Patent Application
20070300265
A more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description in consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:
In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
Digital content may be created and/or provided by digital content sources 104 and may include video signals, audio signals, data, and so forth. Digital content sources 104 may provide content to digital broadcast transmitter 103 in the form of digital packets, e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) packets. A group of related IP packets sharing a certain unique IP address or other source identifier is sometimes described as an IP stream. Digital broadcast transmitter 103 may receive, process, and forward for transmission multiple IP streams from multiple digital content sources 104. The processed digital content may then be passed to digital broadcast tower 105 (or other physical transmission component) for wireless transmission. Ultimately, mobile terminals or devices 112 may selectively receive and consume digital content originating from digital content sources 104. In one or more arrangements, mobile terminals or devices 112 may further send and/or receive data directly to and from the digital content sources 104 through one or more wireless telecommunication back channels. That is, transmissions might not need to initially go through the digital broadcast transmitter 103. For example, the back channels may be used by content sources 104 to update ESG data in the mobile devices 112.
As shown in
Computer executable instructions and data used by processor 128 and other components within mobile device 112 may be stored in a computer readable memory 134. The memory may be implemented with any combination of read only memory modules or random access memory modules, optionally including both volatile and nonvolatile memory. Software 140 may be stored within memory 134 and/or storage to provide instructions to processor 128 for enabling mobile device 112 to perform various functions. Alternatively, some or all of mobile device 112 computer executable instructions may be embodied in hardware or firmware (not shown).
Mobile device 112 may be configured to receive, decode and process digital audio, video, radio and/or television broadband broadcast transmissions that are based, for example, on the Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) standard, such as DVB-H, DVB-H2, or DVB-MHP, through a specific DVB receiver 141. The mobile device may also be provided with other types of receivers for digital broadband broadcast transmissions. Additionally, receiver device 112 may also be configured to receive, decode and process transmissions through FM/AM Radio receiver 142, WLAN transceiver 143, and telecommunications transceiver 144. In one aspect of the invention, mobile device 112 may receive radio data stream (RDS) messages.
In addition, mobile device 112 may include a behavior module 160. The behavior module 160 may monitor usage of the mobile device 112 and may determine a behavior model based on the general usage of the mobile device 112 and usage of audio, video, radio and/or television content in the mobile device 112. For example, a user may use the mobile device 112 to watch mobile television programs on the display 136 at a particular day or time or a particular channel.
The behavior module 160 may detect specific information of the usage of the mobile device 112. Based on the detected usage information, the behavior module 160 may apply statistical analysis to determine a usage model which may be used to determine reception of information corresponding to a program or service such as an Electronic Service Guide (ESG). For example, the time of reception, the length of time of reception, and/or the channel of reception of program or service information may be determined in the behavior module 160 based on usage patterns. The behavior module may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of the two. Behavior module 160 may further determine a schedule for updating ESG data based on a user's behavior and selections of TV channels included in the ESG. For example, statistics associated with ESG usage and channel selection may be determined from a user's behavior through the behavior module 160. The behavior module 160 may identify particular channels are only accessed at certain times or that those channels are accessed more frequently than others. In response, the behavior module may update ESG information more frequently only for those particular channels. Channel selection and ESG usage statistics and behavior may also be used in a variety of other ways to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of ESG updating and use.
In an example of the DVB standard, one DVB 10 Mbit/s transmission may have 200, 50 kbit/s audio program channels or 50, 200 kbit/s video (TV) program channels. The mobile device 112 may be configured to receive, decode, and process transmission based on the Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H) standard or other DVB standards, such as DVB-MHP, DVB-Satellite (DVB-S), or DVB-Terrestrial (DVB-T). Similarly, other digital transmission formats may alternatively be used to deliver content and information of availability of supplemental services, such as ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee), NTSC (National Television System Committee), ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial), DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting), DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting), FLO (Forward Link Only) or DIRECTV. Additionally, the digital transmission may be time sliced, such as in DVB-H technology. Time-slicing may reduce the average power consumption of a mobile terminal and may enable smooth and seamless handover. Time-slicing entails sending data in bursts using a higher instantaneous bit rate as compared to the bit rate required if the data were transmitted using a traditional streaming mechanism. In this case, the mobile device 112 may have one or more buffer memories for storing the decoded time sliced transmission before presentation.
