Determining buffer refilling time when playing back variable bit rate media streams
First Claim
1. A playback device (8) for playback of a media stream from a storage medium (1), the device comprising reading means (3) for reading at least a part of the media stream, a buffer (4) for holding the part of the media stream, a playback unit (5) for consuming the part of the media stream from the buffer (4) at a predefined rate, and control means (6) for controlling the reading of the media stream from the storage medium (1), filling of the buffer (4) and the playback of the media stream, which control means (6) comprise means (9) for retrieving playback mode control information (7), and means (10) for calculating a buffer refilling time (28) depending on the playback mode control information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A playback device for playback of a media stream stored on a storage medium, the device comprising control means for controlling the reading, buffering and playback of the media stream. During playback a buffer is filled by reading means and emptied by a playback unit. At each buffer filling a buffer refilling time, i.e. the moment when the buffer will be empty and thus has to be refilled, is calculated. After each buffer filling the storage medium can change to standby mode till buffer refilling is to occur. Thus power consumption by the storage medium is minimized. The buffer refilling time (28) depends on the total consumption time (27) and the buffer filling period (22). The total consumption time (27) is determined depending on playback mode control information. The buffer filling period (22) is calculated depending on information about the retrieval of the media stream or an estimation of the buffer filling period (22) is made.
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Citations
10 Claims
- 1. A playback device (8) for playback of a media stream from a storage medium (1), the device comprising reading means (3) for reading at least a part of the media stream, a buffer (4) for holding the part of the media stream, a playback unit (5) for consuming the part of the media stream from the buffer (4) at a predefined rate, and control means (6) for controlling the reading of the media stream from the storage medium (1), filling of the buffer (4) and the playback of the media stream, which control means (6) comprise means (9) for retrieving playback mode control information (7), and means (10) for calculating a buffer refilling time (28) depending on the playback mode control information.
- 8. A method for playback of a media stream from a storage medium, the method comprising the steps of reading at least a part of the media stream, holding the part of the media stream in a buffer, playing back the part of the media stream from the buffer at a predefined rate, and controlling the reading of the media stream from the storage medium, filling of the buffer and the playback of the media stream, which step of controlling comprises the sub steps of retrieving playback mode control information, and calculating a buffer refilling time (28) depending on the playback mode control information.
Specification