Unsupervised traffic estimation for low-power media streaming

1. A method for processing data streams, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of initial sample zones;

establishing a plurality of wakeup zones;

sampling a plurality of data packets by a processor based on the plurality of initial sample zones;

estimating the traffic based on the sampling of the plurality of data packets;

modifying the wakeup zones based on the estimated traffic;

collecting traffic statistics based on the sampled data packets; and

establishing modified estimated data zones based on the estimated traffic, wherein the wakeup zones are modified based on the modified estimated data zones, wherein the modifying wakeup zones comprises extending a start time of at least one wakeup zone to an earlier time in order to synchronize the start time of the at least one wakeup zone to the start time of a most recent sample zone that begins prior to a given data packet.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising extending an end time of at least one wakeup zone to a later time in order to synchronizes the end time of the at least one wakeup zone to the end time of a given data packet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the traffic statistics comprise timing information.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program instructions for processing data streams, the program instructions which when executed by a computer system cause the computer system to execute a method comprising:

establishing a plurality of initial sample zones;

establishing a plurality of wakeup zones;

sampling a plurality of data packets based on the plurality of initial sample zones;

estimating the traffic based on the sampling of the plurality of data packets;

modifying the wakeup zones based on the estimated traffic;

collecting traffic statistics based on the sampled data packets; and

establishing modified estimated data zones based on the estimated traffic, wherein the wakeup zones are modified based on the modified estimated data zones, wherein the modifying wakeup zones comprises extending a start time of at least one wakeup zone to an earlier time in order to synchronize the start time of the at least one wakeup zone to the start time of a most recent sample zone that begins prior to a given data packet.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 further comprising extending an end of at least one wakeup zone to a later time in order to synchronizes the end time of the at least one wakeup zone to the end time of a given data packet.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 wherein the traffic statistics comprise timing information.

7. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a network interface unit coupled to the processor, wherein the process is operable to:

establish a plurality of initial sample zones;

establish a plurality of wakeup zones;

sample a plurality of data packets based on the plurality of initial sample zones;

estimate the traffic based on the sampling of the plurality of data packets;

collect traffic statistics based on the sampled data packets;

establish modified estimated data zones based on the estimated traffic, wherein the wakeup zones are modified based on the modified estimated data zones, wherein the start time of at least one modified wakeup zone is extended to an earlier time in order to synchronize the start time of at the least one modified wake up zone to the start time of a most recent sample zone that begins prior to a given data packet.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the process is further operable to extend an end time of at least one wakeup zone to a later time in order to synchronizes the end time of the at least one wakeup zone to the end time of a given data packet.