Patent ID: 7206854

Claim:
An arrangement for inserting an alternative media file into a streaming multimedia file destined for at least one predetermined end-user, the arrangement comprising a first cache for storing a received alternative media file; a second cache for storing a streaming multimedia file; a control unit for receiving as a first input a control signal from said first cache and generating as an output a switching control signal indicative of the presence or absence of a complete alternative media file being stored in said first cache; and a switching mechanism, coupled to each one of said control unit, said first cache, said second cache and said streaming multimedia file for providing as an output, directed to the at least one end-user, a stream selected from one of said first cache, said streaming multimedia file and said second cache, as controlled by said switching output signal from said control unit so as to insert the alternative media file in the stream, wherein the alternative media file is inserted in the stream independent of boundaries of the multimedia file.