System and method for seamless switching
First Claim
1. A method of preparing a plurality of data streams to allow seamless switching between said data streams by a switching device, wherein said switching device includes data stream buffering for an output data stream, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of data streams, said data streams including data which is divided into segments, wherein said segments include synchronized starting points and end points on all of said plurality of data streams;
increasing a data rate of said plurality of data streams at a time before an end point of a segment; and
providing gaps in said plurality of data streams between said end points and said starting points.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of preparing data streams to facilitate seamless switching by a switching device to produce an output data stream without any switching artifacts. Bi-directional switching between any plurality of data streams is supported The data streams are divided into segments, wherein the segments include synchronized starting points and end points. The data rate is increased before an end point of a segment. Gaps may be inserted between the segments. Increasing the data rate can include increasing a bandwidth of the plurality of data streams, for example by multiplexing, or compressing the data. The present invention can be used with media data streams, for example with MPEG encoded transport streams.
185 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of preparing a plurality of data streams to allow seamless switching between said data streams by a switching device, wherein said switching device includes data stream buffering for an output data stream, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of data streams, said data streams including data which is divided into segments, wherein said segments include synchronized starting points and end points on all of said plurality of data streams;
increasing a data rate of said plurality of data streams at a time before an end point of a segment; and
providing gaps in said plurality of data streams between said end points and said starting points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18)
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13. A system for preparing a plurality of data streams for transmission to allow a receiver receiving said transmitted data streams to seamlessly switch between said transmitted data streams;
- said system comprising;
a content preparation component, coupled to a source of said plurality of data streams, to encode content in said plurality of data streams with synchronized starting points and end points common to all of said plurality of data streams;
a gap creation component, coupled to said content preparation component, said gap creation component to insert gaps in said plurality of data streams between said end points and said starting points;
a data rate control component, coupled to said gap creation component, to dynamically control data rates of said plurality of data streams.
- said system comprising;
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16. A switching apparatus, to switch between a plurality of multiplexed data streams, wherein said data streams are prepared such that each data stream includes synchronized starting points and end points, with gaps between end points and starting points, and wherein the data rate of the data streams is increased at a time before the synchronized end points, and the data rate for the data streams is decreased at a time after the gaps, said switching component comprising:
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a switch controller component;
a data stream receiver component, to receive the multiplexed data streams;
a demultiplexer component, coupled to said data stream receiver component and said switch controller component, to select at least one of said multiplexed data streams in response to said switch controller component;
a buffer component, coupled to said a demultiplexer component, to receive said selected at least one data stream; and
to buffer said at least one data stream when said data rate for said data stream is increased.
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Specification