Channel buffering method for dynamically altering channel number of internet protocol television

A channel buffering method for dynamically altering a channel buffering number of an Internet protocol television (IPTV), applicable for a home gateway (HG), comprising:

• a. setting a first channel buffering number d, a second channel buffering number u, a display channel p, and a constant threshold time tc, and then setting a channel section as p−d to p+u ([p−d, p+u]);
• b. receiving two consecutive channel-switching requests;
• and if a time interval for receiving the two consecutive channel-switching requests is smaller than or equal to the constant threshold time tc, and if it is determined that the two channel-switching requests are both directed to switching a channel towards a same direction, setting a cumulative switching frequency;
• c. setting a first trimming numerical value w1 or a second trimming numerical value w2 according to the cumulative switching frequency;
• d. altering the channel section as p−d+w1 to p+u+w2 ([p−d+w1, p+u+w2]), and buffering a plurality of channels contained in the channel section;
• e. after the IPTV sends out a channel-switching request, calculating a delay time tz delivered from the HG sends out the request and an IPTV headend transmits the channel to HG via a channel corresponding to the channel-switching request;
• f. calculating an average time tsi from the moment the IPTV sends out a channel-switching request to receive the requested channel already buffered in HG;
• g. setting a recommended maximum channel number Ub as a result of dividing the delay time tz by the average time tsi;
• and
• h. if it is determined that the channel number in the channel section is larger than the recommended maximum channel number Ub, adjusting the channel section to make the channel number in the channel section be equal to the recommended maximum channel number Ub.