In addition, ESGs may be used to provide program or service related information. Generally, an ESG enables a terminal to communicate what services are available to end users and how the services may be accessed. The ESG includes independently existing pieces of ESG fragments. Traditionally, ESG fragments include XML documents, but more recently they have encompassed a vast array of items, such as for example, a SDP (Session Description Protocol) description, textual file, or an image. The ESG fragments describe one or several aspects of currently available (or future) service or broadcast program. Such aspects may include for example: free text description, schedule, geographical availability, price, purchase method, genre, and supplementary information such as preview images or clips. Audio, video and other types of data including the ESG fragments may be transmitted through a variety of types of networks according to many different protocols. For example, data can be transmitted through a collection of networks usually referred to as the “Internet” using protocols of the Internet protocol suite, such as Internet Protocol (IP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Data is often transmitted through the Internet addressed to a single user. It can, however, be addressed to a group of users, commonly known as multicasting. In the case in which the data is addressed to all users it is called broadcasting.
One way of broadcasting data is to use an IP datacasting (IPDC) network. IPDC is a combination of digital broadcast and Internet Protocol. Through such an IP-based broadcasting network, one or more service providers can supply different types of IP services including on-line newspapers, radio, and television. These IP services are organized into one or more media streams in the form of audio, video and/or other types of data. To determine when and where these streams occur, users refer to an electronic service guide (ESG).
DVB transport streams deliver compressed audio and video and data to a user via third party delivery networks. Moving Picture Expert Group (MPEG) is a technology by which encoded video, audio, and data within a single program is multiplexed, with other programs, into a transport stream (TS). The TS is a packetized data stream, with fixed length packets, including a header. The individual elements of a program, audio and video, are each carried within packets having a unique packet identification (PID). To enable a receiver device to locate the different elements of a particular program within the TS, Program Specific Information (PSI), which is embedded into the TS, is supplied. In addition, additional Service Information (SI), a set of tables adhering to the MPEG private section syntax, is incorporated into the TS. This enables a receiver device to correctly process the data contained within the TS.
As stated above, the ESG fragments may be transported by IPDC over a network, such as for example, DVB-H to destination devices. The DVB-H may include, for example, separate audio, video and data streams. The destination device must then again determine the ordering of the ESG fragments and assemble them into useful information.
ESG fragments may be delivered in a transport object which may transport ESG information in a container. Thus, ESG fragments may be placed in a container that may be delivered in its own transport object. The container may further include a container header and a container payload, for example, in which the container header may provide information on where each container is located within the transport object. In one example, the transport object may contain a single container or a plurality of containers, each container including at least one ESG fragment.
In the example illustrated in
As described above, the Electronic Service Guide (ESG) fragments may provide information regarding what programs or services are available to end users, provide information on how the programs/services may be accessed, or describe one or several aspects of currently available (or future) service or broadcast program. Hence, data provided in the ESG to the mobile terminal may be important in proper transmission of program or service content. In one example, ESG data may be received during certain designated periods of time of use of the mobile terminal. The periods of time for receiving ESG information or updated ESG information may be determined based on usage of the mobile terminal.
In one example, a mobile terminal may contain a user behavior module for determining user behavior with respect to use of the mobile terminal. A user may utilize the mobile terminal in a variety of activities in a variety of usage patterns. For example, the user may power on the mobile terminal for an activity for a certain period of time or for certain activities. One example would be a user viewing a television program at a particular day and/or time on the mobile terminal for a certain period of time. The programs viewed on the mobile terminal may be on certain channels, on certain days of the week or at certain hours of the day and may play for a certain length of time. Any of this information may be utilized in determining a behavior pattern of the user and further determining a time period in which to transmit information pertaining to programs or services.
Also, a user may receive programs or services at certain times/days and programs or services at certain other times/days. Any aspect of the received content at the mobile terminal may be obtained to determine usage patterns at the mobile terminal. Based on the behavior pattern information, the user behavior module may determine parameters for improved transmission of information such as ESG information pertaining to a program or service. For example, the user behavior module may determine a delivery time period that would decrease interference with transmission or reception of program or service content. Also, the user behavior module may determine any other aspect of delivery of information at the mobile terminal. For example, the behavior module may determine a mode or method of delivery for improving the delivery of the information. Non-limiting examples of this would be a determination of delivery of ESG information via a wireless telecom network or a digital TV network such as IPDC/DVB-H.
