Method and system for optimizing power consumption in a home network via a broadband gateway

Abstract

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.

1 . A method for power management, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a broadband gateway, content from at least one content provider or service provider, the broadband gateway configured to enable communication with a plurality of devices;   accessing, by the broadband gateway, a power profile corresponding to the content or to a first device from the plurality of devices to which to deliver the content; and   determining, by the broadband gateway based on the power profile, a content delivery mechanism to deliver the content from the broadband gateway to the first device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the content comprises receiving the content via a burst download using a receiving component of the broadband gateway, and powering down the receiving component subsequent to the burst download. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing the received content in a storage module of the broadband gateway. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transcoding the content into transcoded content based on the content delivery mechanism, and delivering the transcoded content to the first device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein accessing the power profile corresponding to the first device comprises calculating a power consumption level associated with a feature of the first device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein accessing the power profile comprises accessing the power profile responsive to a determination that the first device requested the content. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power profile corresponding to the first device comprises at least one of device type, physical connection, or content processing capabilities. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power profile corresponding to the content comprises at least one of content type, content bit rate, content encoding format, or physical connection information. 
     
     
         9 . A system for power management, the system comprising:
 one or more circuits for use in a broadband gateway that enables communication with a plurality of devices and at least at least one content provider or service provider, the one or more circuits configured to:   receive content from the at least one content provider or service provider;   determine that a first device from the plurality of devices requested the content; and   determining, responsive to the determination that the first device requested the content, and based on a power profile corresponding to the content or to the first device, a content delivery mechanism to deliver the content from the broadband gateway to the first device.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more circuits comprises a receiving component configured to receive the content via a burst download, the one or more circuits further configured to power down the receiving component subsequent to the burst download. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a storage module of the broadband gateway configured to store the received content. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more circuits is further configured to transcode the content into transcoded content based on the content delivery mechanism, and to deliver the transcoded content to the first device. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more circuits is configured to access the power profile responsive to a determination that the first device requested the content. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the power profile corresponding to the first device comprises at least one of device type, physical connection, or content processing capabilities. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the power profile corresponding to the content comprises at least one of content type, content bit rate, content encoding format, or physical connection information. 
     
     
         16 . A method for power management, the method comprising:
 storing, in a storage module of a broadband gateway, content from at least one content provider or service provider, the broadband gateway configured to enable communication with a plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a first device to which to deliver the stored content; and   determining, by the broadband gateway based on a power profile corresponding to the stored content or the first device, a content delivery mechanism to deliver the stored content to the first device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving the content via a burst download using a receiving component of the broadband gateway, and powering down the receiving component subsequent to the burst download. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising determining that the first device requested the content, and accessing the power profile responsive to the determination that the first device requested the content. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining that the first device comprises a certified efficiency device, and obtaining a credit for usage of the certified efficiency device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising transcoding the content into transcoded content based on the content delivery mechanism, and delivering the transcoded content to the first device.