Patent ID: 9538257
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. A method for providing seamless switching of a plurality of data streams to a receiving unit, the method comprising: receiving the plurality of data streams at a switching device comprising a buffer, each of the plurality of data streams comprising a plurality of segments having start points and end points; generating at least one switch gap comprising substantially no data between successive end points and start points, the at least one switch gap being configured to provide seamless switching between at least one of the plurality of data streams; transmitting at least one segment of one of the plurality of data streams to the buffer; seamlessly switching to another of the plurality of data streams during a switch gap, wherein the switch is upstream of the receiving unit, and transmitting at least one other segment from the another of the plurality of data streams to the buffer following the at least one segment of one of the plurality of data streams.