Devices and methods for minimizing start up delay in transmission of streaming media

• US 7,644,176 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Connor, Kevin J., Surazski, Luke K., Slain, Ilya, Jagadeesan, Ramanathan T., Nguyen, Bich
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs; Lashonda T
• Application Number:
  US12/116,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20080222302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231, 709/230, 709/203, 709/246, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 725/41, 725/43, 725/90, 725/94, 725/96, 725/98, 370/231, 370/232
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/02 Networking aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44004 involving video buffer management, e.g. video decoder buffer or video display buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server

Abstract

A method for a client to receive streaming media over a network includes receiving data having the streaming media encoded therein and storing the received data in a de-jitter buffer thereby increasing a fullness of the de-jitter buffer. The method further includes, when the fullness reaches a fill level, initiating play out of the stored data from the de-jitter buffer, and changing the fill level while playing out the stored data.

Claims

1. A client for receiving streaming media over a network, the client comprising:

a receiving de-jitter buffer for receiving and playing out the streaming media,

wherein the receiving de-jitter buffer has a fill level that changes while playing out the streaming media, wherein the fill level has a first fill level that is smaller than a final fill level, the first fill level to cause play out to commence.

2. The client of claim 1, further comprising a variable bit rate decoder for decoding the streaming data.

3. A client for receiving streaming media over a network, the client comprising:

means for receiving data having the streaming media encoded therein;

means for storing the received data in a de-jitter buffer thereby increasing a fullness of the buffer;

means for initiating play out of the stored data from the de-jitter buffer when the fullness reaches a first fill level, the first fill level being smaller than a final fill level; and

means for gradually increasing the fill level to a final fill level while playing out the stored data.

4. The client of claim 3, further comprising means for decoding the stored data at a variable bit rate, the means for decoding arranged to receive the stored data from the de-jitter buffer.

5. A method for a client to receive streaming media over a network, comprising:

receiving data having the streaming media encoded therein;

storing the received data in a de-jitter buffer thereby increasing a fullness of the buffer;

when the fullness reaches a first fill level, initiating play out of the stored data from the de-jitter buffer; and

changing the fill level while playing out the stored data, wherein the fill level is increased gradually to a final fill level.