Patent ID: 7640352

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising: receiving advisory data relating to a multimedia from an upstream component, wherein the advisory data comprises a start-up profile with an amount of buffer recommended at one or more points in a presentation of the multimedia to avoid an underflow, wherein the upstream component calculates the amount of buffer recommended based at least in part on the start-up profile; receiving at a downstream component a multimedia stream comprising the multimedia from the upstream component; measuring a rate (a measured rate) at which the multimedia stream is received at the downstream component configured to present the multimedia to a user; ascertaining a duration (a measured duration) of time to buffer a received multimedia before presentation thereof, at least in part utilizing the measured rate and the start-up profile, wherein the downstream component buffers the multimedia according to the amount of buffer recommended while adjusting the amount of buffer as it ascertains the measured rate; and recalculating the measured duration after the presentation is started by utilizing, at least in part a measure of data already buffered and the start-up profile.