System and method for streaming audio
AssigneeControl4 Corporation
InventorTimothy D. Bowman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method is provided of synchronizing data streaming. The method can include the operation of receiving an incoming media packet having a timestamp from a media server at a client device. A further operation is synchronizing the clocks for a client device with a clock for a media server. The timestamp can be compared with a next play time for a packet. Another operation can be placing the incoming media packet into a user buffer at a playing position in the user buffer based on the next play time. The incoming media packet can then be played using a media output device accessible to an end user.
Claims18
A method of synchronizing data streaming, comprising:
- synchronizing a clock for a client device with a clock for a media server;
- receiving an incoming media packet having a timestamp from the media server at the client device;
- comparing the timestamp with a next play time for a packet, wherein the next play time is defined by a number of packets to be played in a kernel buffer that receives packets from a user buffer, a number of packets in the user buffer, and a current system time;
- placing the incoming media packet into the user buffer at a playing position in the user buffer based on the next play time;
- playing the incoming media packet using a media output device accessible to an end user;
- receiving an announcement media packet into an announcement buffer;
- and
- mixing the announcement media packet with the incoming media packet from the user buffer directly into the kernel buffer.
A method of synchronizing audio streaming, comprising:
- synchronizing a clock for a client device with a clock for a media server;
- receiving an incoming media packet on the client device from the media server, the media packet comprising a timestamp and media data;
- comparing the timestamp with a next play time for data in the incoming media packet, wherein the next play time is defined by a number of packets to be played in a kernel buffer that receives packets from a user buffer, a number of packets in the user buffer, and a current system time;
- placing the incoming media packet into the user buffer at a playing position in the user buffer based on the comparison of the timestamp with the next play time for the data in the incoming media packet;
- transferring the media packet from the user buffer to the kernel buffer, the kernel buffer storing data that will play on an audio device;
- playing the incoming media packet using a media output device accessible to an end user;
- receiving an announcement media packet into an announcement buffer;
- mixing the announcement media packet with the incoming media packet from the user buffer directly into the kernel buffer to make a mixed announcement packet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.