Patent ID: 8566469
Filing Date: 2013-10-22
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving at a server from a client device, a selection to change to a prior selected different channel; allocating a first tuner of the plurality of tuners at the server to the prior selected different channel, wherein the server has the first tuner and a second tuner; streaming data associated with the prior selected different channel from the first tuner at the server to a first buffer at the client device via a network; predicting at the server a predicted next channel at the client based on the prior selected different channel; allocating a second tuner at the server to the predicted next channel; streaming data associated with the predicted next channel from the second tuner at the server via the network to a second buffer at the client device, wherein streaming the data associated with the predicted next channel occurs during streaming the data associated with the prior selected different channel; then receiving at the server from the client device, a prior selection to change to the predicted next channel; switching the first tuner to the predicted the next channel; streaming data associated with the predicted the next channel from the first tuner at the server to the first buffer at the client device via the network; predicting at the server an additional predicted next channel at the client based on the predicted next channel; switching the second tuner at the server to the additional predicted next channel; and streaming data associated with the additional predicted next channel from the second tuner at the server via the network to the second buffer at the client device, wherein streaming the data associated with the additional predicted next channel occurs during streaming the data associated with the predicted next channel.