Patent ID: 6985188

Claim:
A digital video decoding system for receiving packetized video data representing programs conveyed on a plurality of video channels, comprising: a plurality of buffers for storing encoded video data representing images of video programs conveyed on a corresponding plurality of video channels wherein an individual buffer, corresponding to an individual video channel, stores sufficient encoded video data to prevent an underflow condition following switching to decode a program conveyed on said individual video channel; a processor for initiating switching to decode a program conveyed on a selected one of said plurality of video channels in response to a user channel selection input; and, a decoder for decoding encoded video data received from one of said plurality of buffers corresponding to said program conveyed on said selected video channel as determined by switching initiated by said processor, wherein, in response to said processor initiated switching, said decoder employs at least one splicing constraint in switching to decode said program conveyed on said user selected channel, wherein said at least one splicing constraint is performed in response to at least one of: a frame of said program, a sequence of frames of said program, a picture of said program, and a group of pictures of said program.