Time Shifting by Concurrently Recording and Playing a Data Stream

Abstract

A video stream may include portions that are stored while other portions are being displayed. In one embodiment, a portion of the video stream may be stored in digital storage media at one instance while in the next instance another portion of the stream is being read out of the storage media.

1 . a method of detecting shots or scene changes in video information comprising:
 receiving compressed video information from a transmission source;   extracting DC image information from said compressed video information;   detecting a shot or scene change using said DC image information; and   storing said compressed video information in a randomly accessible memory.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  including detecting said shot or scene change without decompressing said video information. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein extracting DC image information includes extracting said information from one or more of the I, B or P frames of the compressed video information. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein extracting said DC information includes using only the P and B frame information. 
   
   
       5 . A system for identifying scene change information in received video information comprising:
 a processor;   a randomly accessible memory coupled to said processor, said processor adapted to extract DC images from said video information; and   said processor adapted to extract the DC image information, detect shot or scene change information and store the compressed video in said memory without full frame decompression of said compressed video.   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said processor is adapted to use one or more of the I, B and P frames to extract said DC image information.