Method and apparatus for retrieving digital video using successive linear approximation

1. A method for retrieving digital video stored in memory comprising:

(a) obtaining a specific start time of at least a portion of digital video represented as a t-coordinate;

(b) selecting a minimum n-coordinate and a maximum n-coordinate to bound a specific start location of the digital video represented as a n-coordinate;

(c) obtaining a minimum t-coordinate based on the minimum n-coordinate;

(d) obtaining a maximum t-coordinate based on the maximum n-coordinate;

(e) deriving a linear reference between the minimum n and t coordinates and the maximum n and t coordinates;

(f) obtaining a reference n-coordinate lying on the linear reference based on the t-coordinate;

(g) determining a reference t-coordinate lying on a non-linear monotonic, function, representing digital video stored over time, based on the reference n-coordinate;

(h) determining whether the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate;

(i) when the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determining that the reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to the n-coordinate, wherein the t-coordinate and the n-coordinate define a starting point of digital video; and

(j) retrieving from memory the digital video based on the starting point.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate,

(a) determining whether the reference t-coordinate is greater than the t-coordinate;

(b) when the reference t-coordinate is greater than the t-coordinate, redefining the maximum t-coordinate to equal the reference t-coordinate to produce a first maximum t-coordinate;

(c) determining a first maximum n-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the first maximum t-coordinate;

(d) deriving a first linear reference between the minimum n and t coordinates and the first maximum n and t coordinates;

(e) obtaining a first reference n-coordinate lying on the first linear reference based on the t-coordinate;

(f) determining a first reference t-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the first reference n-coordinate;

(g) determining whether the first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate; and

(h) when the first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determining that the first reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to the n-coordinate.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate;

(a) determining whether the reference t-coordinate is less than the t-coordinate;

(b) when the reference t-coordinate is less than the t-coordinate, redefining the minimum t-coordinate to equal the reference t-coordinate to produce a first minimum t-coordinate;

(c) deriving a first linear reference between the first minimum n and t coordinates and the maximum n and t coordinates;

(d) obtaining a first reference n-coordinate lying on the first linear reference based on the t-coordinate;

(e) determining a first reference t-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the first reference n-coordinate;

(f) determining whether the first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate; and

(g) when thc first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determining that the first reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to the n-coordinate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the t-coordinate comprises a time stamp value associated with a beginning of a video program stored in a video file and wherein the n-coordinate comprises a byte count value associated with the beginning of the video program.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the video file comprises MPEG video data and MPEG audio data.

6. A method for retrieving digital video stored in memory comprising:

(a) obtaining a specific start time of digital video represented as a t-coordinate;

(b) selecting a minimum point and a maximum point that bound the starting point, wherein the minimum point and the maximum point lie on a non-linear monotonic function, representing digital video stored over time;

(c) deriving a linear reference between the minimum and the maximum points;

(d) obtaining a reference n-coordinate lying on the linear reference based on the t-coordinate;

(e) determining a reference t-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the reference n-coordinate;

(f) determining whether the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate;

(g) when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate, redefining the minimum point or the maximum point based on the reference t-coordinate;

(h) repeating steps (b) through (g) until the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate;

(i) when the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determining that the reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to a specific start location of digital video represented as the n-coordinate, wherein the t-coordinate and the n-coordinate define the starting point; and

j) retrieving from memory the digital video based on the starting point.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (g) comprises, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate, (a) redefining the minimum point to correspond to the reference t-coordinate and the reference n-coordinate, when the reference t-coordinate is less than the t-coordinate.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein step (g) further comprises, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate,

(a) redefining the maximum point to correspond to the reference t-coordinate and the reference n-coordinate, when the reference t-coordinate is greater than the t-coordinate.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the t-coordinate comprises a time stamp value associated with a beginning of a video program stored in a video file and wherein the n-coordinate comprises a byte count value associated with the beginning of the video program.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the video file comprises MPEG video data and MPEG audio data.

