System and method for seamless switching
First Claim
1. A method of preparing a plurality of data streams to allow seamless switching between said data streams by a switching device, wherein said switching device includes data stream buffering for an output data stream, said method comprising the steps of:
- preparing said plurality of data streams prior to transmitting said plurality of data streams to said switching device, wherein said preparing comprises;
providing a plurality of data streams, said data streams including data which is divided into segments, wherein said segments include synchronized starting points and end points on all of said plurality of data streams;
multiplexing said plurality of data streams for delivery to said switching device; and
increasing a data rate of said multiplexed plurality of data streams from a first data rate to a second data rate at a time before an end point of each segment by changing the multiplexing for said plurality of streams to provide gaps in said plurality of data streams between said end points and said starting points wherein such changing of multiplexing does not affect the contents of said plurality of data streams, and wherein said plurality of data streams are processed at least in part on a serial basis; and
after preparing said plurality of data streams, transmitting said multiplexed data streams to said switching device.
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Abstract
A method of preparing data streams to facilitate seamless switching by a switching device to produce an output data stream without any switching artifacts. Bi-directional switching between any plurality of data streams is supported The data streams are divided into segments, wherein the segments include synchronized starting points and end points. The data rate is increased before an end point of a segment. Gaps may be inserted between the segments. Increasing the data rate can include increasing a bandwidth of the plurality of data streams, for example by multiplexing, or compressing the data. The present invention can be used with media data streams, for example with MPEG encoded transport streams.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of preparing a plurality of data streams to allow seamless switching between said data streams by a switching device, wherein said switching device includes data stream buffering for an output data stream, said method comprising the steps of:
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preparing said plurality of data streams prior to transmitting said plurality of data streams to said switching device, wherein said preparing comprises; providing a plurality of data streams, said data streams including data which is divided into segments, wherein said segments include synchronized starting points and end points on all of said plurality of data streams; multiplexing said plurality of data streams for delivery to said switching device; and increasing a data rate of said multiplexed plurality of data streams from a first data rate to a second data rate at a time before an end point of each segment by changing the multiplexing for said plurality of streams to provide gaps in said plurality of data streams between said end points and said starting points wherein such changing of multiplexing does not affect the contents of said plurality of data streams, and wherein said plurality of data streams are processed at least in part on a serial basis; and after preparing said plurality of data streams, transmitting said multiplexed data streams to said switching device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for preparing a plurality of data streams for transmission by a multiplexed transport stream, said system to allow a receiver receiving said transmitted data streams to seamlessly switch between said transmitted data streams;
- said system comprising;
a content preparation component, coupled to a source of said plurality of data streams to prepare and encode content in said plurality of data streams with synchronized starting points and end points common to all of said plurality of data streams prior to transmitting said plurality of data streams to said receiver; a gap creation component, coupled to said content preparation component, said gap creation component being configured to insert gaps in said plurality of data streams between said end points and said starting points; and a data rate control component, coupled to said gap creation component, to dynamically control data rates of said plurality of data streams by changing the multiplexing of said plurality of said plurality of data streams, wherein such changing of multiplexing does not affect the contents of said plurality of data streams, wherein said data rate control component increases said data rate of said multiplexed data streams from a first data rate to a second data rate at a time before an end point of each segment to insert the gaps in said plurality of data streams between said end points and said starting points, and wherein said plurality of data streams are processed at least in part on a serial basis. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- said system comprising;
Specification