Alternatively or additionally, a mobile terminal's environment may play a role in determining when or how data is received and/or transmitted. For example, the location of a user's mobile terminal may also be tracked to further refine a behavior model. For example, a user may have a summer house at a location where mobile TV service is unavailable or where the user does not view mobile TV content. In such a situation, ESG data might not be downloaded to the user's mobile terminal when the user is at the summer house location based on this behavior information. According to yet another aspect, a user's network resources may be evaluated to determine a best time to download updates and other information. Network resources may relate to bandwidth, speed and the like of a network system. Thus, if a user's mobile terminal is at work where a WLAN is available, ESG data may be updated at work, rather than at home, to take advantage of the speed and bandwidth of the WLAN.
The behavior module 503 in this example includes usage statistics module 504 for determining statistics for indicating a data delivery time during which data, such as ESG data may be received. Also, the statistics module 504 may further determine a method or mode of transmission of ESG information based on the usage of the mobile TV 502. Information on the usage of the mobile TV 502 for viewing the television programs at the particular times/days may be transmitted to the usage statistics module 504 of the behavior module 503. The usage statistics module 504 may be located within the mobile TV 502 or may be located separate from the mobile TV 502 (as
As
The statistical model may be transmitted from the usage statistics module 504 to an ESG update function module 505. The ESG update function module 505 schedules ESG updates based on the statistical model received from the usage statistics module 504. For example, the ESG update function module 505 may determine times for transmission or reception of ESG update information that do not coincide with times for transmission of television program content. Alternatively, ESG update function module 505 may schedule ESG updates without regard to statistical models and/or other information determined by the usage statistics module 504. The ESG update scheduling information may be transmitted from the ESG update function module 505 via the broadcast channel 501 back to the service provider. The service provider then provides ESG update information to the mobile TV 502 according to the scheduling information received from the ESG update function module 505. In one or more arrangements, the usage statistics module 504 may create the statistical model based on usage patterns of the mobile TV 502 and send the statistical model to a server of the service provider via the broadcast channel 501. The server receives the statistical model and transmits ESG update information according to the statistical model.
Based on the statistical, scheduling or delivery information received from the behavior module 503, the server or service provider may transmit ESG update information via the broadcast channel 501 to the mobile TV 502. The ESG update information may be stored in a database 506 in the mobile TV 502. Alternatively, the database 506 may be located separate from the mobile TV 502. The ESG information stored in the database 506 may be updated with the received ESG update information from the server. Hence, the reception of ESG update information may be scheduled based on usage patterns of the mobile TV 502, statistical information derived from the usage patterns of the mobile TV 502, and/or scheduling information based on either the statistical information or usage patterns of the mobile TV 502.
In this example, transmission of ESG data may be scheduled during periods of time in which the probability of the mobile terminal being in use is low such that scheduling of transmission of ESG data during times in which the probability of the mobile terminal being in use is high may be avoided (e.g., during the 8-9 AM or 4:30-5:30 PM time periods). In the example illustrated in
In STEP 701, user behavior is monitored. For example, times or days when a user device is activated or length of time the user device is activated may be monitored. Also, the channel used by a service or program received may also be monitored. Any information pertaining to user behavior at a user device may be monitored in STEP 701. Based on the monitored behavior of the user, a behavior model may be created (STEP 702). The behavior model may provide information pertaining to the usage patterns of the user device. Based on the behavior model, delivery time periods may be determined (STEP 703) for delivery of data to the user device. For example, the delivery time periods may describe periods of time which are less likely that the user device is in use such that the user device may receive transmitted data during the periods of times.
In one example, the user device may transmit a request to a service provider or a server of a service provider to request program or service data such as ESG fragment data corresponding to a program or service of interest (STEP 704). Also, optionally, the user device may power on during the time period determined in STEP 703 (STEP 705). Thus, the user device may be powered on during the time period such that the user device may receive data, such as ESG fragment information corresponding to a program or service during the time period (STEP 706). In addition, the user device may store the data (e.g., ESG data) in STEP 707. The received ESG data may be updated ESG data such that storing the updated ESG data may update any ESG data already stored in the storage.
