Methods and apparatus for switching between data streams

A data processing apparatus comprising a switching controller for switching a data receiver from a first data feed to a second data feed, wherein the first data feed includes a set of data items matching a set of data items of the second data feed, and wherein the switching controller controls the data processing apparatus to:

• for a time period of interest, compare characteristics of data items from the second data feed with characteristics of data items from the first data feed;
• and,
• in response to identifying a match, to check that required data items of the first data feed are received by the data receiver and to switch the data receiver to the second data feed.

A method for identifying a synchronization point between first and second data streams, wherein the first data stream includes a set of data items matching a consistently sequenced set of data items of the second data stream, the method comprising the steps of:

• for a time period of interest, comparing characteristics of a first data item from the second data stream with characteristics of a most-recent data item from the first data stream;
• and
• repeating the comparison for each data item from the first data stream until a match is identified for said first data item.

A computer program product for switching a data receiver from a first data feed to a second data feed, wherein the first data feed includes a set of data items matching a set of data items of the second data feed, said computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code tangibly embedded therein, the computer readable program code comprising:

• computer readable program code configured to compare, for a time period of interest, characteristics of data items from the second data feed with characteristics of data items from the first data feed to identify matching data items;
• and,
• computer readable program code configured to check, in response to identifying a match, that required data items of the first data feed are received by the data receiver and to switch the data receiver to the second data feed.