System and method for providing random access to a multimedia object over a network

A method of analyzing a multimedia data object that is adapted for rendering by a computer, comprising:

• determining a communication bit rate of the computer;
• determining the rendering requirements of the computer for displaying at least a portion of the multimedia data object;
• determining a pre-roll for said portion of the multimedia data object, the pre-roll corresponding to a minimum amount of data to send to the computer to enable the computer to render the multimedia data object without interruption, the determining based at least in part upon the communication bit rate;
• and
• indicating the determined pre-roll.

A program storage device storing instructions that when executed perform the method comprising:

• determining the rendering requirements of a computer for displaying at least a portion of the multimedia data object;
• determining the size of a substantially sufficient amount of data that must be sent to the computer to enable the computer to render the portion of the multimedia data object without interruption;
• and
• indicating the time to transmit the determined size.

A system for analyzing a multimedia data object that is adapted for rendering by a computer, the system comprising:

• means for determining a communication bit rate of a computer;
• means for determining the rendering requirements of the computer for displaying at least a portion of the multimedia data object;
• means for determining the size of a substantially sufficient amount of data that must be sent to the computer to enable the computer to render the portion of the multimedia data object without interruption;
• and
• means for indicating the time to transmit the determined size.

A system for analyzing a multimedia data object that is adapted for rendering by a computer, the system comprising:

• means for determining the rendering requirements of the computer for displaying at least a portion of the multimedia data object;
• means for determining a pre-roll for said portion of the multimedia data object, the pre-roll corresponding to a minimum amount of data to send to the computer to enable the computer to render the portion of the multimedia data object without interruption;
• and
• means for indicating the pre-roll.

A server comprising:

• a memory;
• a multimedia data object comprising a plurality of segments;
• and
• a processor configured to determine the rendering requirements of a client computer for displaying at least a portion of the multimedia data object, the processor configured to determine a substantially sufficient size of data that must be sent to the client computer to enable the computer to render the multimedia data object without interruption starting from a selected one of the plurality of segments, and the processor configured to store the determined size with the multimedia data object in a memory in the server.

A program storage device storing instructions that when executed performs the method comprising:

• receiving a multimedia data object from a server computer;
• receiving a substantially sufficient size of data to enable the client computer to render the multimedia data object without interruption starting from a selected one of the plurality of segments;
• displaying at least a portion of the multimedia data object;
• and
• wherein the received size is stored in the multimedia data object.

A method comprising:

• receiving a multimedia data object from a server computer;
• receiving a substantially sufficient size of data to enable the client computer to render the multimedia data object without interruption starting from a selected one of the plurality of segments, wherein the received size is stored in the multimedia data object;
• and
• displaying of at least a portion of the multimedia data object.

A system comprising:

• a client computer;
• a multimedia data object comprising a plurality of segments;
• and
• a server computer for determining the rendering requirements of the client computer for displaying at least a portion of the multimedia data object, the server computer determining a substantially sufficient size of data that must be sent to the client computer to enable the client computer to render the multimedia data object without interruption starting from a selected one of the plurality of segments, the server computer storing the determined size in the multimedia data object.

A method of analyzing a multimedia data object comprising a plurality of segments to be rendered by a computer, the method comprising:

• determining a substantially sufficient size of data to be allocated in a buffer to enable the computer to render the multimedia data object without interruption starting from a selected one of the plurality of segments;
• determining a time when the data object is transmitted to the computer;
• and
• storing the determined size in the multimedia data object.

A system for analyzing a multimedia data object comprising a plurality of segments to be rendered by a computer, the system comprising:

• means for determining a substantially sufficient size of data to be allocated in a buffer to enable the computer to render the multimedia data object without interruption starting from a selected one of the plurality of segments;
• means for determining a time when the data object is transmitted to the computer;
• and
• means for storing the determined size in the multimedia data object.