Patent ID: 8245264

Claim:
A network apparatus for providing a reduced channel selection transition delay from a first media data channel to a second media data channel, the apparatus comprising: a communications unit configured to receive message data and send and receive media data on a network, the media data comprising a frame set including one independent frame and a sequence of zero or more dependent frames carried on a media data channel, each frame having a predetermined position within the frame set; and a distribution unit configured to identify a processing unit that corresponds to a media data channel identified in a media data channel change request, the processing unit being one of a plurality of processing units corresponding to a plurality of media data channels; and the processing unit configured to provide a current media state by decoding a most recently received independent media data frame and related dependent media data frames, the processing unit utilizing one or more dependent media data frames to modify the current media state, the processing unit being configured to respond to a current independent media frame request message by providing a current independent media data frame corresponding to the current media state at a current media data frame set position, wherein the current independent media data frame and corresponding dependent data frames after the current media data frame set position are decoded in a seamless manner, and wherein the apparatus communicates with an aggregation router that communicates with a multiplexer, wherein the aggregation router comprises a distribution buffer selectively modifiable to alter content of a frame set in response to the media data channel change request so that one or more frames may be inserted or replaced prior to sending the frame set, wherein the processing unit is assigned to a media data channel, and then subsequently re-assigned to a different media data channel, based on user demand.