Trick Mode Support for VOD with Long Intra-Frame Intervals

1 . A method for selecting a video stream from a plurality of video streams comprising:

transmitting a first video stream with a first display speed;

receiving a request to transmit a video stream with a second display speed;

determining a current video position associated with the first video stream;

identifying a start position for a second video stream based on the current video position; and

selecting the second video stream from multiple video streams having the second display speed, such that the second video stream has an intra-frame near the start position.

2 . A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second display speeds comprise at least one of normal forward, slow forward, fast forward, normal reverse, slow reverse, or fast reverse.

3 . A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the multiple video streams have staggered intra-frame intervals relative one video stream to another video stream.

4 . A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the multiple video streams have equal and staggered intra-frame intervals relative one video stream to another video stream.

5 . A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the second video stream.

6 . A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the second video stream, beginning at the start position.

7 . A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the second video stream, beginning at the first intra-frame after the start position.

8 . A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising transmitting the second video stream, beginning at the last intra-frame before the start position.

9 . A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second video stream has an intra-frame after and closest to the start position, compared to an intra-frame in another one of the multiple video streams having the second display speed.

10 . A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second video stream has an intra-frame before and closest to the start position, compared to an intra-frame in another one of the multiple video streams having the second display speed.

11 . One or more computer storage media encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to perform the method as recited in claim 1 .

12 . A system comprising:

means for selecting from a plurality of video streams with staggered intra-frame intervals, a video stream with an intra-frame nearest a specified location; and

means for transmitting the video stream that is selected.

13 . A system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the video stream with an intra-frame nearest the specified location is a video stream with a nearest intra-frame past the specified location.

14 . A system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the video stream with an intra-frame nearest the specified location is a video stream with a nearest intra-frame prior to the specified location.

15 . A system as recited in claim 12 , further comprising means for storing the plurality of video streams with staggered intra-frame intervals.

16 . One or more computer storage media encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to:

transmit a first video stream having a first display attribute;

receive a request to transmit a video stream having a second display attribute;

select a second video stream from multiple video streams having the second display attribute and staggered intra-frame intervals; and

transmit the second video stream.

17 . One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first display attribute comprises a first display speed and the second display attribute comprises a second display speed.

18 . One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 16 , further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing system to select the second video stream by:

determining a current position associated with the first video stream;

identifying a start position associated with the multiple video streams that corresponds to the current position; and

selecting from the multiple video streams, a video stream with an intra-frame closest to the start position.

19 . One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 18 , wherein the video stream with an intra-frame closest to the start position is a video stream with a closest intra-frame before the start position.

20 . One or more computer storage media as recited in claim 18 , wherein the video stream with an intra-frame closest to the start position is a video stream with a closest intra-frame after the start position.