Abstract: Techniques for playing and distributing MIDI tracks in the context of a non-real-time network such as the Internet. One of the techniques makes it possible to begin playing a multi-track MIDI file that is being received over the Internet before the entire file has been received. Others of the techniques permit playing of MIDI tracks that are generated in real time and then distributed via the Internet. The techniques ensure that expected network delays will not cause underflow in the MIDI buffer, provide a way of playing an "endless" MIDI stream received via the Internet, and provide ways by which players may collaborate and even participate in jam sessions over the Internet. Also disclosed are techniques for including decrypters in MIDI synthesizers and using the decrypters in the context of encrypted MIDI streams received via the Internet.

Abstract: A subprogram which operates as a MS/PC-DOS device driver provides a communication path between a data acquisition program which operates as an interrupt driven memory-resident program in background and a conventional data analysis program which operates in foreground. Information transfers are initiated by the foreground program which issues standard I/O requests to the DOS, identifying the device driver and the information storage area within the foreground address space from which or to which the information is to be communicated. The device driver subprogram relays the information to the background process by calling the background program at an entry point which is made available to the device driver at a predetermined interrupt vector location, enabling the device driver to pass the memory address of the foreground storage area, together with the size of the block of information to be communicated, to the background program.