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System for merging plurality of atomic data elements into single synchronized file by assigning ouput rate to each channel in response to presentation time duration

  • US 5,664,226 A
  • Filed: 09/08/1994
  • Issued: 09/02/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for dynamically interleaving multiple streams of multimedia data into a single, integrated data file, said apparatus comprising:

  • a plurality of sources of visual or audio data collectively representative of a presentation having a temporal flow pattern, the data from each of said plurality of sources originating as an ordered series of atomic data elements, each representative of a visual or audio presentation time segment, wherein atomic data elements from each diverse source of visual or audio data comprise different amounts of data;

    at least one memory buffer associated with each data source for accumulating presentation data in a manner that preserves the temporal flow pattern;

    handler means for obtaining data from each data source and storing the data in said at least one memory buffer associated with each data source and for extracting data from said at least one buffer as a separate data stream when a specified number of buffers for that data source have been filled, said specified number relating to an amount of data within each atomic data element from that data source;

    synchronization means for temporally aligning the data streams, said synchronization means comprising;

    multi-channel input means for accepting a data stream for each data source from said handler means;

    means for determining, for each data stream, a presentation time duration associated with each atomic data element;

    variable-rate, multi-channel output means for transmitting each accepted data stream at a streaming rate; and

    control means for assigning an output rate to each output channel in response to a determined presentation time duration such that the streaming rates correspond to equivalent output rates of presentation time segments; and

    means for merging the synchronized data into a single integrated data file.

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