Abstract: A system and method for loading and playing multimedia information are disclosed. A navigator sends a series of play orders that each play order demands for playing a corresponding multimedia segment. A playing engine demands a loader to provide the corresponding multimedia segment according to related play order. A decoder is used to decode the provided multimedia segment for playback. Each play order may be delivered even the multimedia segment corresponding to its previous play order has not been played completely yet. The information discontinuity disadvantage can be eliminated since there is a smooth multimedia information stream provided for the decoder.

Abstract: A system and method for loading and playing multimedia information are disclosed. A navigator sends a series of play orders that each play order demands for playing a corresponding multimedia segment. A playing engine demands a loader to provide the corresponding multimedia segment according to related play order. A decoder is used to decode the provided multimedia segment for playback. Each play order may be delivered even the multimedia segment corresponding to its previous play order has not been played completely yet. The information discontinuity disadvantage can be eliminated since there is a smooth multimedia information stream provided for the decoder.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a multi-layer software architecture which includes a MPEG application, a plurality of message queues, and a servo software. An optical disc reader is controlled and directed by the servo software in order to read the information on the optical disc. Both the MPEG application and the servo software share at least a common data buffer as the storage of read-out information. In the embodiment, the MPEG application receives information from the servo software for playback by means of the plurality of message queues.