Patent ID: 7890985
Filing Date: 2011-02-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for enabling, over a network, rate-altering media playback functions at a frame rate expected by a rendering device, the method comprising receiving a command at a media server over the network from the rendering device to initiate a selected rate-altering media playback function; accessing, by the media server, an original stream of frames having sequential frame timestamps; generating an intermediate series of frames at the media server for transmission to the rendering device over the network by deleting frames having frame timestamps from the original stream of frames in excess of the frame rate expected by the rendering device when the selected rate-altering media playback function corresponds to an increased play rate; generating an intermediate series of frames at the media server for transmission to the rendering device over the network by inserting one or more intermediate frames that do not have timestamps into the original stream of frames when the selected rate-altering media playback function corresponds to a decreased play rate and insufficient frames originally exist in the original stream of frames to fulfill the frame rate expected by the rendering device; detecting discontinuity in frame timestamps between frames in the intermediate series of frames with respect to a timestamp increment expected by the rendering device, the detected discontinuity in the frame timestamps caused by deletion of frames from the original stream of frames when the selected rate-altering media playback function corresponds to the increased play rate and caused by insertion of one or more intermediate frames into the original stream of frames when the selected rate-altering media playback function corresponds to the decreased play rate; and providing the intermediate series of frames with sequential frame timestamps separated by the timestamp increment expected by the rendering device before transmission of frames in the intermediate series of frames over the network to account for the detected discontinuity with respect to the frame rate expected by the rendering device by: