Methods and systems for providing file data for media files

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request to open a file wherein the format of the file requires that the file comprise a plurality of segments of file data located at pre-declared locations within the file, and wherein the file data making up the file is based upon derived file data;

determining a maximum segment length for the file based on a quality of media provided by the file;

requesting a location of a segment within the file;

calculating the location by considering each segment of the file to have the maximum segment length;

returning the location;

receiving a request for file data from a segment of the file; and

returning generated file data for the segment, wherein the generated file data comprises the derived file data and padding data to give the generated file data the maximum segment length.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each segment of file data in the file corresponds to a section of media of a pre-determined time period.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the maximum segment length is at least the maximum possible length of file data corresponding to a section of media of the pre-determined time duration.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the maximum segment length is calculated by assuming a minimum possible compression of the file data making up a segment.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the generated file data comprises the derived file data followed by the padding data.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the derived file data is derived from existing file data.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the file data is derived from the existing file data by converting the existing file data to a different quality.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the quality of the derived file data is determined using the maximum segment length.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of generating an index for the locations of each of the segments in the file.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the file comprises the index.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein padding data is dynamically generated and sent by the file system as the file data from the file that corresponds to padding data is requested.

12. A file system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory configured for:

receiving a request to open a file wherein the format of the file requires that the file comprise a plurality of segments of file data located at pre-declared locations within the file, and wherein the file data making up the file is based upon derived file data;

determining a maximum segment length for the file based on a quality of media provided by the file;

requesting a location of a segment within the file;

calculating the location by considering each segment of the file to have the maximum segment length;

returning the location;

receiving a request for file data from a segment of the file; and

returning generated file data for the segment, wherein the generated file data comprises the derived file data and padding data to give the generated file data the maximum segment length.

13. A file system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein each segment of file data in the file corresponds to a section of media of a pre-determined time duration.

14. A file system as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the maximum segment length is at least the maximum possible length of file data corresponding to a section of media of the pre-determined time duration.

15. A file system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the maximum segment length is calculated by assuming a minimum possible compression of the file data making up a segment.

16. A file system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the generated file data comprises the derived file data derived followed by the padding data.

17. A file system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the derived file data is derived from existing file data.

18. A file system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the file data is derived from the existing file data by converting the existing file data to a different quality.

19. A file system as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the quality of the derived file data is determined using the maximum segment length.

20. A file system as claimed in claim 12 , further arranged to generate an index for the locations of each of the segments in the file.

21. A file system as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the file comprises the index.

22. A file system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein padding data is dynamically generated and sent by the file system as the file data from the file that corresponds to padding data is requested.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a program comprising a set of instructions for causing a processor to perform the steps of:

receiving a request to open a file wherein the format of the file requires that the file comprise a plurality of segments of file data located at pre-declared locations within the file, and wherein the file data making up the file is based upon derived file data;

determining a maximum segment length for the file based on a quality of media provided by the file;

requesting a location of a segment within the file;

calculating the location by considering each segment of the file to have the maximum segment length;

returning the location;

receiving a request for file data from a segment of the file; and

returning generated file data for the segment, wherein the generated file data comprises the derived file data and padding data to give the generated file data the maximum segment length.