1. A Global Positioning System (GPS)-based positioning system, comprising:
a GPS terminal, including:
a GPS section for receiving and processing a GPS signal;
a call processing section, coupled to the GPS section via an interface, a first message being passed from the call processing section to the GPS section via the interface, and a second message is passed via the interface from the GPS section to the call processing section in response thereto, wherein the first message is a Quality of Service (QOS) message and the second message is a QoS response message;
a location aiding server, and
a communication system, coupled to the GPS section and the call processing section, for selectively transmitting first data to the GPS terminal from the location aiding server and receiving data from the GPS terminal to be sent to the location aiding server, based on the first message and the second message.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the location aiding server calculates a position of the GPS terminal based upon data received from the GPS terminal.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the GPS section further comprises a processor separate from the call processor.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the call processor uses a predetermined strategy to determine content of the second message.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined strategy employed by the call processor of the GPS section is determined by at least one parameter selected from a group comprising: a signal level of received satellite signals, a number of satellites from which signals are being received, a frequency range used for searching for satellites, a time range used for searching for satellites, and a current searching status of the GPS section.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second message comprises a message indicating that a QoS request can be met by the GPS section.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the second message comprises a message indicating that a QoS request can not be obtained by the GPS section and can be obtained if additional time is granted by the call processor.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the call processor switches an operational mode of the GPS section in response to the second message.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the GPS section switches an operational mode of the GPS section based on content of the second message.
10. The system of claim 5, wherein the second message comprises a message indicating that a QoS request cannot be obtained by the GPS section.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the call processor switches an operational mode of the GPS section in response to the second message.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the GPS section switches an operational mode of the GPS section based on content of the second message.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the location aiding server sends aiding data to the GPS section.
14. The system of claim 7, wherein the location aiding server sends aiding data to the GPS section.
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 method for synchronizing multiple media streams, the method comprising:
querying a plurality of media stream output devices;
responsive to the querying step, receiving, from each queried media stream output device: a) its current time according to its device clock, b) a next available media stream output time, according to its device clock and c) a delta between available media stream output times;
determining an earliest available media stream output time common to each media stream output device based on data received responsive to the querying step; and
synchronizing output of the plurality of media streams by providing each media stream to an associated media stream output device at the earliest available common media stream output time.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
defining one media stream of the plurality as a master media stream;
slaving at least one additional media stream of the plurality off the master media stream.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the plurality of media streams comprises at least a video stream and an audio stream.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein:
at least one of the plurality of media streams comprises a media stream from a group of media streams consisting of:
a video stream;
an audio stream;
a closed captioning data stream;
a stream of MIDI events;
a stream of text to Braille data; and
a stream of side band data.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
correlating each received device clock time into a common host clock time; and
referencing events on the plurality of media stream output devices in the common host clock time.
6. A computer readable medium containing a computer program product for synchronizing multiple media streams, the computer program product comprising:
program code for querying a plurality of media stream output devices;
program code for receiving, from each queried media stream output device: a) its current time according to its device clock, b) a next available media stream output time, according to its device clock and c) a delta between available media stream output times;
program code for determining an earliest available media stream output time common to each media stream output device based on data received responsive to the querying step; and
program code for synchronizing output of the plurality of media streams by providing each media stream to an associated media stream output device at the earliest available common media stream output time.
7. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:
program code for defining one media stream of the plurality as a master media stream;
program code for slaving at least one additional media stream of the plurality off the master media stream.
8. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein:
the plurality of media streams comprises at least a video stream and an audio stream.
9. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein:
at least one of the plurality of media streams comprises a media stream from a group of media streams consisting of:
a video stream;
an audio stream;
a closed captioning data stream;
a stream of MIDI events;
a stream of text to Braille data; and
a stream of side band data.
10. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:
program code for correlating each received device clock time into a common host clock time; and
program code for referencing events on the plurality of media stream output devices in the common host clock time.
11. A computer system for synchronizing multiple media streams, the computer system comprising:
a processor;
a software portion configured to query a plurality of media stream output devices;
a software portion configured to receive, from each queried media stream output device: a) its current time according to its device clock, b) a next available media stream output time, according to its device clock and c) a delta between available media stream output times;
a software portion configured to determine an earliest available media stream output time common to each media stream output device based on data received responsive to querying step; and
a software portion configured to synchronize output of the plurality of media streams by providing each media stream to an associated media stream output device at the earliest available common media stream output time.
12. The computer system of claim 11 further comprising:
a software portion configured to define one media stream of the plurality as a master media stream;
a software portion configured to slave at least one additional media stream of the plurality off the master media stream.
13. The computer system of claim 11 wherein:
the plurality of media streams comprises at least a video stream and an audio stream.
14. The computer system of claim 11 wherein:
at least one of the plurality of media streams comprises a media stream from a group of media streams consisting of:
a video stream;
an audio stream;
a closed captioning data stream;
a stream of MIDI events;
a stream of text to Braille data; and
a stream of side band data.
15. The computer system of claim 11 further comprising:
a software portion configured to correlate each received device clock time into a common host clock time; and
a software portion configured to reference events on the plurality of media stream output devices in the common host clock time.
16. A computer system for synchronizing multiple media streams, the computer system comprising:
a processor;
means for querying a plurality of media stream output devices;
means for receiving, from each queried media stream output device: a) its current time according to its device clock, b) a next available media stream output time, according to its device clock and c) a delta between available media stream output times;
means for determining an earliest available media stream output time common to each media stream output device based on data received responsive to querying step; and
means for synchronizing output of the plurality of media streams by providing each media stream to an associated media stream output device at the earliest available common media stream output time.
17. The computer system of claim 16 further comprising:
means for defining one media stream of the plurality as a master media stream;
means for slaving at least one additional media stream of the plurality off the master media stream.
18. The computer system of claim 16 wherein:
the plurality of media streams comprises at least a video stream and an audio stream.
19. The computer system of claim 16 wherein:
at least one of the plurality of media streams comprises a media stream from a group of media streams consisting of:
a video stream;
an audio stream;
a closed captioning data stream;
a stream of MIDI events;
a stream of text to Braille data; and
a stream of side band data.
20. The computer system of claim 16 further comprising:
means for correlating each received device clock time into a common host clock time; and
means for referencing events on the plurality of media stream output devices in the common host clock time.