Patent ID: 7471870
Filing Date: 2008-12-30
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. In a computing system that receives broadcast data and enhanced file-state data from a data source, the computing system including a storage medium configured for buffering both of the broadcast data and the enhanced file-state data, a method for enabling the broadcast data to be rendered at a playback time that is different than a time in which the broadcast data is received and with correct enhanced file-state data, even when the correct enhanced file-state data is received at a different time than the time in which the broadcast data is received, the method comprising: an act of a client system receiving and recording broadcast data and enhanced file-state data that is received from a data source, wherein an intended presentation time of the enhanced file-state data corresponds with an intended presentation time of the broadcast data; an act of the client system creating an index that is configured to index the enhanced file-state data relative to the intended presentation of corresponding broadcast data, even when a timestamp of the enhanced file-state data is different than a timestamp of the received broadcast data, wherein each entry in the index includes a first data field corresponding to a timestamp, a second data field corresponding to a file identifier, a third data field corresponding to a sequence order and a forth field corresponding to a pointer; an act of the client system indexing the enhanced file-state data within the index created by the client system and relative to the intended presentation of the corresponding broadcast data and such that time-shifted playback of the broadcast data and the enhanced file-state data will be synchronized, and even when the timestamp of the enhanced file-state data is different than the timestamp of the received broadcast data and even in situations when new enhanced file-state data has been received that provides an effective update to the previously recorded file-state data; an act of the client system receiving a request to render the broadcast data at a playback time that is different than a time in which the broadcast data was received; an act of the client system identifying, via the index, correct enhanced file-state data that corresponds with the intended presentation of the corresponding broadcast data and which includes identifying the previously recorded enhanced file state data to be displayed with the broadcast data corresponding to the previously recorded enhanced file state data, rather than updated enhanced file-state data, and even in situations when subsequent updates have been received for the previously recorded enhanced file-state data; and an act of the client system providing the correct enhanced file-state data and the broadcast data to an appropriate rendering device, such that the broadcast data can be rendered with the correct enhanced file-state data, and even when the timestamp of the enhanced file-state data is different than a timestamp of the received broadcast data.