Patent ID: 7936790
Filing Date: 2011-05-03
Classification: H04J,H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit a plurality of data streams to a plurality of receiving devices, the transmitter configured to transmit data packets to each of the plurality of receiving devices; a clock, the apparatus being configured to provide a first timestamp for each of a plurality of data packets transmitted to the plurality of receiving devices using the clock upon transmission of the transmitted data packets; a receiver to receive returned data packets from the plurality of receiving devices in response to the transmitted data packets, each returned data packet containing a second timestamp for the receipt of the first transmitted data packet by the receiving device and a third timestamp for the transmission of the returned data packet by the receiving device, the apparatus configured to provide a fourth timestamp upon receiving the returned data packet from the receiving device; and a network unit to direct the operation of the apparatus, the network unit to determine a start time for each of the plurality of receiving devices for decoding of the respective data stream of the plurality of data streams that is transmitted to the receiving device, the start time for the receiving device based at least in part on the first, second, third, and fourth timestamps for the returned data packet to the receiving device, wherein the determination of start time for each receiving device includes: