Broadband Gateway Power Management via Content Bursting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home network systems face challenges in managing power consumption efficiently, particularly with the increasing demand for digital television and broadband access, as they require dedicated set-top boxes and multiple devices for multimedia content delivery, leading to higher energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A broadband gateway system that identifies device and network power profiles to select optimal content delivery mechanisms, including transcoding and bursting operations, to minimize power consumption by managing device and network configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated set-top boxes and multiple devices are used for multimedia content delivery, then content delivery capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple set-top box functionalities into a single gateway device that can deliver content to multiple different devices (TVs, PCs, mobile devices). The gateway integrates conditional access modules, decryption capabilities, and content delivery functions that were previously distributed across separate set-top boxes, thereby reducing the number of active devices and lowering overall power consumption while maintaining content delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device is designed with universal functionality to deliver content to various types of devices (TVs, personal computers, mobile devices) through a single platform. It supports multiple content delivery mechanisms and can adapt to different device capabilities, eliminating the need for dedicated set-top boxes for each device type and reducing energy consumption.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple set-top boxes are deployed for different devices, then device compatibility is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway implements a universal content delivery system that can interface with multiple device types (TVs, PCs, mobile devices) through a single multi-functional platform. It includes adaptable content delivery mechanisms that can adjust to different device capabilities, eliminating the need for multiple specialized set-top boxes and simplifying the overall system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic content delivery mechanisms that can adapt in real-time to the capabilities of the target device. The gateway can dynamically select appropriate delivery methods, format content accordingly, and adjust transmission parameters based on device characteristics, providing universal compatibility without requiring separate static configurations for each device type.
3Reliability
If continuous content reception is maintained, then content availability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway implements periodic content checking and selective reception instead of continuous monitoring. It can periodically verify content availability, receive content in bursts when available, and enter low-power states when no content needs to be received, thereby maintaining content availability while significantly reducing energy consumption during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary checks to determine whether content is available for reception before activating full reception mode. By预先 checking content availability and only initiating reception when necessary, the gateway maintains content availability while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption from continuous monitoring and reception operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A broadband gateway, which enables communication with a plurality of devices, handles at least one physical layer connection to at least one corresponding network access service provider. Before allowing the devices to access content from the service provider, the broadband gateway may identify a device power profile for each of the devices, and a network power profile for the content to select a corresponding content delivery mechanism to optimize power consumption. The content may be communicated to the devices utilizing the corresponding selected content delivery mechanism. Depending on configuration, content transcoding may be performed at the broadband gateway and/or at the devices. The content may be burst downloaded and stored in a local storage to be consumed by the devices thereafter. Upon completion of download, the broadband gateway may shut down receiving components to save resources and power. The receiving components may be tuned on to receive additional content when needed.