Partitioning of MP3 content file for emulating streaming
An electronic file, e.g., an MP3 file, is partitioned into a sequence of segments at the server side. The first segment is played out upon downloading. While the first segment is being played out, the second is being downloaded and buffered so that it is available when the play out of the first segment is completed. While playing out a current one of the segments, next one(s) of the segments are being downloaded and buffered. This partitioning and sequential play out enables to emulate streaming of a file and to minimize latency while downloading an electronic file.
1. A method of, at a client device, forming a media presentation from multiple related files, including a control information file, stored on one or more server computers within a computer network, the method comprising acts of:
downloading the control information file to the client device;
the client device parsing the control information file; and
based on parsing of the control information file, the client device:
identifying multiple alternative flies corresponding to a given segment of the media presentation,
determining which files of the multiple alternative files to retrieve based on system restraints;
retrieving the determined file of the multiple alternative files to begin a media presentation, wherein if the determined file is one of a plurality of files required for the media presentation, the method further comprises acts of:
concurrent with the media presentation, retrieving a next file; and
using content of the next file to continue the media presentation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein partitioning of media presentation information between the multiple related files is determined by information about the client.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein partitioning of media presentation information between the multiple related files is determined by information about the computer network.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media presentation comprises an audio presentation.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media presentation comprises a video presentation.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein partitioning of media presentation information between the multiple related files is described within the control information file using tags corresponding to respective files.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the control information file is an XML file.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the XML file identifies the multiple alternative files corresponding to the given segment of the media presentation, further comprising an act of partitioning the media presentation into multiple MP3 files corresponding to a portion of the multiple alternative files.
9. A method of storing media presentation information within a computer network including multiple server computers, the method comprising acts of:
storing on a server computer a control information file of a format to be parsed by a client device; and
storing on one or more server computers multiple alternative files corresponding to a given segment of a media presentation accessible by the client device to, based on parsing of the control information file, determine which file of the multiple alternative files to retrieve based on system constraints to form a media presentation from the multiple alternative files.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the control information file is an XML file.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the XML file identifies the multiple alternative files corresponding to the given segment of the media presentation.
12. A client device for forming a media presentation from multiple related files stored on server computers within a computer network, comprising:
means for downloading files to the client device;
means for parsing a control information file; and
means for parsing, based on parsing of the control information file:
identifying multiple alternative files corresponding to a give segment of the media presentation;
determining which file of the multiple alternative files to retrieve based on system constraints;
retrieving the determined file of the multiple alternative files to begin a media presentation, wherein if the determined file is one of a plurality of files required for the media presentation, the means for parsing comprises means for:
concurrent with the media presentation, retrieving a next file; and
using content of the next file to continue the media presentation.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the control information file is an XML file.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the XML file identifies multiple alternative MP3 files corresponding to a portion of the given segment of the media presentation, the means for retrieving comprising means for selecting and retrieving one of the multiple alternative MP3 files.
15. The device of claim 12 , wherein:
the device interprets the control information to retrieve multiple files from the computer network for sequential play-out.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein:
the means for parsing comprises an XML parser; and
the retrieving and using comprises an XML interpreter.