초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for providing plug-in media decoders. Embodiments provide a "plug-in" decoder architecture that allows software decoders to be transparently downloaded, along with media data. User applications are able to support new media types as long as the corresponding plug-in decoder is

A method and apparatus for providing plug-in media decoders. Embodiments provide a "plug-in" decoder architecture that allows software decoders to be transparently downloaded, along with media data. User applications are able to support new media types as long as the corresponding plug-in decoder is available with the media data. Persistent storage requirements are decreased because the downloaded decoder is transient, existing in application memory for the duration of execution of the user application. The architecture also supports use of plug-in decoders already installed in the user computer. One embodiment is implemented with object-based class files executed in a virtual machine to form a media application. A media data type is determined from incoming media data, and used to generate a class name for a corresponding codec (coder-decoder) object. A class path vector is searched, including the source location of the incoming media data, to determine the location of the codec class file for the given class name. When the desired codec class file is located, the virtual machine's class loader loads the class file for integration into the media application. If the codec class file is located across the network at the source location of the media data, the class loader downloads the codec class file from the network. Once the class file is loaded into the virtual machine, an instance of the codec class is created within the media application to decode/decompress the media data as appropriate for the media data type.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of providing a plug-in decoder comprising:initiating a data acquisition request for data, said data acquisition request initiated by an application;downloading said data from a source location on a network, said data to be processed by said application; determi

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of providing a plug-in decoder comprising:initiating a data acquisition request for data, said data acquisition request initiated by an application;downloading said data from a source location on a network, said data to be processed by said application; determining a data type of said data by extracting header information from said data;determining a plug-in component associated with said data type;searching for said plug-in component;obtaining said plug-in component; andloading said plug-in component into transient memory for use by said application for a transient duration.