System for retrieving initial data sequence corresponding to next data sequence while locating next data sequence when branch point is reached during current data sequence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for branching among a plurality of data sequences received from a relatively high latency mass storage device. According to a preferred embodiment, a plurality of initial data sequences respectively representative of the initial portions of data sequences of the plurality of data sequences are retrieved from the mass storage device, wherein the length of each initial data sequence is selected in accordance with the latency of the mass storage device. The plurality of initial data sequences is stored in a storage device having a low latency relative to the mass storage device. There is determined a next data sequence to be retrieved from the mass storage device when a branch point is reached during a current data sequence. The initial data sequence corresponding to the next data sequence is retrieved from the low latency storage device while the high latency mass storage device locates the next data sequence.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.