Method and apparatus for controlling time-scale modification during multi-media broadcasts

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG.
2 shows a block diagram of embodiment 1000 of the present invention which provides substantially continuous playback of an audio or audio-visual work received from a source having non-deterministic delays such as a server (for example, a file server or a streaming media server) broadcasting via the Internet.
As shown in FIG.
2, streaming data source 100 provides data representing an audio or audio-visual work through network 200 to User System 300 (US 300), which data is received at a non-deterministic rate by US 300.
Capture Buffer 400 in US 300 receives the data as input.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, Capture Buffer 400 is a FIFO (First In First Out) buffer existing, for example, in a general purpose memory store of US 300.
In the absence of delays in arrival of data at US 300 from network 200, the amount of data in Capture Buffer 400 ought to remain substantially constant as a data transfer rate is typically chosen to be substantially equal to a playback rate.
However, as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, pauses and delays in transmission of the data through network 200 to Capture Buffer 400 cause data depletion therein.
Data depletion in Capture Buffer 400 occurs because, simultaneously, data is input thereto from network 200 while data is output (for example, at a constant rate) therefrom to satisfy data use requirements of Playback System 500.
As should be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art, if data transmitted to US 300 is delayed long enough, data in Capture Buffer 400 will be consumed, and Playback System 500 must pause until a sufficient amount of data has arrived to enable resumption of playback.
Thus, a typical playback system must constantly check for arrival of new data while the playback system is paused, and it must initiate playback once a sufficient amount of new data is received.
In accordance with the present invention, data input to Capture Buffer 400 of US 300 is buffered for a predetermined amount of time, which predetermined amount of time typically varies, for example, from one (1) second to several seconds