Patent ID: 8861372

Claim:
A method for fast sending a unicast stream in a fast channel change (FCC), comprising: obtaining a multicast join delay of a terminal, wherein the multicast join delay is a time interval starting from sending a multicast join message by the terminal until start receiving a first multicast packet (FMP) by the terminal; determining a minimum value of a data buffer amount on a server when the server has received an FCC request to transmit a unicast stream which is to be sent at a rate faster than a video average rate, wherein the determining is according to: the multicast join delay of the terminal, a decoding rate for decoding the unicast stream by the terminal, a unicast sending rate by the server, and a lowest buffer data amount on the terminal required for the decoding of the unicast stream on the terminal; judging whether a latest I frame has completely arrived according to a packet buffer state; and sending the unicast stream at the rate faster than the video average rate starting from the latest I frame if the latest I frame has completely arrived, wherein an arrived data amount starting from the latest I frame is greater than or equal to the minimum value; wherein the determining of the minimum value of the data buffer amount comprises: determining the minimum value of the data buffer amount according to Vi (min) =(nX−sX)×T 3 +cB; wherein Vi (min) is the minimum value of the data buffer amount, nX is the decoding rate, n is a decoding multiplying power, and X is the video average rate, sX is the unicast sending rate, and s is a sending multiplying power, T 3 is the multicast join delay of the terminal, cB is the lowest buffer data amount on the terminal required for the decoding of the unicast stream on the terminal, c is a buffer coefficient, and B is a maximum data amount that a Video Buffering Verifier (VBV) can buffer.