Method and device for recording real-time information

A method of transmitting real time information, comprising:

• receiving a real time information signal subdivided into units;
• buffering the units of the real time information in a buffer as they are received until they are transmitted;
• for a first unit contained in the buffer, calculating the value of a forward pointer, the value being information used for determining the position of a second unit on a record carrier forward from the position of the first unit on the record carrier, the calculated value of the pointer being based on the buffered real time information and/or a predefined value, the value of the forward pointer being calculated before the second unit is provided;
• inserting the pointer with the calculated value into the first unit;
• and
• transmitting the real time information including the first unit containing the pointer.

A method of recording real time information on a record carrier, comprising:

• receiving a real time information signal subdivided into units;
• buffering the units of the real time information in a buffer as they are received until they are recorded;
• for a first unit contained in the buffer, calculating the value of a forward pointer, the value being information used for determining the position of a second unit on the record carrier forward from the position of the first unit on the record carrier, the position of the second unit being at least partially independent of the time of the second unit, the calculated value of the forward pointer being based on the buffered real time information and/or a predefined value, the value of the pointer being calculated before the second unit is received;
• inserting the forward pointer with the calculated value into the first unit;
• and
• recording the units of the real time information on a record carrier including the first unit containing the forward pointer.

A method of playing recorded real time information, comprising:

• reading a first unit of real time information from a record carrier;
• determining whether the value of a pointer contained in the first unit, indicates that a second unit was available for determining its position when the first unit was recorded;
• reading the second unit from the record carrier when the second unit was available for determining its position, when the first unit was recorded;
• and
• determining an estimate the position of the second unit depending on the value of the pointer and searching for the second unit at the estimated position, when it is determined that the pointer indicates that the second unit was not available to determine its position.

A player for recorded real time information, comprising:

• means for reading units of real time information from a record carrier;
• means for determining whether the value of a pointer contained in a first unit read from the record carrier indicates that a second unit was available for determining its position, when the first unit was recorded;
• means for:
• positioning reading means at the position of the second unit indicated by the pointer, when the value of the pointer indicates that the second unit was available for determining its position, and for estimating the value;
• and
• determining an estimate of the position from which to read a second unit depending on the value of the pointer, and positioning the reading means for searching for the second unit, when the value of the pointer indicates that the second unit was not available for determining its position.

A transmitter for real time information to be recorded on a record carrier, comprising:

• an input for receiving a real time information signal subdivided into units;
• means for buffering the units of the real time information in a buffer as they are provided until they are transmitted;
• for a first unit contained in the buffer, means for calculating the value of a forward pointer, the value being information used for determining the position of a second unit on a record carrier forward from the position of the first unit on the record carrier, the position of the second unit being at least partially independent of the time of the second unit, the calculated value of the pointer being based on the buffered real time information and/or a predefined value, the value of the pointer being calculated before the second unit is received;
• inserting the forward pointer with the calculated value into the first unit;
• and
• transmitting the real time information signal including the first unit containing the forward pointer.

A recorder for recording real time information comprising:

• an input for receiving a real time information signal subdivided into units;
• means for buffering the real time in a buffer as it is received until it is recorded;
• for a first unit contained in the buffer, means for calculating a value for a pointer, the value being information used for determining the position of a second unit on a record carrier forward from the position of the first unit on the record carrier, the value of the pointer being based on the buffered real time information and/or a predefined value;
• inserting the pointer with the calculated value into the fist unit;
• recording the buffered real time information including the first unit containing the forward pointer.

A record carrier containing a real time information signal, produced by a method comprising:

• receiving a real time information signal subdivided into units;
• buffering the units of the real time information in a buffer as they are received until they are transmitted;
• for a first unit contained in the buffer, calculating the value of a forward pointer, the value being information used for determining the position of a second unit on the record carrier forward from the position of the first unit on the record carrier, the calculated value of the pointer being based on the buffered real time information and/or a predefined value, the value of the pointer being calculated before the second unit is received;
• inserting the forward pointer with the calculated value into the first unit;
• and
• forming the disc containing the real time information signal including the first unit containing the pointer.