Patent ID: 8364839

Claim:
A method for distributing streaming media via the Interact to at least one user system of at least one user, the streaming media comprising a plurality of sequential media data elements for a digitally encoded audio or video program encoded for playback at a playback rate, the user system being assumed to have a user buffer for receiving media data and facilities to play back the streaming media at the playback rate for viewing or listening by said at least one user, from a server having a server buffer for buffering sequential media data elements, said method comprising: loading the server buffer with streaming media data elements; sending an initial amount of streaming media data elements to the user system at an initial sending rate more rapid than the playback rate; and thereafter, sending further streaming media data elements to the user system at about the playback rate and filling the server buffer or moving a data window through the server buffer at about the playback rate; wherein the initial amount of streaming media data elements, and the initial sending rate, are sufficient for the user system to begin playing back the streaming media while the user buffer continues to fill; wherein the further streaming media data elements are received at about the playback rate by the user system if there are no interruptions in the transmission of streaming media data elements between the server and the user system; and wherein said method further comprises detecting if any interruptions in the transmission of streaming media data elements between the server and the user system have occurred such that streaming media data elements that have been sent by the server to the user system have been delayed or not received by the user system.