Buffer module, receiver, device and buffering method using windows
View Patent ↗A buffer for managing the order of data packages arriving at the buffer, wherein the buffer includes a first window, having a predetermined size defined by a first and a second extreme, and the first window is included within a second window. The buffer includes a filter for determining the time stamp of an arriving data package to determine if the arriving data package has an expected location included inside or outside the first window based on the time stamp. The buffer also includes a buffer module for locating the arriving data package in the expected location or for moving the first window by a predetermined distance to a position, without changing the size of the first window, to accommodate the expected location.
1. A device, comprising:
a filter for determining a time stamp of an arriving data package, said time stamp identifying an expected location of said arriving data package and determining whether said expected location is inside or outside a first window having a predetermined size defined by a first time and a second time, wherein the first window is included within a second window and for moving the first window by a predetermined amount of time, without changing the size of the first window, to accommodate the expected location when the expected location is outside the first window;
a buffer for storing said arriving data package in a position corresponding to the expected location; and
a calculator which calculates a difference between the expected location of the arriving data package and a predetermined point in the first window when the expected location is outside the first window to obtain a value for said predetermined distance;
wherein the buffer can move the first window when the difference is less than the predetermined size of the first window, to accommodate the arriving data package in the first window and balance the first window to have the same remaining time length between the first time and the new arriving data package at one side of the first window and between the second time and a furthest stored data package at another side of the first window.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the buffer includes a calculator for comparing the predetermined amount of time with the predetermined size of the first window to determine if the expected location can be included in the first window.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 , including a counter, which when said device is in operation, has a counter value which is periodically incremented when the arriving data package is located in the second window in order to obtain a counter value.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the position of the first window is variable in accordance with one or more intervals associated with the second window.
5. A device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second window comprises N intervals, each interval representing half the size of the size of the first window, N being an integer value, and having an interval counter counting a number of received data packages falling inside each interval.
6. A device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the first window is moved to accommodate a maximum possible number of packages depending on the interval counter values.
7. A device as claimed in claim 1 , where the expected location is a location in time relative to the first window.
8. A device as claimed in claim 1 , where the expected location is a location in space relative to the first window.
9. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first window is restricted from movement in one or more predetermined circumstances.
10. A device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the one or more predetermined circumstances include reception of a DTMF signal.
11. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said buffer is inhibited from storing the arriving data package in the buffer when the arriving data package cannot be accommodated in the first window.
12. A receiver including a device as claimed in claim 1 .
13. A device including a receiver according to claim 12 .
14. A buffering method, including:
determining a time stamp of an arriving data package, said time stamp identifying an expected location of said arriving data package;
determining whether said expected location is inside or outside a first window having a predetermined size defined by a first time and a second time, wherein the first window is included within a second window;
moving the first window by a predetermined amount of time, without changing the size of the first window, to accommodate the expected location when the expected location is outside the first window;
storing said arriving data package in a buffer in a position corresponding to the expected location;
calculating a difference between the expected location of the arriving data package and a predetermined point in the first window when the expected location is outside the first window to obtain a value for said predetermined distance;
moving the first window when the difference is less than the predetermined size of the first window, to accommodate the arriving data package in the first window; and
balancing the first window to have the same remaining time length between the first time and the new arriving data package at one side of the first window and between the second time and a furthest stored data package at another side of the first window.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed on a programmable apparatus performs the steps comprising:
determining a time stamp of an arriving data package, said time stamp identifying an expected location of said arriving data package;
determining whether said expected location is inside or outside a first window having a predetermined size defined by a first time and a second time, wherein the first window is included within a second window;
moving the first window by a predetermined amount of time, without changing the size of the first window, to accommodate the expected location when the expected location is outside the first window;
storing said arriving data package in a buffer in a position corresponding to the expected location;
calculating a difference between the expected location of the arriving data package and a predetermined point in the first window when the expected location is outside the first window to obtain a value for said predetermined distance;
moving the first window when the difference is less than the predetermined size of the first window, to accommodate the arriving data package in the first window; and
balancing the first window to have the same remaining time length between the first time and the new arriving data package at one side of the first window and between the second time and a furthest stored data package at another side of the first window.
16. A device as claimed in claim 2 , including a counter, which when said device is in operation, has a counter value which is periodically incremented when the arriving data package is located in the second window in order to obtain a counter value.
17. A device as claimed in claim 2 , where the expected location is a location in time relative to the first window.
18. A device as claimed in claim 2 , where the expected location is a location in space relative to the first window.
19. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first window is restricted from movement in one or more predetermined circumstances.
20. A device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the one or more predetermined circumstances include reception of a DTMF signal.