Apple patent involving transmitting audio from computer to a client
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Oct 9, 2008 at 1:27pm
An Apple patent (number 20080250469) for synchronized transmission of audio and video from a computer to a client via an interface has appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. The invention relates broadly to devices in communication over a network.
Specifically, the present invention relates to data flow management between devices transmitting and receiving data at different transmission rates. More specifically, the present invention relates to controlling data flow through a buffer by monitoring the buffer and adjusting data transmission based on buffer conditions.
Apple says its involves a method for controlling data transmission between a computer and a video client via an interface, the method comprising: the computer polling the interface a first time to determine the size of the buffer on the interface; receiving a first buffer size value from the interface; sending a plurality of frames of video and audio data to the buffer on the interface such that a delay period exists between the sending of each frame; the computer polling the interface a second time to determine buffer size after the frames are sent to the interface; receiving a second buffer size value from the interface; and modifying the amount of time between the transmission of frames.
Here’s Apple’s summary of the invention: “The present invention controls the transmission of data from a computer to a video client via an interface device that buffers the data frames sent and communicates to the computer and the video client using different protocols. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a method of performing data transmission flow control by polling the interface a first time to determine the size of the buffer on the interface; receiving a first buffer size value from the interface; sending a plurality of frames of video and audio data to the buffer on the interface such that a delay period exists between the sending of each frame; polling the interface a second time to determine buffer size after the frames are sent to the interface; and receiving a second buffer size value from the interface. If the second buffer size value is larger than the optimal size, and larger than the first buffer size value, then the delay period between transmission of frames from the computer to the interface is increased.
“In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of performing data transmission flow control, by polling the interface a first time to determine the size of the buffer on the interface; receiving a first buffer size value from the interface; sending a plurality of frames of video and audio data to the buffer on the interface such that a delay period exists between the sending of each frame; polling the interface a second time to determine buffer size after the frames are sent to the interface; and receiving a second buffer size value from the interface.
“If the second buffer size value is smaller than optimal size, and smaller than the first buffer size value, then the delay period between transmission of frames from the computer to the interface is decreased.”
The inventors are Giovanni M. Agnoli, Andrew Yanowitz, John O. Abt, Samuel R. Bowman, James A. Delwiche and Jeffrey C. Dillon. The graphic below illustrates in block diagram form major components used in connection with embodiments of the present invention.
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
