Synchronized clocks and media players
First Claim
1. A method for clock-synchronized play of a media stream, for use in an object-oriented environment an a digital computer, said method comprising the following steps:
- specifying a clock class including at least one clock method for generating a stream of time values;
specifying a player class including at least one player method for causing the media stream to be played, and wherein said player class inherits from said clock class;
instantiating at least one player object belonging to the player class;
generating the stream of time values, using the player object'"'"'s inherited clock method; and
playing the media stream in synchronization with the stream of time values, using the player object'"'"'s player method.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A media player and the clock which controls it are integrated into a single object. This integration may be achieved by the construct of inheritance between objects in an object oriented programming environment. A software class for player objects is established which inherits from a software class for clock objects. In this way, a player "is a" clock. This integration provides improved synchronization among different media, and simplifies design of applications which employ player objects and clock objects. Each object is synchronized to a RootClock object which operates at the speed of the fastest media player in the system. The RootClock may be separated into "low" order and "high" order components and a compare register in order to reduce interrupt overhead.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for clock-synchronized play of a media stream, for use in an object-oriented environment an a digital computer, said method comprising the following steps:
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specifying a clock class including at least one clock method for generating a stream of time values; specifying a player class including at least one player method for causing the media stream to be played, and wherein said player class inherits from said clock class; instantiating at least one player object belonging to the player class; generating the stream of time values, using the player object'"'"'s inherited clock method; and playing the media stream in synchronization with the stream of time values, using the player object'"'"'s player method. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for clock-synchronized play of a media stream, for use in an object-oriented environment in a digital computer, said apparatus comprising:
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means for specifying a clock class, including at least one clock method for generating a stream of time values; means for specifying a player class which inherits from said clock class and further includes at least one player method for causing the media stream to be played; means for instantiating one or more player objects belonging to the player class; means for generating the stream of time values, using the player object'"'"'s inherited clock method; and means for playing the media stream in synchronization with the stream of time values, using the player object'"'"'s player method. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification