Patent ID: 7295247

Claim:
A method of adaptively time-shifting an encoded audio signal relative to an encoded video signal in a received audio/video message stream such that a corresponding decoded audio signal and a corresponding decoded video signal are aligned in time within a maximum degree of deviation (Δ max ), the encoded audio signal being divided into audio frames (F a ) having a first frame interval (T a ), the encoded video signal being divided into video frames (F v ) having a second frame interval (T v ), determining a desired delay (D d ) of the encoded audio signal for the corresponding decoded audio and video signals to be aligned in time within the maximum degree of deviation (Δ max ), the method characterised by the steps of: calculating a frame delay number (n D ) as one of the two neighbouring integers to a ratio between the desired delay (D d ) and the first frame interval (T a ), storing sequentially a number of audio frames (F a ( 1 )-F a ( 5 )) equal to the frame delay number (n D ) before decoding a matching video frame (F v ( 1 )), decoding the matching video frame (F v ( 1 )), decoding the stored audio frames (F a ( 1 )-F a ( 5 )) in the sequential order of storage, and repeating the above steps for remaining audio frames ((F a ( 6 )-F a (k)) respective video frames (F v ( 2 )-F v (m)) of the audio/video message stream.