In another example, usage patterns are monitored at a user device and a behavior model is created based on the monitored usage patterns as described above (STEPS 701 and 702). In addition, a delivery time period for the delivery of information corresponding to a program or service may also be determined based on the behavior model (STEP 703). In this example, the behavior model may be transmitted from the user device to a service provider or a server of a service provider (STEP 708). Also, the behavior model transmitted to the service provide or the service of the service provider may include at least one delivery time period determined based on the behavior model. In STEP 709, the user device may be powered on during the delivery period of time. In one example, the service provider or server of the service provider may transmit a control signal to the user device for turning on the user device. In another example, the user device may turn on in STEP 709 responsive to instructions in the behavior model at the user device. When the user device is turned on during the delivery time period, the user device may receive data corresponding to the program or service (e.g., the ESG data or data fragment). The ESG data, including any updated ESG data, may further be stored at the user device.
The user device may further include a behavior module 902 for determining usage patterns of the user device. The program or service content may be received at the content input 901 and the user device may determine times, periods of times, channels, etc. pertaining to the received program or service content. The user device may further be powered on during certain time periods corresponding to broadcast times of a particular television program (or programs). The behavior module 902 may collect the usage patterns and provide the information to a statistics module 903. The statistics module 903 receives the usage patterns and create a statistical model based on the usage patterns from the behavior module 902. The statistical model from the statistics module 903 provides information on the probability of the user device being activated and in use during certain periods of times and/or the probability of the user device being inactive during certain other periods of time.
The behavior usage patterns and/or the statistical model from the statistic module 903 may be processed in a scheduler 904. The scheduler 904 receives the behavior usage patterns and/or the statistical model from the behavior module 902 and statistics module 903, respectively and may determine a time period for delivery of information corresponding to a program or service (e.g., ESG data corresponding to a program or service). The information from the scheduler 904 may further include a control signal for activating a switch 906 at the user device. When the switch 906 is activated at the user device, the user device is activated to receive data input such as ESG data via the ESG input 907.
Based on the delivery time period determined by the scheduler 904, a request generator 905 may generate a request for ESG data corresponding to a program or service of interest. The request generator 905 may further transmit the request at a time based on the delivery time period determined by the scheduler 904. For example, the request generator 905 may generate and transmit the request for ESG data to the service provider or a server of the service provider during the delivery time period determined by the scheduler 904.
The service provider or server of the service provider may transmit the requested information (e.g., ESG data corresponding to a program or service of interest) to the user device, which may be received by the ESG input 907. Further, the ESG data, including any updated ESG data, received at the ESG input 907 may further be stored in storage 908.
However, in the user device illustrated in
Alternatively, the behavior module 1002 may create a behavior model, which may control the activation of the switch 1006 via the control input 1005. For example, the behavior model may describe time periods of time in which the user device is more likely to be activated and certain other time periods in which the user device is more likely not to be in use. The control input 1005 may receive this information and, based on this information, may control activation of the ESG input 1007 of the user device (e.g., power on the user device) during the delivery time period. Alternatively, the statistic module 1003 may create the statistical model which may also control the switch to activate the user device via the ESG input 1007 to be activated during the delivery time period. In addition, the ESG data received, including any ESG update information, may be stored in storage 1008.
Also, in another example, the user device may transmit the behavior usage pattern and/or statistical model to a service provider or server of a service provider. The service provider (or server) may determine a delivery time period based on information received from the user device. During the delivery time period, the service provider may transmit information (e.g., including ESG data or ESG update information) to the user device.
The server may further include a processor 1102 for processing the information received from the user device (e.g., the statistical model). Based on the information received, a behavior parser 1104 in the server may identify usage patterns or probabilities pertaining to user behavior at the user device as described. The server may further include a scheduler 1105 that, based on input from the behavior parser 1104 (i.e., usage patterns or probability information), may determine delivery time periods during which time data and information corresponding to a program or service (e.g., ESG data or ESG update information) may be transmitted. Based on this information a transmitter 1106 of the server may transmit the data during the delivery time period. In addition, the behavior model or the statistical model may be stored in storage 1103.
The present invention also relates to a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing any of the methods herein. Further the computer-readable medium may be implemented on any of the devices described herein.
The embodiments herein include any feature or combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or any generalization thereof. While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques.
