Method and apparatus for media data transmission

• US 8,271,670 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Anne, Geagan, Jay, Gong, Kevin L., Periyannan, Alagu, Singer, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US13/228,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/231, 370/394
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23412 for generating or manipulating the scene composition of objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44012 involving rendering scenes according to scene graphs, e.g. MPEG-4 scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 : involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/52 : Systems for transmission of a pulse code modulated video signal with one or more other pulse code modulated signals, e.g. an audio signal or a synchronizing signal assembling of a multiplex stream by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, assembling of a packetised elementary stream at server side H04N21/236; disassembling of a multiplex stream, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, extraction or processing of Service Information, disassembling of packetised elementary stream at client side H04N21/434

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for processing media data transmitted in a data communication medium. A digital processing system is provided with a time related sequence of media data provided to the digital processing system based on a set of data, wherein the set of data indicates a method to transmit the time related sequence of media data according to a transmission protocol. The set of data, itself, is a time related sequence of data associated with the time related sequence of media data. The time related sequence of media data may be presented and/or stored by the digital processing system.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a digital processing system for processing media data, said method comprising:

transmitting a time related sequence a media data from a digital storage system using a set of data that indicates how to packetize the time related sequence of media data for transmission according to defined packetizing characteristics, wherein said set of data is a time related sequence of data associated with time related sequence of media data.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

packetizing the time related sequence of media data according to said set of data into packets.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein for each of said packets, said set of data refers to data in at least one of a sequence of image data and a sequence of audio data associated with said time related sequence of media data.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein said defined packetizing characteristics comprise at least one of an Internet protocol, network bandwidth, and a data transmission rate.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein said set of data varies with different packetizing characteristics.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein said set of data is separate from said time related sequence of media data.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein said set of data is stored as a sequence of indicating data.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein said time related sequence of media data is associated with time-based media.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein said time related sequence of media data is stored on a read-only memory (ROM).

10. A non-transitory machine readable medium containing executable program instructions, which when executed on a digital processing system cause the digital processing system to perform a method comprising:

transmitting a time related sequence of media data using a set of data that indicates how to packetize the time related sequence of media data for transmission according to defined packetizing characteristics, wherein said set of data is a time related sequence of data associated with time related sequence of media data.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 10, said method further comprising:

packetizing the time related sequence of media data according to said set of data into packets.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein for each of said packets, said set of data refers to data in at least one of a sequence of image data and a sequence of audio data associated with said time related sequence of media data.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 10, wherein said defined packetizing characteristics comprise at least one of an Internet protocol, network bandwidth, and a data transmission rate.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 10, wherein said set of data varies with different packetizing characteristics.

15. The non-transitory machine readable medium as in claim 10, wherein said set of data is separate from said time related sequence a media data.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium claim 10, wherein said set of data is stored as a track of indicating data.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein said time related sequence of media data is associated with time-based media.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein said time related sequence of media data is stored on a read-only memory (ROM).

19. An apparatus comprising:

a port configured to receive a set of data associated with packetization of a time related sequence of media data for transmission according to defined packetizing characteristics, wherein said set of data is a time related sequence of data associated with said time related sequence of media data; and

a transmitter coupled to said port, said transmitter for transmitting said time related sequence of media data using the set of data.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a processing unit coupled to said port, said processing unit packetizing said time related sequence of media data according to said set of data into packets.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, for each of said packets, said set of data refers to data in at least one of a sequence of image data and a sequence of audio data associated with said time related sequence of media data.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said defined packetizing characteristics comprise at least one of an Internet protocol, network bandwidth, and a data transmission rate.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said set of data varies with different packetizing characteristics.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said set of data is separate from said time related sequence of media data.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said set of data is received as a track of indicating data.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said time related sequence of media data is associated with time-based media.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said time related sequence of media data is stored on a read-only memory (ROM).

28. An apparatus for processing media data comprising:

a means for retrieving a set of data that indicates how to packetize a time related sequence of media data for transmission according to defined packetizing characteristics, wherein said set of data is a time related sequence of data associated with said time related sequence of media data; and

a means for transmitting said time related sequence of media data using to said set of data.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

a means for said time related sequence of media data according to said set of data into packets.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein for each of said packets, said set of data refers to data in at least one of a sequence of image data and a sequence of audio data associated with said time related sequence of media data.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said defined packetizing characteristics comprise at least one of an Internet protocol, network bandwidth, and a data transmission rate.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said set of data varies with different packetizing characteristics.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said set of data is separate from said time related sequence of media data.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said set of data is stored as a track of indicating data.

35. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said time related sequence of media data is associated with time-based median.

36. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said time related sequence of media data red on a read-only memory (ROM).