Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Matthijs Arjan Gates

Jai Srinivasan

Alok Chakrabarti

Glenn Frederick Evans

Mukund Sankaranarayan

Dale Alan Sather

Rebecca Claire Weiss

Kenneth S Reneris

John Bradstreet

Philippe Ferriere

Mukund Sankarayan

Kirt A Debique

Geoffrey T Dunbar

Ken Reneris

Thaddeus C Pritchett

Stephen C Rowe

Robin C B Speed

William Robert Messmer

William Chambers Powell, Iii

Tuan Duy Le

Luke Wabaunsee McCullough

Wenhong Liu

Various methods and systems permit digital data, such as video data, audio/video data, audio/video/subpicture data and the like, to be processed in a manner that permits playback at different speeds in both forward and reverse directions. Various embodiments are also directed to handling playback rate changes in a manner that can enhance the experience of a user.

Methods and systems for processing digital data rate and directional playback changes

A computing system that has access to a streamed multimedia sample that is stored on a storage medium applies a zero-based presentation timestamp numbering scheme to the data packets of the multimedia sample, on-the-fly, and after each seek operation. After seeking to a desired starting point, the computing system reads ahead a maximum number of data packets within each media stream of the multimedia sample. A smallest timestamp (normalizing presentation timestamp) is identified and then subtracted from the timestamps of the data packets that are transmitted to the appropriate rendering devices, thereby creating appropriate presentation timestamps for the data packets for synchronizing the playback of the multimedia sample.

Audio/video synchronization with no cleanpoints

Various methods and systems permit digital data, such as video data, audio/video data, audio/video/subpicture data and the like, to be processed in a manner that permits playback at different speeds in both forward and reverse directions. Various embodiments are also directed to handling playback rate changes in a manner that can enhance the user's experience.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for arbitrarily indexing multimedia content. In accordance with example embodiments, a multimedia content stream that comprises one or more samples is received. At least one of the samples is passed to one or more multimedia filters for analysis based on criteria that define an index type for the multimedia filter. Once it is determined that the sample meets the criteria for an arbitrary filter and index type, an index entry that identifies both the sample and the index type of the arbitrary filter is created. The index entry is adapted in accordance with a common, extensible indexing scheme to coexist with other index entries of other or the same index type for the sample. The created index entry is stored for subsequent access.

User-defined indexing of multimedia content

Systems and methods for storing streaming data are provided. A system is disclosed that includes a computer program which, when executed on a computing device, is configured to store a data stream in memory of the computing device in a virtual file format. The virtual file format may include a timeline of events. The events in the timeline may include a plurality of spanning events. Each spanning event may contain respective state information representing a state of the data stream across an interval in the timeline, and may be linked to at least one other spanning event.

Virtual format for the storage of streaming data

A system and methods provide handling of variable rate playback in a multimedia computer architecture. The systems and methods provide data structures and interfaces that enable a computer architecture and components therein with the ability to playback data at speeds faster and slower than real-time, to playback data in reverse, and to change the rate of playback at any point during playback. One embodiment is a method for providing low-latency, glitch-free changes in a multimedia architecture. Other embodiments are directed to defining multimedia component responsibilities for making rate changes, allowing rate changes to work with standard playback types, coder-decoders, and renderers. The methods include determining a minimum of the maximum reported playback rates and determining minimum and maximum playback rates in a set of modes including: reverse skip mode, reverse key frame mode, reverse full mode, forward full mode, forward key frame mode, and forward skip mode.

Rate change

An application program interface to manage media files may be described. An apparatus may comprise a media processing sub-system having a processor and a memory. The memory may store an application program interface software library having multiple software objects. The processor may execute the software objects in response to application program interface commands in order to manage a virtual file comprising a hierarchy of name-value pairs used to store media content from multiple media streams. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Application program interface to manage media files

A programmable video recorder (PVR) includes a writer application programming interface (API) and a reader API that operate essentially independently to enable the PVR to be networked to multiple reader applications. The writer API creates a backing store and a shared memory mapped file. The backing store stores streamed data in temporary files. The shared memory mapped file stores state information of the backing store files. The reader API receives requests from reader applications to access the stored streamed data. In response to the requests, the reader API permits the reader applications to access the shared memory mapped file to determine where the stored streamed data is located. Upon locating the stored data, the reader API permits the requesting reader applications to access the stored streamed data.

Scalable programmable video recorder

Techniques to manage media files may be described. An apparatus may comprise a media processing sub-system having a processor, a memory, and a communications interface. The memory may store a media file manager for execution by the processor. The communications interface may receive multiple media streams of media information. The media file manager may store the multiple media streams in a single file using a hierarchy of name-value pairs. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Techniques to manage media files

A system receives a broadcast program and temporarily stores the program data. A request is received to permanently record the broadcast program. This request is received after a portion of the broadcast program has been received and temporarily stored. The broadcast program is then permanently recorded, including the temporarily stored program data. A metafile identifies portions of the broadcast program and is accessible by a reader to continuously retrieve the stored portions of the broadcast program.

Method and apparatus for storing content

Systems and methods for interfacing media components are disclosed. Information about the capabilities of digital media components registered with the system is stored in a capabilities register. In addition, a profile register that contains information about specific capabilities required to perform specific tasks is developed. An application that requires digital media services can select one or more profiles representative of the required service from the profile register. The profile can be mapped onto the capabilities register to locate one or more digital media components registered with system capable of performing operations required to provide the digital media services. The components can be instantiated and connected to build a device capable of providing the requested digital media service. Also disclosed is an Application Programming Interface (API) that enables applications to interface with digital media components from disparate third-party vendors.

Systems and methods for enabling applications via an application programming interface (API) to interface with and configure digital media components

A computing system such as a Programmable Video Recorder (PVR) receives broadcast data and enhanced file-state data from a data source. The broadcast data may include multimedia data. The enhanced file-state data may include web-based data such as ATVEF data. The PVR buffers the broadcast data and the enhanced file-state data in a backing store that is associated with the PVR. The PVR also creates an index for indexing the enhanced file-state data so that, when the broadcast data is rendered, the correct file-state data can be located and rendered at the appropriate time with the broadcast data. The index may classify the enhanced file-state data by GUID, sequence number, and valid start and end times associated with corresponding broadcast data. The index may also include pointers for locating the enhanced file-state data from the buffer of the PVR.

Time-shifting and synchronizing content and enhanced file-based state data

The buffer of a programmable video recorder includes a backing store having a plurality of discrete temporary files that are configured to store non-byte streamed data, such as ASF data. The data stream includes a number of data samples that are each assigned a time stamp upon receipt. Each data sample is then assigned and written to a temporary file based on a corresponding duration assigned to each of the temporary files. The backing store operates like a moving window as the oldest temporary files are replaced with the newest temporary files.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Matthijs Arjan Gates