System and method for generating trick mode streams

1 . A server digital home communication terminal (DHCT) configured to create a trick mode stream corresponding to a recorded video stream, the DHCT comprising:

a network interface in communication with a client DHCT, the client DHCT comprising a video decoder;

a storage medium;

at least one memory having stored thereon program code; and

at least one processor that is programmed by at least the program code to enable the server DHCT to:

select a first encoded picture frame from the recorded video stream on the storage medium;

retrieve a first sequence of transport packets encapsulating the first picture frame;

create a first transport packet containing a first client control packet associated with the first picture frame, the first client control packet comprising the size of the first picture frame and a decoder command for the video decoder; and

transmit, to the video decoder, a trick mode stream comprising the first transport packet followed by the first sequence of transport packets.

2 . The server DHCT of claim 1 , wherein the decoder command instructs the video decoder whether or not the first picture frame is displayed after decoding.

3 . The server DHCT of claim 1 , wherein the first encoded picture frame is an MPEG I-frame.

4 . The server DHCT of claim 3 , wherein the decoder command instructs the video decoder to display the MPEG I-frame after decoding.

5 . The server DHCT of claim 1 , wherein the encoded picture frame comprises a presentation timestamp, and the control packet instructs the video decoder to display the encoded picture frame at a time based on receiving the encoded picture frame and not on the presentation timestamp.

6 . The server DHCT of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the server DHCT to:

retrieve a second sequence of transport packets encapsulating a picture header of a second encoded picture frame, the second picture frame immediately following the first picture frame; and

transmit, to the video decoder, the second sequence of transport packets.

7 . The server DHCT of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the server DHCT to:

receive a trick mode command from the client DHCT;

select, based on the trick mode command, a third encoded picture frame from the recorded video stream on the storage medium;

retrieve a third sequence of transport packets encapsulating the third picture frame;

create a second transport packet containing a second client control packet associated with the second picture frame, the second client control packet comprising the size of the third picture frame and a command for the video decoder; and

transmit, to the video decoder, the second transport packet followed by the third sequence of transport packets.

8 . The server DHCT of claim 7 , wherein the trick mode command specifies a mode, a direction, and a speed.

9 . The server DHCT of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the server DHCT to:

transmit, to the video decoder, at a time based on the speed, the third sequence of transport packets encapsulating the third picture frame.

10 . The server DHCT of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the server DHCT to:

select a sequence of P-frames from the recorded video stream on the storage medium;

retrieve a plurality of sequences of transport packets, each sequence encapsulating one of the P-frames; and

for each P-frame in the sequence of P-frames, transmit to the video decoder a command instructing the video decoder to decode but not display the corresponding P-frame, followed by the sequence of transport packets encapsulating the corresponding P-frame.

11 . The server DHCT of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the server DHCT to:

after transmitting the plurality of sequences of transport packets,

select an additional P-frame from the recorded video stream on the storage medium;

retrieve a fourth sequence of transport packets encapsulating the additional P-frame;

transmit, to the video decoder, a transport packet containing a command instructing the video decoder to decode and display the additional P-frame; and

transmit, to the video decoder, the fourth sequence of transport packets.

12 . A client digital home communication terminal (DHCT) configured to receive a trick mode stream corresponding to a recorded video stream, the DHCT comprising:

a network interface in communication with a server DHCT;

at least one memory having stored thereon program code; and

at least one processor that is programmed by at least the program code to enable the client DHCT to:

receive, via the network interface, a first transport packet containing a first client control packet associated with a first picture frame, the first client control packet comprising the size of the first picture frame and a decoder command;

receive a sequence of transport packets containing the first picture frame;

decode the received first picture frame; and

display the decoded picture frame if the decoder command indicates the frame is to be displayed.

13 . The client DHCT of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the client DHCT to refrain from decoding until the entire sequence of transport packets containing the first picture frame is received.

14 . The client DHCT of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the client DHCT to:

extract picture data from each of the sequence of received transport packets;

buffer the picture data; and

responsive to the size of the buffered data reaching the size in the first client control packet, decode the buffered picture data.

15 . The client DHCT of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the client DHCT to:

determine if a received transport packet contains a trick mode control packet;

responsive to the determining, extract the trick mode control packet from the received transport packet; and

extract the first picture frame size and the decoder command from the trick mode control packet.

16 . The client DHCT of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the client DHCT to:

receive, after the first picture frame, one or more transport packets containing a partial picture frame; and

discard, without decoding, the partial picture frame.

17 . The client DHCT of claim 12 , wherein the received first picture frame comprises a presentation timestamp, and the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the client DHCT to display the decoded picture when decoding is complete and not at a time based on the presentation timestamp.

18 . The client DHCT of claim 12 , further comprising:

an input interface configured to receive user input comprising a trick mode command;

wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the client DHCT to request, responsive to the trick mode command, a trick mode stream from the server DHCT via the network interface.

19 . The client DHCT of claim 18 , wherein the trick mode command specifies a mode, a direction, and a speed.