Patent ID: 8301793

Claim:
A method of playing back content comprising a plurality of media frames by a playback device, where the content is stored in a media file, the method comprising: providing a media file having a plurality of elements that each include: a header, wherein the header includes a plurality of flags and data fields, the plurality of data fields includes a forward offset data field that has a pointer to a next key-frame element, the plurality of flags includes a forward access flag that references the forward offset data field, and the next key-frame element is arranged to be decoded independently of any other element, and content data comprising at least one media frame; decoding content data contained within elements using a playback device; displaying decoded content on a display; receiving a user request; identifying the header of a first element in response to the received user request; identifying a data field in the header of the first element that references a second element; retrieving the second element from the plurality of elements; and decoding one or more media frames contained in the retrieved second-element.