KR100622087B1 - Control method for the multimedia chip in mobile terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of controlling a multimedia playback module in a mobile communication terminal. When playing multimedia data, the multimedia playback module and a system control module are set to a USB host mode and a USB device mode, respectively, and the multimedia playback module is a mobile communication terminal. Provides a method of reducing power consumption by driving the system control module to the standby mode while recording the multimedia data recorded in the nonvolatile storage medium in the volatile storage medium while playing the multimedia data. . According to the present invention, the system control module is responsible for only the unique functions of the mobile communication terminal, thereby reducing the power consumption when the multimedia data is reproduced.

Mobile communication terminal, multimedia playback module, system control module, standby mode, power consumption reduction

Description

Control method for multimedia playback module in mobile communication terminal {Control method for the multimedia chip in mobile terminal}             

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a mobile communication terminal equipped with a multimedia playback module to which the present invention is applied.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a multimedia playback module for reducing power consumption in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a timing relationship of a multimedia data recording and reproducing process in a multimedia reproducing module to which the present invention is applied.

* Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawing

10: wireless transceiver 11: PROM

12 flash memory 13 power supply

14: system control module 15: multimedia playback module

16: SDRAM 17: Speaker

18: display unit 19: microphone

20: key input unit

The present invention relates to a method of controlling a multimedia playback module in a mobile communication terminal. More particularly, when a multimedia data is played back, a multimedia playback module and a system control module are connected to a USB (Universal Serial Bus, hereinafter referred to as "USB") host. Mode and USB device mode respectively, and the multimedia control module switches the system control module to standby mode while playing the multimedia data while recording the multimedia data recorded on the nonvolatile storage medium of the mobile communication terminal on the volatile storage medium. The present invention relates to a method for reducing power consumption by driving a system control module.

Recently, due to the development of mobile communication technology, mobile communication terminals are equipped with multimedia playback functions (e.g. video playback, MP3 playback, etc.) as well as call functions. To this end, a multimedia reproducing module called a multimedia chip is installed.

The technology for playing MP3 files using a multimedia chip in the mobile communication terminal is as follows.

While playing the MP3 file on the mobile terminal, the system control module controls the flash memory and the multimedia playback module to read the MP3 file stored in the flash memory and then plays the MP3 file to the multimedia playback module. While instructing, the reproduced signal is output through the speaker.

On the other hand, in the prior art as described above, the system control module performs a unique function of the mobile communication terminal, that is, a communication function (eg, call / receive function, etc.) while controlling the flash memory and the multimedia playback module to play the MP3 file. In order to do this, each component of the mobile communication terminal must be controlled (eg, periodically monitoring whether there is a call in the wireless transceiver).

Therefore, the above-described prior art is to allow the system control module to perform an additional function of the mobile communication terminal such as playing an MP3 file even in a state where call / incoming call is not made (standby mode, also known as a power saing mode). It is necessary to control the flash memory and the multimedia playback module as a whole. Accordingly, the power consumption of the system control module is increased, thereby reducing the use time of the battery and the load of the system control module.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and when playing multimedia data, the multimedia playback module and the system control module are set to the USB host mode and the USB device mode, respectively, and the multimedia playback module is the non-mobile communication terminal. The present invention provides a method of reducing power consumption due to the operation of the system control module by switching the system control module to the standby mode while playing the multimedia data while recording the multimedia data recorded on the volatile storage medium on the volatile storage medium. There is a purpose.

The control method of the multimedia playback module of the present invention for achieving the above object is that the multimedia playback module is set to the USB host mode and the system control module is set to the USB device mode when a play request signal for a particular multimedia file is input; Stage 1; Requesting, by the multimedia playback module, the system control module to return a playable multimedia data block for the multimedia file stored in a nonvolatile storage medium; A third step of the multimedia playing module playing the multimedia data while recording the multimedia data block returned as a result of the second step on a volatile storage medium; A fourth step of the system control module transitioning to a standby mode when the return of the multimedia data block is completed in the third step; And requesting the system control module to return the next playable multimedia data block stored in the nonvolatile storage medium as a background job while the multimedia playing module plays the multimedia data, and correspondingly, the system control module returns from the standby mode. And a fifth step of returning playable multimedia data adjacent to the converted multimedia data to the multimedia playing module and switching back to the standby mode.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the present invention, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations will be omitted if it is determined that the detailed description of the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention. Terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, and may be changed according to intentions or customs of users or operators. Therefore, the definition should be made based on the contents throughout the specification.

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a mobile communication terminal equipped with a multimedia playback module to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 1, a mobile communication terminal equipped with a multimedia playback module according to the present invention includes a wireless transceiver 10 for transmitting and receiving a signal wirelessly, and a mobile communication terminal driving program (operating system, REX OS). ), A PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) for storing booting data, etc. 11, and a multimedia player program (e.g., a video player, an audio player, etc.) Flash memory 12 for storing video data (e.g. MPEG files), audio data (e.g. MP3 files, etc.), and for supplying power to each mobile terminal component. If there is a power supply (also called a battery) 13 and a multimedia data playback request, it is enabled (wakeed up) at the request of the multimedia playback module 15 in the state of being set to the USB device mode. The system control module 14 which is switched to the standby mode after the data stored in the memory 12 is copied and returned, that is, deactivated, and the system control module 14 is set to the USB host mode when the multimedia data playback request is requested. Request the return of the corresponding data stored in the flash memory 12, and write the returned data to the SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM)) 16 while recording the corresponding multimedia data. Multimedia playback module 15 for playback, SDRAM 16 for storing multimedia data blocks under control of the multimedia playback module 15, speakers (or earphones) 17 for outputting audio signals, video A display unit 18 for displaying a signal, a microphone 19 for receiving a voice, etc., and a key input for receiving a telephone number, etc. through a button And a unit (20). In addition, the mobile communication terminal includes basic components (not shown) for mobile communication.

The system control module 14 is preferably implemented as a Mobile Station Modem Chip (MSM Chip). If a multimedia data playback request is requested, the system control module 14 is set to the USB host side, that is, the multimedia playback module ( The multimedia data block (eg, multimedia player, codec, video file, audio file, etc.), which is activated and stored in the flash memory 12 at the request of 15), is returned. Then, upon completion of the return of the copy of the multimedia data block, the system control module 14 performs a unique function of the mobile communication terminal (communication function, for example, call reception monitoring, etc.) according to the request (instruction) of the multimedia playback module 15. Switch to standby mode.

In this case, the USB device mode is a function of the request by the system control module 15 wakes up from the standby mode in response to a request for returning data from the USB host side, that is, the multimedia playback module 15, or a request for switching to a specific mode. Says to do.

On the other hand, the mode of the system control module 14 according to the driving (operation) state of the mobile communication terminal is as follows.

A state in which the cover of the mobile communication terminal is closed is called a sleep state, and a state in which the wireless transceiver 10 is periodically monitored to check whether there is a call reception signal in the sleep state is idle in the slot state. The state (Idle State in slot time), the state that the cover is closed and opened or the key input unit 20 generates a specific input signal is called artificial idle state, the state according to the call function is called a strong / weak electric field state do.

Generally, the sleep state, the idle state in the slot state, and the artificial idle state are referred to as a standby mode. In this standby mode, the system control module 14 periodically monitors only whether there is an incoming call signal. Low power consumption compared to the state.

The multimedia playback module 15 is preferably implemented as a multimedia chip (eg, "TCC730", "TCC720", etc. of "Telechips", Inc.).

The multimedia playback module 15 includes a microcontroller unit (MCU) or ARM architecture CPU, digital signal processor (DSP), internal memory, bidirectional universal asynchronous receiver transmitter, chip and external devices. Communication device) Controller, Display Controller (STN / TFT / LCD Controller), External Memory (PROM, NOR / NAND Flash Memory, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.) Controller, MP3 Encoder / Decoder, WMA ^TM Decoder (Window Media Audio Decoder), GPIO pin (General Purpose Input / Output Pin), USB host / device mode support.

