Patent ID: 6976268

Claim:
A method of providing access to a selected portion of data that is periodically transmitted via a plurality of channels by a broadcaster in a broadcast system, said method comprising: receiving, by a receiver in said broadcast system, a request from a requester, wherein said request requests a first selected data portion in a plurality of data portions that are periodically transmitted by said broadcaster in said broadcast system via a first channel; instantiating a first carrousel object for said first selected data portion, wherein said first carrousel object is associated with a carrousel class that can encapsulate data periodically transmitted by the broadcaster to abstract said first channel used to broadcast said first selected data portion, thereby allowing data to be accessed via said first carrousel object without requiring said requestor to access said first selected data portion via said first channel used by the broadcaster to broadcast said first selected data portion; initiating a request to receive said first selected data portion via said first carrousel object in response to said instantiating of said first carrousel object; determining whether said first selected data portion is available in a storage used to store said periodically transmitted data in response to said instantiating of said first carrousel object; acquiring said first selected data portion form said storage in response to said initiating of said request when said determining determines that said first selected data portion is available in said storage; providing access to said first selected data portion stored in said storage via said first carrousel object when said determining determines that said first selected data portion is available in said storage, thereby allowing said first selected data portion to be accessed by said requester without said requestor having to wait for the next transmission of said first selected data portion on said first channel; storing said first selected data portion in said storage, in response to said instantiating of said first carrousel object, when said determining determines that said first selected data portion is not available in said storage; sending, to said requestor, a notification which indicates said first selected data portion can be accessed via said first carrousel object, when said first selected data portion is stored in said storage device and becomes available for access via said first carrousel object; and providing access to said first selected data portion stored in said storage via said first carrousel object after said notification is sent, thereby allowing said requester to access said first selected data portion via said first carrousel object when it becomes available and without having to listen to said first channel.