Patent ID: RE43062

Claim:
A method comprising: (a) defining a first set of at least one multiple value characteristic of a transmission bit rate for a first segment access point at a start of a video having an associated first segment presentation start time and an associated first segment presentation end time sequence ; (b) defining a second set of at least one multiple value characteristic of a buffer size for said first segment access point ; (c) defining a third set of at least one multiple value characteristic of an initial decoder buffer fullness for said first segment delay for said first access point ; (d) wherein each value within said first set, said second set, and said third set, respectively, is defined so that data received by a decoder for constructing a plurality of video frames of said first segment is free from an underflow state in a buffer of said decoder when said constructing begins at said first segment presentation start time defining a fourth set of multiple value characteristic of an initial delay for other access points of a video sequence ; wherein (e) defining a fourth set of at least one value characteristic of said transmission bit rate for a second segment of said video having an associated second segment presentation start time and an associated second segment presentation end time, said second segment presentation start time being later than first segment presentation start time and said second segment presentation end time being the same as, or earlier, than said first segment presentation end time each value within said first set, said second set, and said third set, respectively, is defined so that data received by a decoder for constructing a plurality of video frames is free from an overflow state for said first access point ; (f) defining a fifth set of at least one value characteristic of said buffer size for said second segment; each value within said first set, said second set, and said fourth set, respectively, is defined so that data received by a decoder for constructing a plurality of video frames is free from an overflow state for each of said other access points (g) defining a sixth set of at least one value characteristic of said initial decoder buffer fullness for said second segment; (h) wherein each value within said fourth set, said fifth set, and said sixth set, respectively, is defined so that data received by said decoder for constructing a plurality of video frames of said second segment is free from an underflow state in said buffer of said decoder when said constructing begins at said second segment presentation start time; and (i) allowing a user to begin presentation at a user-selected one of said first segment presentation start time, and said second segment presentation start time associated with said second segment .