Patent ID: 8131869

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a media stream and metadata related to the media stream from one or more servers; storing the received media stream in a first buffer; storing the received metadata in a second buffer; regulating a rate at which the media stream and/or metadata is received from the one or more servers by selectively transmitting a signal to the one or more servers, wherein regulating comprises: monitoring a level of the first buffer; in response to detecting an acknowledge marker of a plurality of acknowledge markers spaced at equal intervals in one of the media stream and metadata, transmitting a first signal to the one or more servers if the monitored buffer level is below at least a first threshold, the first signal being configured to cause the one or more servers to transmit metadata with the media stream, wherein failure to transmit the first signal causes the one or more servers to discontinue transmitting the media stream and/or the metadata after a determined time period.