Methods and apparatus for accessing synchronized broadcast data

• US 7,062,779 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Courtney, Jonathan D., Messer, Keith L., Rivas, Jesus David
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US09/724,732
• Time in Patent Office: 2,023 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 725/40, 725/51, 725/105, 725109-110, 725/39, 725/112, 725/142, 718/1, 719/310, 719/318, 719/328, 707/8, 707/201
• US Class Current: 725/142
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/09 Arrangements for receiving desired information automatically according to timetables
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8547 involving timestamps for synchronizing content
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database

Abstract

Improved methods and apparatus suitable for accessing synchronized data in a broadcast system are disclosed. A synchronized data accessing system providing an interface that can be used by a data requester to access synchronized data is disclosed. The data requester can initiate a request to access synchronized data using the interface, and data can be made available and accessed by the data requester through the interface.

Claims

1. A receiver suitable for accessing selected portions of synchronized data transmitted by a broadcaster in a broadcasting system, the receiver comprising:

a synchronized data accessing system capable of providing an application program with access to synchronized data transmitted by the broadcaster in the broadcasting system, the synchronized data accessing system including an application programming interface which can be used by the application program as an interface to the synchronized data accessing system, wherein the application programming interface can also be used by the application program to initiate a listener provided by the application programming interface as a listener interface for accessing a selected portion of synchronized data transmitted by the broadcaster and, wherein the application subsequently waits for a notification that notifies the application program that the selected portion of synchronized data is available and can be accessed by the application program after initiating the listener, wherein the listener determines whether the selected portion of synchronized data is available for access and notifies the application program that the selected portion of synchronized data can be accessed at a point of access which can be linked to the listener when the listener determines that the selected portion of synchronized data is available and can be accessed, thereby allowing the application program to access the selected portion of synchronized data at the point of access when it becomes available without having to monitor the data transmitted by the broadcaster for broadcast of the selected portion of synchronized data.

2. A receiver as recited in claim 1, wherein the listener sends a notification to the application program to notify the application program that the selected portion of synchronized data can be accessed at the point of access.

3. A receiver as recited in claim 2, wherein the notification includes information associated with the selected portion of synchronized data.

4. A receiver as recited in claim 3, wherein the notification includes a timestamp.

5. A receiver as recited in claim 3, wherein the notification includes a length of data indicator that indicates the length of data which is available for access.

6. A receiver as recited in claim 3, wherein the notification includes a timestamp for data which is available for access and a length of data indicator that indicates the length of data which is available for access.

7. A receiver as recited in claim 1, wherein the synchronized data accessing system additionally provides error handling information.

8. A receiver as recited in claim 1, wherein the synchronized data accessing system provides information that can be used by said application program to access the selected portion of synchronized data in segments.

9. A receiver as recited in claim 1, wherein the synchronized data accessing system further includes a data accessor and a data provider.

10. A receiver as recited in claim 9, wherein the data accessor can send a request to resynchronize data.

11. A receiver as recited in claim 10, wherein the data provider sends an error notification to the data accessor.

12. A method of accessing synchronized data transmitted by a broadcaster in a broadcast system, the method comprising:

providing an application program interface which can be used by an application program as an interface for accessing synchronized data transmitted by the broadcaster, wherein the application program interface includes a listener interface which can be used by the application program to generate a listener;

causing the listener interface to generate a listener;

acquiring by the application program the listener;

acquiring by the application program a point of access where synchronized data can be accessed;

determining by the listener that synchronized data is available for access;

linking the listener interface to the point of access interface and accessing by the application program the point of access;

notifying the application program by the listener that synchronized data can be accessed at the point of access; and

accessing by the application program the synchronized data at the point of access.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises sending a notification by the listener to the application program to indicate that data is ready for access.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the notification includes a time stamp and a length of data indictor that indicates the length of data.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the method further comprises sending an error notification to the application program.

16. A computer readable medium including computer program code for accessing synchronized data transmitted by a broadcaster in a broadcast system, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for providing an application program interface which can be used by an application program as an interface for accessing synchronized data transmitted by the broadcaster, wherein the application program interface includes a listener interface which can be used by the application program to generate a listener;

computer program code for causing the listener interface to generate a listener;

computer program code for acquiring by the application program the listener;

computer program code for acquiring by the application program a point of access where synchronized data can be accessed;

computer program code for determining by the listener that synchronized data is available for access;

computer program code for linking the listener interface to the point of access interface and accessing by the application program the point of access;

computer program code for notifying the application program by the listener that synchronized data can be accessed at the point of access; and

computer program code for accessing by the application program the synchronized data at the point of access.

17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

computer program code for sending a notification to a data requester to indicate that data is ready for access.

18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the notification includes a time stamp and a length of data indictor that indicates the length of data.

19. A receiver suitable for accessing a selected portion of synchronized data which is transmitted by a broadcaster in a broadcasting system, the receiver comprising:

a synchronized data accessing system capable of providing access to synchronized data transmitted by the broadcaster, the synchronized data accessing system providing an application programming interface that can be used by an application program to request access to a selected portion of synchronized data that is transmitted by a broadcaster in a broadcasting system;

wherein the synchronized data accessing system includes;

a listener application programming interface that is capable of listening to determine whether a selected portion of the synchronized data has been transmitted and send a notification when the selected portion of synchronized data becomes available, thereby allowing the application program to initiate a request to access a first selected portion of synchronized data by initiating a first listener and waiting for a first notification that indicates the first selected portion of data is available; and

a point of access interface that provides the application program access to synchronized data, wherein a first point of access is capable of being generated and linked to the first listener, thereby allowing the application program to access the first selected portion of synchronized data through the first point of access after the application program receives the first notification.