Patent ID: 7269839

Claim:
A data distribution apparatus comprising: receiving means for receiving a request signal from an external source; data storage means for storing playback data and splicing data; data switching means for selectively outputting the playback data, special playback data and the splicing data in response to the request signal received by said receiving means; and transmission means for transmitting the playback data, the special playback data or the splicing data from said data switching means to a data receiving terminal via a transmission medium, wherein the data switching means generates the special playback data by reading selected playback data from said data storage means in response to a type of special playback, decoding the selected playback data, and encoding the decoded special playback data when the request signal indicates the special playback, and wherein the data switching means selectively outputs the splicing data from said data storage means when switching between the playback data and the special playback data so as to provide a continuity in the locus of used bits in a buffer of a data receiving terminal to prevent an overflow or an underflow in the buffer of the data receiving terminal.