System and method for loading and playing

• US 20060179402A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Original Assignee: VIA Technologies Incorporated (VIA Technologies)
• Inventors: Lee, Bede, Shen, Sam
• Granted Patent: US 8,739,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10685 input interface, i.e. the way data enter the buffer, e.g. by informing the sender that the buffer is busy
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10759 content data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A system and method for loading and playing multimedia information are disclosed. A navigator sends a series of play orders that each play order demands for playing a corresponding multimedia segment. A playing engine demands a loader to provide the corresponding multimedia segment according to related play order. A decoder is used to decode the provided multimedia segment for playback. Each play order may be delivered even the multimedia segment corresponding to its previous play order has not been played completely yet. The information discontinuity disadvantage can be eliminated since there is a smooth multimedia information stream provided for the decoder.

Claims

1. A loading and playing system for multimedia information playback, comprising:

a decoder for decoding a multimedia segment sequence accompanied with a plurality of multimedia segments for playback, wherein said multimedia segment sequence includes at least a first multimedia and a second multimedia segment;

a navigator for sending said play orders, wherein said play order sequence includes at least a first play order and a second play order, wherein said second play order is issued when said first multimedia segment has not been completely played yet; and

a play engine for demanding a loader to provide said multimedia segment sequence according to a play order sequence with a plurality of play orders.

2. The loading and playing system of claim 1, wherein said loader provides said multimedia segment sequence via a buffer, and a size of said buffer is excess or equal to the size summation of said first multimedia segment and said second multimedia segment, wherein said multimedia segments are loaded into a free space of said buffer, and a space holding said multimedia segments which have been played is assigned as a portion of said free space.

3. The loading and playing system of claim 1, wherein said second play order is issued after said loader issues a loader response indicative of a multimedia segment according to said first play order has been provided and before said decoder issues a decoder response indicative of said multimedia segment according to said first play order has been completely played.

4. The loading and playing system of claim 3, wherein a timing of issuing said second play order is determined according to a time said loader response received by said navigator and characteristics of said second play order.

5. The loading and playing system of claim 4, wherein said characteristics of said second play order includes data format, a size of said multimedia information according to said second play order, and transmission rate that said loading and playing system transmits and manipulates said second play order.

6. A loading and playing method for multimedia information playback, comprising:

issuing a first play order play orders;

providing a first multimedia segment according to a first play order;

issuing a loader response indicative of said first multimedia segment according to said first play order is provided;

decoding said first multimedia segment according to said first play order for playback;

issuing a second play order play order, wherein said second play order is issued when said first multimedia segment has not been completely played yet; and

issuing a loader response indicative of said first multimedia segment according to said first play order been completely played.

7. The loading and playing method of claim 6, wherein a timing of issuing said second play order is determined according to a time said loader response received by a navigator which issues said first play order, and characteristics of said second play order.

8. The loading and playing method of claim 7, wherein said characteristics of said second play order includes data format, a size of said multimedia information according to said second play order, and transmission rate that said loading and playing system transmits and manipulates said second play order.