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Methods and systems for video streaming with VCR functionality

  • US 6,738,980 B2
  • Filed: 11/15/2001
  • Issued: 05/18/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of providing an encoded video stream to a client over a network, the method comprising:

  • storing a forward-encoded bit-stream and a reverse-encoded bit-stream for video data, the forward-encoded bit-stream including first frames encoded without inter-frame dependencies and second frames encoded depending on forward-direct preceding frames, and the reverse-encoded bit-stream including third frames encoded without inter-frame dependencies and fourth frames encoded depending on reverse-direction preceding frames;

    receiving a request with a video cassette recording (VCR) function from the client;

    examining costs of decoding a requested frame in a forward direction from one of the first and third frames, in a reverse direction from another one of the first and third frames, and in either the forward or reverse direction from a current frame;

    selecting a frame with a least cost among said one of the first and third frames, said another one of the first and third frames, and said current frame;

    switching the forward-encoded and reverse-encoded bit streams, if the frame with the least cost belongs to a different bit-stream than the requested frame;

    selecting one or more succeeding frames until reaching the requested frame among the second or the fourth frames;

    reading out selected frames among the first, second, third, and fourth frames in accordance with the request; and

    transmitting the selected frames to the client.

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