Patent ID: 7289506

Claim:
A server for streaming a data signal over a transmission link to a client for streaming playback at the client, the data signal comprising a sequence of data units including primary data units and secondary data units, the primary and secondary data units having a scheduled playback time for streaming playback at the client, the primary and secondary data units being ordered in the data signal according to an original data unit order, the server comprising a re-ordering unit for changing the order of primary and secondary data units in the sequence of data units by exchanging a secondary data unit that precedes a primary data unit in the original data unit order with the primary data unit so as produce a re-ordered data signal with a modified data unit order in which the primary data unit precedes the secondary data unit in the sequence of data units, thereby increasing the likelihood that the primary data unit will be received at the client in time to be played back at its scheduled playback time during streaming playback at the client.