Method and apparatus for continuous playback of media

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a client apparatus for preparing streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network for playback or distribution which includes: (a) a buffer which stores data corresponding to the streaming media; (b) a time-scale modification system that time-scale modifies data output from the buffer at a time-scale modification playback rate; (c) a rate determiner that determines the time-scale modification playback rate over an interval to control an amount of data in the buffer; and (d) a user interface which receives a user requested time-scale modification playback rate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A client apparatus for preparing streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network for playback or distribution which comprises: 
 a buffer which stores data corresponding to the streaming media;    a time-scale modification system that time-scale modifies data output from the buffer at a time-scale modification playback rate;    a rate determiner that determines the time-scale modification playback rate over an interval to control an amount of data in the buffer; and    a user interface which receives a user requested time-scale modification playback rate.    
     
     
         2 . The client apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rate determiner determines the time-scale modification playback rate utilizing the user requested time-scale modification playback rate.  
     
     
         3 . The client apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the user interface further comprises a graphical interface.  
     
     
         4 . The client apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the graphical interface further displays one or more of the user requested time-scale modification playback rate, and the time-scale modification playback rate.  
     
     
         5 . The client apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the graphical interface further displays a range of time-scale modification playback rates which are determined to provide uninterrupted playback.  
     
     
         6 . The client apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the rate determiner determines the time-scale modification playback rate as a non-linear function of the amount of data.  
     
     
         7 . A method for preparing streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network at a client device for playback or distribution which comprises the steps of: 
 receiving the streaming media at the client device;    determining a measure of an arrival rate and a measure of a data consumption rate of the received streaming media;    determining a measure of mismatch between the arrival measure and the consumption measure; and    utilizing time-scale modification to mitigate the effects of the mismatch;    wherein: 
 the arrival measure is determined as a function of an arrival rate of data in a buffer; and  
 the consumption measure is determined as a function of a use rate of data by a playback system or a distribution system.  
   
     
     
         8 . A method for preparing streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network at a client device for playback or distribution which comprises the steps of: 
 receiving the streaming media at the client device;    determining a measure of an arrival rate and a measure of a data consumption rate of the received streaming media;    determining a measure of mismatch between the arrival measure and the consumption measure; and    utilizing time-scale modification to mitigate the effects of the mismatch;    wherein the arrival rate is determined using time-stamps for arriving data.    
     
     
         9 . A method for preparing streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network at a client device for playback or distribution which comprises the steps of: 
 receiving the streaming media at the client device;    determining a measure of an arrival rate and a measure of a data consumption rate of the received streaming media;    determining a measure of mismatch between the arrival measure and the consumption measure; and    utilizing time-scale modification to mitigate the effects of the mismatch;    wherein the arrival rate is determined by monitoring data arrival times and data packet sizes.    
     
     
         10 . A method for playback of streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network at a client device which comprises steps of: 
 receiving the streaming media at the client device in a buffer;    playing back the streaming media;    determining a measure of an arrival rate and a measure of a data consumption rate of the received streaming media;    determining a time-scale modification playback rate considering one or more of the measure of arrival rate, the measure of a data consumption rate, and user input time-scale modification playback rate requests;    utilizing time-scale modification to mitigate underflow or overflow in the buffer, or disruption in playback; and    providing an indication of a current time-scale modification playback rate to the user.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  which further comprises steps of: 
 providing an indication of a user requested time-scale modification playback rate.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of playing back comprises associating a time-scale modification playback rate with each entry in a playback buffer queue.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the indication comprises a function of recent time-scale modification playback rates.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of utilizing comprising ignoring or modifying the user input time-scale modification playback rate when it would interfere with providing continuous playback.  
     
     
         15 . A method for preparing streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network at a client device for playback or distribution which comprises the steps of: 
 receiving the streaming media at the client device;    determining a measure of an arrival rate and a measure of a data consumption rate of the received streaming media;    determining a measure of mismatch between the arrival measure and the consumption measure; and    utilizing time-scale modification to mitigate the effects of the mismatch;    wherein the step of utilizing comprises determining a maximum time-scale modification playback rate that can be used over a reporting time interval without draining a buffer that receives the streaming media.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the maximum time-scale modification playback rate is determined as a function of the arrival measure, the consumption measure, an amount of data in the buffer, and the time interval.  
     
     
         17 . A method for preparing streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network at a client device for playback or distribution which comprises the steps of: 
 receiving the streaming media at the client device;    determining a measure of an arrival rate and a measure of a data consumption rate of the received streaming media;    determining a measure of mismatch between the arrival measure and the consumption measure; and    utilizing time-scale modification to mitigate the effects of the mismatch;    wherein the step of utilizing comprises determining a minimum time-scale modification playback rate that can be used over a reporting time interval without overflowing a buffer that receives the streaming media; wherein the minimum time-scale modification playback rate is determined as a function of the arrival measure, the consumption measure, an amount of data in the buffer, and the time interval.    
     
     
         18 . A method for playback of streaming media received over a non-deterministic delay network at a client device which comprises steps of: 
 receiving the streaming media at the client device, which client device includes a CPU;    playing back the streaming media;    determining a measure of CPU availability;    determining a time-scale modification playback rate as a function of the measure of CPU availability; and    utilizing time-scale modification to prepare the streaming media for playback.