Storing and retrieving encoded data stream with specified time of delivery on hard disk

Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for storing multimedia information to a medium. In another embodiment, a method is provided for retrieving multimedia information stored on a medium.

1 - 40 . (cancelled)  
     
     
         41 . A method for retrieving multimedia information stored on a medium, comprising: 
 reading a signal recorded on the medium, the signal representing encoded packets of multimedia information, a respective corresponding encoded packet including a first timing information in a storage timing field;    comparing the first timing information in the storage timing field to a timing value from a timing generator; and    removing the storage timing field from the respective corresponding encoded packet and outputting the respective corresponding encoded packet to a decoder when the comparing indicates that a respective transmission time has been reached.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the respective transmission time is a time which is a predetermined time period earlier than a time indicated by the first timing information.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein a first subset of the encoded packets include second timing information outside of the storage timing field, and a second subset of the encoded packets exclude second timing information outside of the storage timing field.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first subset of the encoded packets include a program clock reference field that carries the first timing information, and the second subset of the encoded packets exclude a program clock reference field that carries the first timing information.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first timing information is identical to the second timing information.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the encoded packets are read in a first in, first out manner.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder is in an MPEG2 format.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the storage timing field is appended to the beginning of the respective corresponding encoded packet.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the storage timing field includes a 42 bit timing value.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the first timing information.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the timing value.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the comparing between the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder independently of the comparing between the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the multimedia information includes video content.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the multimedia information includes audio content.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the medium is a hard disk.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the medium is an optical disk.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the medium is a magnetic tape.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the medium is a writable CD.  
     
     
         61 . An apparatus for retrieving multimedia information stored on a medium, the apparatus comprising: 
 a receiver for receiving a read signal from the medium, the signal representing encoded packets of multimedia information, respective corresponding encoded packets including a first timing information in a storage timing field;    a timing generator;    a comparer for comparing the first timing information in the storage timing field to a timing value from the timing generator; and    a remover for removing the storage timing field from the respective corresponding encoded packet and outputting the respective corresponding encoded packet to a decoder when the comparer indicates that a respective transmission time has been reached.    
     
     
         62 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the respective transmission time is a time which is a predetermined time period earlier than a time indicated by the first timing information.  
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein a first subset of the encoded packets include second timing information outside of the storage timing field, and a second subset of the encoded packets exclude second timing information outside of the storage timing field.  
     
     
         64 . The apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein the first subset of the encoded packets include a program clock reference field that carries the first timing information, and the second subset of the encoded packets exclude a program clock reference field that carries the first timing information.  
     
     
         65 . The apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein the first timing information is identical to the second timing information.  
     
     
         66 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the encoded packets are read in a first in, first out manner.  
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder is in an MPEG2 format.  
     
     
         68 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the storage timing field is appended to the beginning of the respective corresponding encoded packet.  
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the storage timing field includes a 42 bit timing value.  
     
     
         70 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the first timing information.  
     
     
         71 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the timing value.  
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         73 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the comparing between the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         74 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective corresponding encoded packet output to the decoder independently of the comparing between the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         75 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the multimedia information includes video content.  
     
     
         76 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the multimedia information includes audio content.  
     
     
         77 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the medium is a hard disk.  
     
     
         78 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the medium is an optical disk.  
     
     
         79 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the medium is a magnetic tape.  
     
     
         80 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the medium is a writable CD.  
     
     
         81 . A machine-readable medium having recorded therein machine-readable information, such that when the machine-readable information is read and executed by a processor within a storage device for retrieving stored multimedia information, the processor is caused to direct the storage device to: 
 read a signal recorded on a medium for storing the multimedia information, the signal representing encoded packets of multimedia information, the encoded packets including a respective first timing information in a storage timing field;    compare the respective first timing information in the storage timing field to a timing value from a timing generator; and    remove the storage timing field from the respective encoded packet and outputting the 11 encoded packet to a decoder when the comparing indicates that a respective transmission time has been reached.    
     
     
         82 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the respective transmission time is a time which is a predetermined time period earlier than a time indicated by the respective first timing information.  
     
     
         83 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein a first subset of the encoded packets include second timing information outside of the storage timing field, and a second subset of the encoded packets exclude second timing information outside of the storage timing field.  
     
     
         84 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 83 , wherein the first subset of the encoded packets include a program clock reference field that carries the first timing information, and the second subset of the encoded packets exclude a program clock reference field that carries the first timing information.  
     
     
         85 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 83 , wherein the respective first timing information is identical to the second timing information.  
     
     
         86 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the encoded packets are read in a first in, first out manner.  
     
     
         87 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the respective encoded packet output to the decoder is in an MPEG2 format.  
     
     
         88 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the storage timing field is appended to the beginning of the respective encoded packet.  
     
     
         89 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the storage timing field includes a 42 bit timing value.  
     
     
         90 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the first timing information.  
     
     
         91 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the timing value.  
     
     
         92 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         93 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective encoded packet output to the decoder regardless of the comparing between the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         94 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the storage timing field is removed from the respective encoded packet output to the decoder independently of the comparing between the first timing information and the timing value.  
     
     
         95 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the multimedia information includes video content.  
     
     
         96 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the multimedia information includes audio content.  
     
     
         97 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the medium is a hard disk.  
     
     
         98 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the medium is an optical disk.  
     
     
         99 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the medium is a magnetic tape.  
     
     
         100 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 81 , wherein the medium is a writable CD.