Telecommunications network receiver

Details Telecommunications network receiver Telecommunications network receiver

1999-07-15

2001-01-23

Miller, John W. (Department: 2711)

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput

Remote data accessing

Accessing a remote server

C348S014160, C375S222000, C455S001000, C455S039000, C455S343200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06178447

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a telecommunications network receiver of a telecommunications network in which a stream of receiver-specific data is transmitted from a transmitter to a plurality of receivers.
In the company journal Alcatel Telecom Rundschau, 3rd quarter of 1996, a telecommunications network is described on pages 196 to 200. The telecommunications network is constructed as a hybrid glass-fibre/coaxial-cable network and serves to transmit analog television signals and digital signals, for example for telephony, video-on-demand, pay-per-channel, tele-learning etc. From a transmitter, a so-called server or a so-called head station, the digital signals are transmitted via a distribution network comprising optical glass-fibre lines and distribution networks connected thereto comprising coaxial cables to a multiplicity of receivers. So-called set-top boxes, for example, are used as receivers. The digital signals are transmitted, for example, in the MPEG format (MPEG=Motion Picture Expert Group).
The receivers are fed, for example, by means of a remote feed via the telecommunications network or via a separate power supply line independent of the telecommunications network. As a rule, an emergency power supply is provided, at least to feed at least one telephone per receiver. The emergency power is supplied, for example, by means of a battery. In particular, in the case of the emergency power supply, and also in the case of the remote supply, only a limited capacity is available per receiver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is therefore to minimize the power consumption in the receivers.
The object is achieved by a receiver which is characterized, in particular, in that it comprises a control unit by means of which the power consumption of individual modules of the receiver can be reduced as required or can be set to a specified value, for example the operating voltage for individual modules is switched on or switched off as required and the clock supply of individual modules is switched off or switched on to control their power consumption or the clock speed is reduced or accelerated. In a power-saving mode, for example, only certain modules of the receiver which are necessary to detect a specified identifier are supplied with power only for certain time intervals in order to monitor the received data stream in said time intervals. If the receiver detects a specified identifier in a specified segment, it switches to normal operation in order to supply also the remaining modules with power and to receive receiver-specific data. In the time intervals between the specified time intervals, all the modules, for example, are without operating voltage in the power-saving mode. The current supply and/or voltage supply is consequently modified for individual modules as a function of time and the received signals in such a way that the receiver operates with minimum power consumption at points in time at which no relevant data for the receiver are being transmitted and receives the necessary power required for a satisfactory operating mode at points in time at which relevant data for the receiver are being transmitted.
As a rule, the time intervals in which a receiver receives data relevant to it are shorter than the time intervals in which it does not receive any relevant data. This means that, in the latter time intervals, the power consumption is reduced by a multiple compared with an uninterrupted standby state because of the power-saving mode.
Advantageous refinements of the invention will be apparent from the description below and the appended claims.


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“Das IVOD-Projekt Berlin: Anschlusstechnologie zur Bereitstellung von Diensten” R. Heidemann, Alcatel Telecom Rundschau—3rdQuarter 1996, pp. 196-200.

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