System and method for media stream indexing
AssigneeKasenna, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Abbott, Paul Close, Kevin P. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An indexing method for allowing a viewer to control the mode of delivery of program material. By mapping from time to data position, data delivery can begin at any selected time in the program material. The indexing method also provides for controlling data delivery to begin at the beginning of a frame of data. A synchronizing method is provided to minimize a time offset between audio and video data, particularly in environments using groups of pictures.
Claims16
A system for interactive delivery of program material to a viewer, comprising:
- a formatter for locating and arranging media data representing program material in accordance with a viewer command from the viewer, wherein said media data is located and arranged using an object hierarchy that comprises
- segments, wherein each of said segments references a corresponding atom of media data and is defined by an offset from a beginning of said corresponding atom, and a duration,
- series, wherein each of said series comprises at least one segment, and
- groups, wherein each of said groups comprises at least one series, and
- a computer in data communication with said formatter, said computer configured to receive the viewer command from the viewer, to transmit the command to said formatter, and to receive the formatted program material from said formatter for display to the viewer, wherein delivery of the formatted program material to the viewer is performed by delivering frames of media data in one of reverse order or forward order.
A method for interactive delivery of program material to a viewer, comprising:
- (1) locating and arranging media data representing program material in accordance with a viewer command from the viewer to form formatted program material, wherein the media data is located and arranged using an object hierarchy that comprises
- segments, wherein each of said segments references a corresponding atom of media data and is defined by an offset from a beginning of said corresponding atom, and a duration,
- series, wherein each of said series comprises at least one segment, and
- groups, wherein each of said groups comprises at least one series, and
- (2) delivering the formatted program material to the viewer, wherein the media data is parsed and wherein delivery of the formatted program material is performed by delivering the frames of media data in one of reverse order and forward order.
A method for locating program material at a specified time T, comprising:
- (1) converting the specified time T to a time Trel relative to media data representing the program material;
- (2) determining an index number from said time Trel using an index duration;
- and
- (3) converting said index number to a data position, thereby locating media data representing the program material at time T;
- wherein said method for locating program material provides a viewer with interactive control when viewing program in special modes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.