Patent ID: 8977768
Filing Date: 2015-03-10
Classification: G06F,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of progressively playing back by a playback device a media sequence stored as a media file on a remote server, comprising: establishing at least one connection for communicating with a remote server by a playback device; obtaining information concerning the content of the media file from the remote server, where the information includes an index identifying the location of different portions of media information within the media file, which can be used by the playback device to determine the portions of the media file to request in response to receipt of a user instruction during playback; identifying a starting location within the media sequence by the playback device; identifying byte ranges of the media file corresponding to media required to play the media sequence from the starting location by the playback device; requesting the byte ranges required to play the media sequence from the starting location by the playback device from the remote server; buffering received bytes of information pending commencement of playback by the playback device; playing back the buffered bytes of information by the playback device; receiving a user instruction at the playback device; identifying byte ranges of the media file corresponding to media required to play the media sequence in accordance with the user instruction by the playback device, using the index identifying the location of different portions of media information within the media file obtained from the remote server; flushing previous byte range requests and breaking at least one of the connections used by the playback device to communicate with the remote server by the playback device; and requesting the byte ranges required to play the media in accordance with the user instruction by the playback device from the remote server.