11. An apparatus for retrieving digital video stored in memory comprising:

(a) a processing module; and

(b) memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to: (i) obtain a specific start time of at least a portion of digital video represented as a t-coordinate; (ii) select a minimum n-coordinate and a maximum n-coordinate to bound a specific start location of digital video represented as a n-coordinate; (iii) obtain a minimum t-coordinate based on the minimum n-coordinate;

(iv) obtain a maximum t-coordinate based on the maximum n-coordinate; (v) derive a linear reference between the minimum n and t coordinates and the maximum n and t coordinates; (vi) obtain a reference n-coordinate lying on the linear reference based on the t-coordinate; (vii) determine a reference t-coordinate lying on a non-linear monotonic function, representing digital video stored over time, based on the reference n-coordinate; (viii) determine whether the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate; (ix) when the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determine that the reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to the n-coordinate, wherein the t-coordinate and the n-coordinate define a starting point of digital video; and (x) retrieve from memory the digital video based on the starting point.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate,

(a) determine whether the reference t-coordinate is greater than the t-coordinate;

(b) when the reference t-coordinate is greater than the t-coordinate, redefine the maximum t-coordinate to equal the reference t-coordinate to produce a first maximum t-coordinate;

(c) determine a first maximum n-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the first maximum t-coordinate;

(d) derive a first linear reference between the minimum n and t coordinates and the first maximum n and t coordinates;

(e) obtain a first reference n-coordinate lying on the first linear reference based on the t-coordinate;

(f) determine a first reference t-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the first reference n-coordinate;

(g) determine whether the first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate; and

(h) when the first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determine that the first reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to the n-coordinate.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate,

(a) determine whether the reference t-coordinate is less than the t-coordinate;

(b) when the reference t-coordinate is less than the t-coordinate, redefine the minimum t-coordinate to equal the reference t-coordinate to produce a first minimum t-coordinate;

(c) determine a first minimum n-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the first minimum t-coordinate;

(d) derive a first linear reference between the first minimum n and t coordinates and the maximum n and t coordinates;

(e) obtain a first reference n-coordinate lying on the first linear reference based on the t-coordinate;

(f) determine a first reference t-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the first reference n-coordinate;

(g) determine whether the first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate; and

(h) when the first reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determine that the first reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to the n-coordinate.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the t-coordinate comprises a time stamp value associated with a beginning of a video program stored in a video file and wherein the n-coordinate comprises a byte count value associated with the beginning of the video program.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the video file comprises MPEG video data and MPEG audio data.

16. An apparatus for retrieving digital video stored in memory comprising:

(a) a processing module; and

(b) memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to: (i) obtain a specific start time of digital video represented as a t-coordinate; (ii) select a minimum point and a maximum point that bound the starting point, wherein the minimum point and the maximum point lie on a non-linear monotonic function representing digital video stored over time; (iii) derive a linear reference between the minimum and the maximum points; (iv) obtain a reference n-coordinate lying on the linear reference based on the t-coordinate; (v) determine a reference t-coordinate lying on the non-linear monotonic function based on the reference n-coordinate; (vi) determine whether the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate; (vii) when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate, redefine the minimum point or the maximum point based on the reference t-coordinate; (viii) repeat steps (ii) through (vii) until the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate; (ix) when the reference t-coordinate is substantially similar to the t-coordinate, determine that the reference n-coordinate is substantially equal to a specific start location of digital video represented at the n-coordinate, wherein the t-coordinate and the n-coordinate define the staring point; and (x) retrieve from memory the digital video based on the starting point.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate,

(a) redefine the minimum point to correspond to the reference t-coordinate and the reference n-coordinate, when the reference t-coordinate is less than the t-coordinate.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to, when the reference t-coordinate is not substantially similar to the t-coordinate,

(a) redefine the maximum point to correspond to the reference t-coordinate and the reference n-coordinate, when the reference t-coordinate is greater than the t-coordinate.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the t-coordinate comprises a time stamp value associated with a beginning of a video program stored in a video file and wherein the n-coordinate comprises a byte count value associated with the beginning of the video program.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the video file MPEG video data and MPEG audio data.