US6535920B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Analyzing, indexing and seeking of streaming information
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 1999-04-06
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Granted: 2003-03-18
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Expires: 2019-04-06
Abstract
Abstract A streaming information handling system receives streaming information and analyzes the streaming information to locate one or more sync points in the streaming information. The streaming information and sync point location information, indicative of a location of the sync points, is provided to a storage module. The streaming information and at least a portion of the sync point location information are stored on the storage module.
Inventors
- 👤 William G. Parry
- 👤 Mingtzong Lee
- 👤 Christopher W. Lorton
- 👤 Jayachandran Raja
- 👤 Serge Smirnov
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:53
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/234; H04N21/23406; G; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/10; G11B27/19; G11B27/28; H04N21/236; H04N21/2365; H04N21/2368; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/432; H04N21/4325; H04N21/433; H04N21/4334; H04N21/434; H04N21/4341; H04N21/4347; H04N21/439; H04N21/4394; H04N21/44; H04N21/44004; H04N21/44008; H04N21/60; H04N21/63; H04N21/647; H04N21/64784; H04N21/64792; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/845; H04N21/8453; H04N21/8455; H04N9/00; H04N9/79; H04N9/80; H04N9/82; H04N9/8205; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/765; H04N5/775; H04N5/78; H04N5/781; H04N5/84; H04N5/85; H04N5/907; H04N9/804; H04N9/8042; H04N9/806; H04N9/8063
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of handling streaming information in an information appliance, the method comprising: receiving the streaming information; analyzing the streaming information to locate one or more sync points in the streaming information; providing the streaming information and sync point location information, indicative of the location of the sync points, to a storage module; storing the streaming information and at least a portion of the sync point location information; indexing buffer locations with index entries at a desired indexing frequency; receiving a seek request indicative of a desired starting buffer location in the buffer; determining whether a distance between a closest prior index entry prior to the desired starting location and a closest subsequent index entry subsequent to the desired starting location is greater than a desired indexing frequency threshold; if so, determining whether any additional suitable starting locations exist between the closest prior and subsequent index entries; and reading the streaming information starting at a selected location comprising a proximate index entry or an additional suitable starting location.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of handling streaming information in an information appliance, the method comprising: receiving the streaming information; analyzing the streaming information to locate one or more sync points in the streaming information; providing the streaming information and sync point location information, indicative of the location of the sync points, to a storage module; storing the streaming information and at least a portion of the sync point location information; indexing buffer locations with index entries at a desired indexing frequency; receiving a seek request indicative of a desired starting buffer location in the buffer; determining whether a distance between a closest prior index entry prior to the desired starting location and a closest subsequent index entry subsequent to the desired starting location is greater than a desired indexing frequency threshold; if so, determining whether any additional suitable starting locations exist between the closest prior and subsequent index entries; and reading the streaming information starting at a selected location comprising a proximate index entry or an additional suitable starting location.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the streaming information to locate one or more sync points comprises: locating logical starting points for reading the streaming information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 wherein locating logical starting points comprises: locating the logical starting points based on a format of the streaming information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the streaming information to locate one or more sync points comprises: locating starting points of interest for reading the streaming information based on content of the streaming information.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 and further comprising: receiving sync point identification information indicative of sync points to be located during the analyzing step, and wherein the sync points are located in the analyzing step based on the sync point identification information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the streaming information includes at least one channel having one or more associated streams and wherein analyzing comprises: parsing the channel into its associated streams; and analyzing each associated stream to locate sync points in each associated stream.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 6 wherein analyzing further comprises: reassembling the parsed streams with the sync point location information integrated therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 wherein analyzing further comprises: reassembling the parsed streams; and providing the sync point location information separately from the reassembled parsed streams.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein indexing buffer locations comprises: when sync point location information is available, indexing only buffer locations corresponding to sync points located in the streaming information.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 9 wherein indexing buffer locations comprises: when sync point location information is not known to be available, indexing buffer locations based on a desired frequency of index entries; when sync point location information is subsequently known to be available, discarding previous index entries and indexing only buffer locations corresponding to sync points located in the streaming information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the streaming information includes at least one channel having one or more associated streams and wherein indexing buffer locations comprises: indexing buffer locations corresponding to each of the streams in the streaming information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 and further comprising: reading the stored streaming information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 11 wherein reading comprises: seeking to the selected location in the buffer; and reading the streaming information beginning at the selected location.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 13 wherein reading comprises: reading streaming information of each stream beginning at the selected location; and discarding streaming information for each stream prior to the selected location for that stream.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 14 wherein locating a proximate index entry comprises: selecting a desired stream; locating a closest prior index entry prior to the desired starting location for a selected stream; locating a closest subsequent index entry after the desired starting location for the selected stream.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 15 wherein locating a proximate index entry comprises: choosing as the proximate index entry the closest prior or subsequent index entry, whichever is closest to the desired starting location.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein, if any additional suitable starting locations exist in the selected stream between the closest prior and subsequent index entries: choosing as the selected location the additional suitable starting location closest to the desired starting location.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 wherein, if any additional suitable starting locations exist in the selected stream between the closest prior and subsequent index entries: choosing as the proximate index entry an additional suitable starting location closest to, and prior to, the desired starting location.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-03-17 | 2006-09-16 | 2007-03-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-03-17 | 2010-09-16 | 2011-03-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-03-17 | 2014-09-16 | 2015-03-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |