Tandberg Telecom as

Ezenial Inc.

Cisco Technology, Inc.

Arris Enterprises LLC

Michael A Falco

Gary Hughes

Brittain S McKinley

An analyzer analyzes portions of a logical data stream including data content received from a source. Based on analyzing the data content (e.g., data content formatted according to Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)) received from the source, the analyzer generates metadata associated with multiple analyzed portions of the logical data stream. The metadata supports manipulation of how the logical data stream is presented when at least a portion of the data content of the logical data stream is later presented to a receiver for play back in a mode different than the original content (e.g., play back includes fast forwarding, rewinding, and/or pausing.

Methods and apparatus for processing time-based content

A transmitter () of audio, video, or other real-time information reads the information from a persistent store () in which the real-time information has been stored in the Real-time-Transport Protocol ('RTP') format (FIG.). A receiver () receives the information from the channel () through which the transmitter () has transmitted it, and the receiver may store the information in a persistent store () in RTP format instead of or in addition to playing it by applying it to an appropriate player (). Parts of this communications circuit may be tested by a tester unit () that also employs RTP-format information from a persistent store ().

RTP-formatted media clips

RTP-formated media clips

Network nodes ( , and ) that exchange time-dependent data in accordance with the Real-Time Transport Protocol subject the timestamps of incoming packets (FIG. ) to tests that indicate whether the timestamps were likely generated correctly. Such a no de begins an RTP session by determining its output in accordance with the incoming packets' times of arrival. It thereafter bases its output's timing on the incoming packets' timestamps if previously received packets have passed a test (FIG. ) that indicate their timestamps' reliability. While such a node operates in such a timestamp-based output-timing mode, it continues to test incoming timestamps and assumes operation according to the time-of-arrival mode if too many packets fail the timestamp-reliability test.

Dynamic RTP/RTCP timestamp validation

The method and apparatus related to macroblock parsing in a GOB to comply with a maximum-transmission-unit size is described. The real-time transmission protocol (RTP) suggests that the RTP packet sent be smaller than the underlying transport mechanism. In the case where video streams are encoded under ITU-T H.261 recommendation, certain group of blocks (GOBs) exceed the allowable packet size. For end-points such as a terminal, implementing a macroblock parser is a natural outcome of the encoding process. However, for other devices, such as a multipoint control unit (MCU), a marcoblock parser is not that easily implemented. Thus, instead of using a macroblock parser, the incoming packets are monitored for partial GOBs. A partial GOB is where the GOB was previously parsed into portions by a device for compliance. Once a partial GOB is detected, pertinent information pertaining to the macroblock fragmentation is then retrieved and stored for future use. The pertinent partial GOBs are then combined to form a complete GOB. Subsequently, when this complete GOB needs to be parsed again for transmission, the stored information are retrieved to parse the complete GOB back to its previous state (i.e., partial GOBs).

Macroblock parsing without processing overhead

Continuous presence designed in accordance with H.261 recommendation allows for several sites to be seen simultaneously on one screen. For instance, the H.261 recommendation specifies that two picture scanning formats (i.e., CIF and QCIF) may be used in a codec. Notably, H.323 end-points could send pictures in QCIF while receiving CIF pictures. An MCU could select four appropriate sites, receive QCIF pictures from those sites, form a composite picture, and distribute the composite picture to the conferencing end-points. It is desired to be able to allow the sites to transmit pictures at different rates according to their preferences. Each site is associated with a queue into which the transmitted QCIF pictures are stored. The transmission rate for those sites are then deduced. A thread then activates to determine if there are QCIF pictures to be placed in the associated queues. Another thread retrieves the QCIF pictures from the queues based on the deduced transmission rate. The retrieved QCIF pictures are then composed into a composite picture which is transmitted such that the composed QCIF is pictures are transmitted at their received transmission rates.

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Swampscott, MA, United States of America

Michael A Falco