The PROM 11 is implemented as a nonvolatile storage medium, and is preferably mounted and fixed inside the mobile communication terminal.

The flash memory 12 is implemented as an NAND memory, which is a nonvolatile storage medium, and may be attached to or detached from a mobile communication terminal.

On the other hand, without the PROM 11, the boot data and the mobile communication terminal driving program are stored in the erasure prohibition area of the flash memory 12, and various multimedia data blocks are stored in the read / write area of the flash memory 12. You can also save.

The SDRAM 16 may have a capacity to record a copy of the multimedia data block stored in the flash memory 12, and is preferably implemented as a volatile storage medium.

On the other hand, in the present invention, by mounting a low-cost SDRAM (16) in the mobile communication terminal as a storage medium for multimedia data reproduction, it is possible to reduce the product cost of the mobile communication terminal equipped with the multimedia data reproduction function.

In addition, by using the SDRAM 16 having a wide data bus width for reading and outputting a signal of recording and reproducing a multimedia data having a large data size, a multimedia playback function can be processed in a short time.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a multimedia playback module for reducing power consumption in a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention.

First, a multimedia file play request signal is input (200). For example, a user selects a multimedia file (eg, MPEG file, MP3 file, etc.) to be enjoyed by calling the "multimedia play menu" by operating the key input unit 20 of the mobile communication terminal, and then selects a play start item. Will be chosen.

Then, the multimedia playback module 15 is set to the USB host mode, and the system control module 14 is set to the USB device mode (201). At this time, when the multimedia playback module 15 receives the multimedia file playback request signal generated by the key input unit 20, the multimedia playback module 15 is set to itself as a USB host mode as a preprocessing process for playing the multimedia data. Instructs the system control module 14 to set the USB device mode to switch to the mode, so that the system control module 14 sets itself to the USB device mode.

Thereafter, the multimedia playback module 15 activates 202 the system control module 14. At this time, the multimedia playback module 15 applies a wake-up signal or enable signal to the system control module 14 to request to wake up from the standby mode.

Then, the multimedia playing module 15 requests the system control module 14 to return a multimedia data block corresponding to the multimedia file playing request signal input in step “200” (203). Here, the multimedia data block is a multimedia player, a codec, a video file, an audio file, or the like.

Accordingly, the system control module 14 copies the corresponding multimedia data block stored in the flash memory 12 and returns it to the multimedia playback module 15 (204).

Then, the multimedia playback module 15 plays back the multimedia data 205 while recording the multimedia data block returned to the SDRAM 16.

Then, when the multimedia data block return from the system control module 14 is completed (206), the multimedia playback module 15 switches the system control module 14 to the standby mode (deactivates) (207).

On the other hand, if the multimedia playback module 15 requests the system control module 14 to return the next playable multimedia data block stored in the flash memory 12 as a background job while playing the multimedia data (208), the system control After the module 14 returns the playable multimedia data adjacent to the returned multimedia data from the standby mode according to the activation request of the multimedia playback module 15 to the multimedia playback module 15 (209). The standby mode is switched to 210. Hereinafter, this will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a timing relationship of a multimedia data recording and reproducing process in a multimedia reproducing module to which the present invention is applied.

As shown in FIG. 3, the multimedia playback module 15 stores the multimedia data returned from the system control module 14, that is, the files k, k-1, k + 1, k + 2, ..., and the like. Play while recording).

That is, when the user selects and plays a specific file k, the multimedia playback module 15 requests the system control module 14 to return the file k. Accordingly, the system control module 15 flashes the flash memory 12. Copy the file k stored in the file and return to the multimedia playback module (15). Then, the multimedia playback module 15 records the file k returned from the system control module 14 into the SDRAM 16 (300), and then reproduces the recorded file k (301).

At this time, it is also possible for the multimedia playback module 15 to completely start the playback of the file k after the file k has been completely recorded in the SDRAM 16, but in order to reduce the user's listening waiting time, When a part of the data corresponding to the beginning is recorded in the SDRAM 16, it is preferable to start the reproduction for the file k.

As described above, FIG. 3 shows a process in which the playback of the file k is started before the recording process for the file k is completed, and the background is played while the file k is played after the playback of the file k is started. A file k-1, file k + 1, which is expected to be selected by the user in the future because it is stored around another file, i.e. file k selected by the user, including the rest of the data corresponding to the beginning of file k as a job. File k + 2 and the like are recorded (302).

At this time, when the multimedia data recording process for one file is performed faster than the multimedia data reproducing process, a capacity limit situation may arise where another file can no longer be recorded in the SDRAM 16 (303).

In this case, it is preferable that the multimedia playback module 15 suspends or slows down the execution of the multimedia data recording process, and the dotted line shown in FIG. 3 indicates that the file k + 2 due to the capacity limit situation of the SDRAM 16. It is not showing the record.

While the content of the present invention has been described by way of examples, the embodiments of the present invention are merely illustrative of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may modify or alter the present invention in various forms within the principles and scope described in the claims herein.

In the present invention as described above, when the multimedia data playing request is set, the multimedia playing module requests the return of the multimedia data to the system control module while the multimedia playing module is set to the USB host mode and the system control module is set to the USB device mode. After the multimedia data is returned, the system control module is switched to the standby mode so that the system control module can perform only the unique function (communication function) of the mobile communication terminal, thereby reducing the power consumption of the system control module. There is an effect that can be saved.

Claims (5)

A first step in which the multimedia playing module is set to a USB (Universal Serial Bus, hereinafter referred to as "USB") host mode and the system control module is set to a USB device mode when a play request signal for a specific multimedia file is input; Requesting, by the multimedia playback module, the system control module to return a playable multimedia data block for the multimedia file stored in a nonvolatile storage medium; A third step of reproducing the recorded multimedia data block while the multimedia reproducing module records the multimedia data block returned as a result of the second step on a volatile storage medium; A fourth step of the system control module transitioning to a standby mode when the return of the multimedia data block is completed in the third step; And The multimedia playing module requests the system control module to return the next playable multimedia data block stored in the nonvolatile storage medium as a background task while playing the multimedia data block, and correspondingly, the system control module returns from the standby mode. A fifth step of returning a playable multimedia data block adjacent to the switched multimedia data block to the multimedia playing module and switching back to the standby mode; Control method of a multimedia playback module in a mobile communication terminal comprising a. The method of claim 1, When the system control module receives a request for returning a playable multimedia data block from the multimedia play module, the system control module copies a multimedia data play program (codec) stored in a nonvolatile storage medium and a multimedia data block in a playable unit. Control method of a multimedia playback module in a mobile communication terminal, characterized in that for returning. The method according to claim 1 or 2, In the third step, The multimedia playing module starts playing the multimedia data block when a part corresponding to the playable start portion of the multimedia data block returned from the system control module is recorded in the volatile storage medium. Control method of the play module. The method according to claim 1 or 2, In the fifth step, The multimedia reproducing module suspends or slows down the execution of the multimedia data recording process when a limit in the recording capacity of the volatile storage medium occurs while recording the multimedia data block returned from the system control module to the volatile storage medium. Control method of a multimedia playback module in a mobile communication terminal, characterized in that. In a mobile communication terminal having a processor, A first step in which the multimedia playing module is set to the USB host mode and the system control module is set to the USB device mode when a play request signal for a specific multimedia file is input; Requesting, by the multimedia playback module, the system control module to return a playable multimedia data block for the multimedia file stored in a nonvolatile storage medium; A third step of reproducing the recorded multimedia data block while the multimedia reproducing module records the multimedia data block returned as a result of the second step on a volatile storage medium; A fourth step of the system control module transitioning to a standby mode when the return of the multimedia data block is completed in the third step; And The multimedia playing module requests the system control module to return the next playable multimedia data block stored in the nonvolatile storage medium as a background task while playing the multimedia data block, and correspondingly, the system control module returns from the standby mode. A fifth step of returning a playable multimedia data block adjacent to the switched multimedia data block to the multimedia playing module and switching back to the standby mode; A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for realizing this.

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