, at a server, a length of time required to receive, at the wireless device, each of the one or more data files sent from the server and for the wireless device to notify the server of the receipt of each of the one or more data files;

calculating, at the server, a data transfer rate for each of the one or more data files using the size of each of the one or more data files and the measured length of time;

calculating, at the server, a combined data transfer rate using the data transfer rate of each of the one or more data files;

estimating, at the wireless device, the length of time to download the download file using the combined data transfer rate and the received size of the download file; and

outputting, on the wireless device, quantitative indication of the length of time.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of calculating the combined data transfer rate is an averaged based on the calculated data transfer rates of the one or more data files.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of calculating the combined data transfer rate is a time weighted calculation based on when the one or more data files were received.

21. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for estimating the length of time required to download a download file, that when executed comprise the steps of:

receiving, at a wireless device, one or more data files sent from a server, each data file containing an associated size field, wherein each associated size field indicates the size of the data file to which the size field is associated, the one or more data files including information about the download file and the size of the download file;

measuring, at a server, a length of time required for the wireless device to receive each of the one or more data files from the server and for the wireless device to notify the server of the receipt of each of the one or more data files;

calculating, at the server, a data transfer rate for each of the one or more data files using the size of each of the one or more data files and the measured length of time;

calculating, at the server, a combined data transfer rate using the data transfer rate of each of the one or more data files;

estimating, by the wireless device, a length of time to download the download file using the combined data transfer rate and the received size of the download file; and

displaying, at the wireless device, a quantitative indication of the length of time.

22. A system for estimating the length of time required to download a download file, comprising:

means for receiving, at a wireless device, one or more data files, each containing an associated size field, wherein each associated size field indicates the size of the data file to which the size field is associated, the one or more data files including information about the download file and the size of the download file;

means for measuring, at a server, a length of time required to receive each of the one or more data files and for the wireless device to notify the server of the receipt of each of the one or more data files;

means for calculating, at the server, a data transfer rate for each of the one or more data files using the size of each of the one or more data files and the measured length of time;

means for calculating, at the server, a combined data transfer rate using the data transfer rate of each of the one or more data files; and

means for estimating, at the wireless device, the length of time to download the download file using the combined data transfer rate and the received size of the download file.