System for storing streaming information in a circular buffer by using padding block containing non-streaming information to fill a partition of the buffer

• US 6,704,813 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lorton, Christopher W., Smirnov, Serge, Raja, Jayachandran, Lee, Mingtzong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US10/080,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20020158878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 710/33, 710/34, 710/52, 710/53, 710/56, 710/57, 345/545, 345/547, 370/412, 709/231, 711/100, 711/110, 711/147, 711/152, 711/153
• US Class Current: 710/52
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/12 Formatting, e.g. arrangement of data block or words on the record carriers within interface between computers and data recorders G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10666 Ring buffers, e.g. buffers wherein an iteratively progressing read or write pointer moves back to the beginning of the buffer when reaching the last storage cell
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/845 Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream

Abstract

A data block format for streaming information includes a first data block size field and a second data block size field, each of the fields indicating the size of the data block. A payload field is bounded by the first data block sized field and the second data size in the data block format.

Claims

1. A processor implemented method of handling streaming information for storage in a circular buffer comprising a plurality of partitions defined by boundaries, the method comprising:

receiving streaming information from a source of streaming information;

forming data blocks wherein each data block includes a payload field capable of holding a portion of the streaming information and an identification field indicative of the source of the streaming information;

writing at least one data block to the circular buffer to partially fill a partition;

generating at least one padding block having a field indicative of non-streaming information and having a size being a function of remaining space in the partition; and

writing the padding block to the circular buffer adjacent a boundary of the partition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of writing the at least one data block comprises writing the at least one data block adjacent one of the boundaries.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data blocks are of variable size.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the data blocks includes a first pointer field indicating a location of a succeeding data block and a second pointer field indicating a location of a preceding data block, and wherein the step of forming includes ascertaining pointer data for each of the pointer fields.

5. A computer readable medium including instructions readable by a computer appliance having a circular buffer with a plurality of partitions defined by boundaries which, when implemented, cause the computer appliance to handle streaming information by performing steps comprising:

receiving streaming information from a source of streaming information;

forming data blocks wherein each data block includes a payload field capable of holding a portion of the streaming information and an identification field indicative of the source of the streaming information;

writing at least one data block to the circular buffer to partially fill a partition;

generating at least one padding block having a field indicative of non-streaming information and having a size being a function of remaining space in the partition; and

writing the padding block to the circular buffer adjacent a boundary of the partition.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5 wherein the step of writing the at least one data block comprises writing the at least one data block adjacent one of the boundaries.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the data blocks are of variable size.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5 wherein each of the data blocks includes a first pointer field indicating a location of a succeeding data block and a second pointer field indicating a location of a preceding data block, and wherein the step of forming includes ascertaining pointer data for each of the pointer fields.

9. A processor implemented method of handling streaming information for storage in a circular buffer comprising a plurality of partitions defined by boundaries, the method comprising:

receiving streaming information from a source of streaming information;

forming similarly data blocks wherein each data block includes a payload field capable of holding a portion of the streaming information and an identification field indicative of the source of the streaming information;

writing at least two data blocks to the circular buffer to partially fill a partition;

generating at least one padding block having a field indicative of non-streaming information and having a size being a function of remaining space in the partition; and

writing said at least one padding block to the circular buffer to fill the remaining space in the partition.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of writing the padding block comprises writing the padding block in the circular buffer adjacent a boundary.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the data blocks are of variable size.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein each of the data blocks includes a first pointer field indicating a location of a succeeding data block and a second pointer field indicating a location of a preceding data block, and wherein the step of forming includes ascertaining pointer data for each of the pointer fields.

13. A computer readable medium including instructions readable by a computer appliance having a circular buffer with a plurality of partitions defined by boundaries which, when implemented, cause the computer appliance to handle streaming information by performing steps comprising:

receiving streaming information from a source of streaming information;

forming similarly structured data blocks wherein each data block includes a payload field capable of holding a portion of the streaming information and an identification field indicative of the source of the streaming information;

writing at least two data blocks to the circular buffer to partially fill a partition;

generating at least one padding block having a field indicative of non-streaming information and having a size being a function of remaining space in the partition; and

writing said at least one padding block to the circular buffer to fill the remaining space in the partition.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the step of writing the padding block comprises writing the padding block in the circular buffer adjacent a boundary.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the data blocks are of variable size.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein each of the data blocks includes a first pointer field indicating a location of a succeeding data block and a second pointer field indicating a location of a preceding data block, and wherein the step of forming includes ascertaining pointer data for each of the pointer fields.