1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing system that includes one or more processors, a map of physical features in a physical environment;
identifying one or more regions of the map for data collection;
receiving sensor data from a plurality of devices, wherein the sensor data is associated with one or more periods of time when the sensor data was collected by the plurality of devices;
determining, based on the sensor data, a likelihood of one or more devices of the plurality of devices being within a portion of the physical environment that corresponds to the one or more regions of the map for data collection during a future period of time; and
providing, based on the likelihood being greater than a threshold likelihood, a request for given sensor data from the one or more devices, wherein the given sensor data is associated with the future period of time, and wherein the given sensor data pertains to the physical features in the physical environment.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, based on the sensor data, a rate of change of one or more of the physical features within the portion of the physical environment that corresponds to the one or more regions of the map, wherein identifying the one or more regions is based on the rate of change being greater than a threshold rate.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more regions is based on the one or more regions being associated with an amount of data pertaining to the physical features in the physical environment that is less than a threshold amount.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, based on the map, a given time that corresponds to a previous update to the one or more regions of the map, wherein identifying the one or more regions is based on the given time being prior to a threshold time.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining, based on the sensor data, a pattern of motion of the one or more devices, wherein determining the likelihood is based on the pattern.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:
determining, based on an anticipation of a reoccurrence of the pattern, the future period of time for collection of the given sensor data by the one or more devices, wherein providing the request is based on the determination of the future period of time.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical features in the physical environment include one or more of objects in the physical environment, motion of given objects in the physical environment, a magnetic field in the physical environment, an electromagnetic radiation pattern in the physical environment, wireless transmitters in the physical environment, signal strengths of the wireless transmitters in the physical environment, sounds in the physical environment, or an altitude of a given portion of the physical environment.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving the given sensor data from the one or more devices; and
updating, based on the given sensor data, the one or more regions of the map.
9. A computing system comprising:
one or more processors; and
data storage configured to store instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the computing system to:
receive a map of physical features in a physical environment;
identify one or more regions of the map for data collection;
receive sensor data from a plurality of devices, wherein the sensor data is associated with one or more periods of time when the sensor data was collected by the plurality of devices;
determine, based on the sensor data, a likelihood of one or more devices of the plurality of devices being within a portion of the physical environment that corresponds to the one or more regions of the map for data collection during a future period of time; and
provide, based on the likelihood being greater than a threshold likelihood, a request for given sensor data from the one or more devices, wherein the given sensor data is associated with the future period of time, and wherein the given sensor data pertains to the physical features in the physical environment.
10. The computing system of claim 9, wherein the instructions executable by the one or more processors further cause the computing system to:
determine, based on the sensor data, a rate of change of one or more of the physical features within the portion of the physical environment that corresponds to the one or more regions of the map, wherein identifying the one or more regions is based on the rate of change being greater than a threshold rate.
11. The computing system of claim 9, wherein identifying the one or more regions is based on the one or more regions being associated with an amount of data pertaining to the physical features in the physical environment that is less than a threshold amount.
12. The computing system of claim 9, wherein the instructions executable by the one or more processors further cause the computing system to:
determine, based on the map, a given time that corresponds to a previous update to the one or more regions of the map, wherein identifying the one or more regions is based on the given time being prior to a threshold time.
13. The computing system of claim 9, wherein the instructions executable by the one or more processors further cause the computing system to:
determine, based on the sensor data, a pattern of motion of the one or more devices, wherein determining the likelihood is based on the pattern.
14. The computing system of claim 13, wherein the instructions executable by the one or more processors further cause the computing system to:
determine, based on an anticipation of a reoccurrence of the pattern, the future period of time for collection of the given sensor data by the one or more devices, wherein providing the request is based on the determination of the future period of time.
15. A method comprising:
determining, by a device that includes one or more processors, a plurality of datasets indicative of output from one or more sensors during a plurality of time-periods within a given period of time, wherein the output from the one or more sensors is indicative of features in an environment of the device;
receiving, from a computing system, a request for data collection by the device according to one or more criteria including a given feature of the features in the environment, a threshold rate of change of the given feature, a position of the device associated with the collected data, or a particular time-period associated with the collected data;
determining rankings for the plurality of datasets, wherein the rankings are based on an association between the plurality of datasets and the one or more criteria;
receiving configuration data indicative of a threshold number of datasets that are associated with the given period of time for provision by the device to the computing system;
identifying, based on the rankings, one or more datasets from within the plurality of datasets, wherein a number of the one or more datasets corresponds to the threshold number; and
providing, by the device, the one or more datasets for receipt by the computing system.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
detecting, based on the output from the one or more sensors, a rate of change of the given feature being greater than the threshold rate indicated by the request, wherein the detection is associated with a given time when the output was received from the one or more sensors; and
identifying, based on the detection, a given dataset associated with a time-period that includes the given time, wherein identifying the one or more datasets includes identifying the given dataset.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
receiving, by the device, a map of given features in the environment of the device; and
comparing, by the device, the given features of the map with the features indicated by the output from the one or more sensors, wherein identifying the one or more datasets is based also on the comparison.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the map is included in a memory of the device, and wherein the given features correspond to previous output from the one or more sensors.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the map from the computing system.
20. The method of claim 15, wherein the features in the environment include one or more of objects in the environment, motion of given objects in the environment, a magnetic field in the environment, an electromagnetic radiation pattern in the environment, wireless transmitters in the environment, signal strengths of the wireless transmitters in the environment, sounds in the environment, or an altitude of a given portion of the environment.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A switching center, comprising:
a plurality of first ports for use in coupling the switching center to a plurality of local user devices;
a plurality of second ports for use in coupling the switching center to a plurality of external transmission media, each of said plurality of external transmission media being coupled at an opposite end to another switching center within the communication network;
a switch for selectively coupling individual first ports to individual second ports within the switching center for use in establishing communication connections between local user devices and remote user devices in the communication network;
a pool of echo cancellation units that are each capable of reducing echoes received by said switching center from an external transmission medium;
a call classifier operable to detect an echo energy level from a first external transmission medium associated with a first communication connection; and
an allocation unit for allocating an echo cancellation unit from said pool of echo cancellation units to the first communication connection being supported by the switching center in response to detection, by the call classifier, of echo energy above a threshold level from a first external transmission medium associated with said communication connection, wherein the first communication connection is between a first local user device and a remote user device.
2. The switching center of claim 1, wherein the allocation unit is further operable to terminate allocation of the echo cancellation unit to the first communication connection in response to detection of echo energy, from the first external transmission medium, below the threshold level.
3. The switching center of claim 2, wherein the call classifier is further operable to thereafter monitor the first communication connection, while the first local user device and remote user device are coupled to the first external transmission medium, for at least one of echo cancellation activity and echo energy and wherein the allocation unit reallocates an echo cancellation unit from said pool of echo cancellation units to the first communication connection in response to detection, by the call classifier, of echo energy above a threshold level.
4. The switching center of claim 1, wherein the allocation unit is further operable to thereafter monitor the first communication connection, while the first local user device and remote user device are coupled to the first external transmission medium, for at least one of echo cancellation activity and echo energy and discontinue reallocation of the echo cancellation unit to the first communication connection in response to detection of echo energy below a threshold level.
5. A method for performing echo cancellation within a switching center of a communication network, said switching center being coupled to a plurality of local user devices and a plurality of external transmission media, said method comprising the steps of:
providing at least one echo cancellation unit and call classifier within said switching center;
coupling a first local user device to a first external transmission medium as part of a communication connection between the first local user device and a remote user device;
the call classifier detecting an echo energy level on the first external transmission medium; and
in response to the call classifier detecting, on the first external transmission medium, an echo energy level exceeding a selected magnitude, performing echo cancellation on the communication connection.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:
the call classifier thereafter monitoring the first external transmission medium, while the first local user device and remote user device are connected, for echo energy; and
in response to the detected echo energy thereafter failing to exceed a selected magnitude during the communication connection between the first local user device and the remote user device, discontinuing echo cancellation of signals on the first external transmission medium.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:
in response to echo energy on the first external transmission medium, while the first local user device and remote device are connected, again exceeding a selected magnitude during the communication connection between the first local user device and remote user device, again performing echo cancellation on the communication connection between the first local user device and remote user device.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
in response to echo energy on the first external transmission medium failing to exceed a selected magnitude during the communication connection between the first local user device and remote user device, again discontinuing echo cancellation of signals on the communication connection between the first local user device and remote user device.
9. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one echo cancellation unit is a pool of echo cancellation units and further comprising:
allocating a first echo cancellation unit from the pool to the communication connection.
10. The method claimed in claim 5, when the detected echo energy fails to exceed the selected magnitude within a predetermined time interval after allocating the call classifier, the call classifier terminates the monitoring step.
11. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instruction to perform the steps of claim 5.
12. A switching center, comprising:
a plurality of first ports for use in coupling the switching center to a plurality of local user devices;
a plurality of second ports for use in coupling the switching center to a plurality of external transmission media, each of said plurality of external transmission media being coupled at an opposite end to another switching center within the communication network;
a switch for selectively coupling individual first ports to individual second ports within the switching center for use in establishing communication connections between local user devices and remote user devices in the communication network;
at least one echo cancellation unit that is capable of reducing echoes received by said switching center from an external transmission medium;
a call classification means for detecting an echo energy level from a first external transmission medium associated with a first communication connection; and
an allocation means for allocating said at least one echo cancellation unit to the first communication connection being supported by the switching center in response to detection, by the call classification means, of echo energy exceeding a selected magnitude from a first external transmission medium associated with said communication connection wherein the first communication connection is between a first local user device and a remote user device.
13. The switching center of claim 12, wherein the allocation means is further operable to terminate allocation of the at least one echo cancellation unit to the first communication connection in response to detection of echo energy, from the first external transmission medium, failing to exceed a selected magnitude.
14. The switching center of claim 13, wherein the call classification means is further operable to thereafter monitor the first communication connection, while the first local user device and remote user device are coupled to the first external transmission medium, for at least one of echo cancellation activity and echo energy and wherein the allocation means reallocates the at least one echo cancellation unit to the first communication connection in response to detection, by the call classification means, of echo energy exceeding a selected magnitude.
15. The switching center of claim 12, wherein the allocation means is further operable to thereafter monitor the first communication connection, while the first local user device and remote user device are coupled to the first external transmission medium, for at least one of echo cancellation activity and echo energy and discontinue reallocation of the at least one echo cancellation unit to the first communication connection in response to detection of echo energy failing to exceed a selected magnitude.
16. The switching center of claim 12, wherein the at least one echo cancellation unit is selected from a pool of echo cancellation units.