Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of splitting a data stream into packets which comprise either only video units or only non-video units in order to better enable the enhancement of a displayed video stream using IFD without causing any audio artifacts. The gist of the present invention is the insight and the realisation of splitting the data stream into smaller packets than is customary. Thus it becomes possible to produce packets comprising either video units or non-video units, and in case of video units, packets pertaining to only one video frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing trickplay operations on a multimedia playback device is disclosed. When a trickplay request is received during regular multimedia playback, the appropriate frame for processing at a last processing means is determined in response to the trickplay request. The appropriate frame from a buffer is retrieved using meta data stored in the buffer which identifies the frame and the retrieved frame is processed. Meanwhile, a second appropriate frame in the stored multimedia content is selected for processing by a first processing means in response to the trickplay request. The second appropriate frame and subsequently selected frames are then processed so that the second appropriate frame is available to the last processing means when the last processing means has completed processing of the retrieved frame.

Abstract: An outgoing video stream is produced in a plurality of video modes, including a live play mode in which an input task (20) is coupled to a decoding task (22), a pause mode in which the input task (20) is coupled to a recording task (24), and a time-shift mode in which the input task (20) is coupled to the recording task (24) and a replay task (26) is coupled to the decoding task (22). In different modes, different subsets of the tasks (20, 22, 24, 26) or all of the tasks (20, 22, 24, 26) are active. FIFO communication buffers (16a-d) are used to communicate between the tasks (20, 22, 24, 26). Switching between the video modes is realized by reassigning connections of tasks (20, 22, 24, 26) to respective ones of the communication buffers (16a-d), keeping previous data in the reassigned FIFO communication buffers (16a-d).

Abstract: The present invention provides a data processing apparatus and a method of synchronizing at least two processing means in such a data processing apparatus which allow multiple readers to share the same queue. No locks or special instructions are needed to simultaneously access the queue administration information by multiple readers. No data is copied during the writing process. Furthermore, the present invention allows the application to dynamically reconfigure the single-writer multiple-reader queue, for instance to add or remove readers at run-time. This is achieved according to the invention by providing a branch record means comprising a primary branch record for a primary branch between a producer task and a first consumer task and secondary branch records for secondary branches between said producer task and further consumer tasks, said branch records storing appointed to the same location of the memory means and a reference to the next branch so as to obtain a linked list of branch records.

Abstract: Streaming applications can be represented by process networks (562), in which tasks (450, 451, 456) perform processing of data and communicate these data to each other through FIFO channels (455). During steady-state processing, the process network (562) is fixed (fixed number of tasks (450, 451, 456) and channels (455)). However, the functionality of the application may be changed at run-time implying a different process network topology. In order to avoid the run-time overhead of destroying the entire network (562) and then set up a new one, the network (562) should be dynamically reconfigured. A central task (454) manages the network topology and can issue commands to stop or suspends tasks (450, 451, 456), remove or redirect channels (455), etc. In order to avoid artefacts (e.g. processing display incomplete video frames), the tasks (450, 451, 456) respond to these commands only at certain reconfiguration points (101, 102, 103, 104) in their processing loop.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus for processing signals like video, audio or graphics contains signal processor units that produce and consume a stream of data items relating to samples along at least one dimension of an at least one dimensional physical signal. The processor units communicate the data via a memory. Memory address indicators indicating the regions in memory where the data-items are stored are passed between the processor units via a FIFO channel. The control signal outputs of the FIFO channel are use to provide synchronization between the processor units.