SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEAMLESS SWITCHING THROUGH BUFFERING
First Claim
1. A method for seamlessly switching between a plurality of digital data streams, each digital data stream comprising a plurality of digital data segments, the method comprising:
- encoding, at a rate that is based on a selected capacity of a buffer of a switching device, said plurality of digital data segments into a plurality of encoded segments, wherein each encoded segment has an end point that is synchronized with respect to end points of corresponding encoded segments of the other plurality of data streams; and
multiplexing, using said switching device, at least a portion of said encoded segments at a transmission rate that is higher than said rate that is based on said selected capacity of said buffer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of preparing data streams to facilitate seamless switching between such streams 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, to create switch gaps 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, for example, with MPEG or AC-3 encoded audio and MPEG encoded video segments that are multiplexed into MPEG-2 transport streams.
Also included are specific methods for preparing MPEG video streams and multiplexing MPEG video with MPEG or AC-3 audio streams to allow a receiver to create seamless transitions between individually encoded segments.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for seamlessly switching between a plurality of digital data streams, each digital data stream comprising a plurality of digital data segments, the method comprising:
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encoding, at a rate that is based on a selected capacity of a buffer of a switching device, said plurality of digital data segments into a plurality of encoded segments, wherein each encoded segment has an end point that is synchronized with respect to end points of corresponding encoded segments of the other plurality of data streams; and multiplexing, using said switching device, at least a portion of said encoded segments at a transmission rate that is higher than said rate that is based on said selected capacity of said buffer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for seamlessly switching between a plurality of digital data streams, each digital data stream comprising a plurality of digital data segments, said system comprising:
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means for encoding, at a rate that is based on a selected capacity of a buffer of a switching device, said plurality of digital data segments into a plurality of encoded segments, wherein each encoded segment has an end point that is synchronized with respect to end points of corresponding encoded segments of the other plurality of data streams; and means for multiplexing at least a portion of said encoded segments at a transmission rate that is higher than said rate that is based on said selected capacity of said buffer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer program product for seamlessly switching between a plurality of digital data streams, each digital data stream comprising a plurality of digital data segments, said computer program product stored on a computer readable medium, said computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
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encode, at a rate that is based on a selected capacity of a buffer of a switching device, said plurality of digital data segments into a plurality of encoded segments, wherein each encoded segment has an end point that is synchronized with respect to end points of corresponding encoded segments of the other plurality of data streams; and multiplex at least a portion of said encoded segments at a transmission rate that is higher than said rate that is based on said selected capacity of said buffer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification