Patent ID: 8886022

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving an encoded video stream with a first picture, a second picture, and a third picture, wherein the encoded first picture includes a memory management control operation (MMCO), wherein decoding of the third picture depends on processing the MMCO; effecting the issuance by the first picture the MMCO during a first playback mode, the first picture processed but not decoded, wherein the encoded first picture is a non-reference picture, the first picture containing a first byte conveying the minimum number of independently decodable pictures per a defined time period, irrespective of a given trick mode speed; signal the first picture as a reference picture; effect issuance of the MMCO command with the first picture marked as a reference picture; and processing and decoding the first picture during a second playback mode, wherein the MMCO issued by the first picture affects referencing of the second picture by the third picture, the first picture different than the second picture and the third picture, the second picture different than the third picture, wherein the third picture comprises a lower numbered tier than the second picture, wherein at least three tiers are available and wherein at least a fourth picture has the same tier number as the second picture.