Real-time processing of a synchronous or isochronous data stream in the presence of gaps in the data stream due to queue underflow or overflow

摘要

In one embodiment of the present invention, an output device sends a spurious data sample in place of a first data sample to be sent from a queue if the queue is in a state of underflow during which the first data sample is not available to be sent. The buffer is to store data samples for an isochronous data transmission. Circuitry skips the first data sample when the first data sample becomes available in the queue so that synchronization for subsequent data samples sent from the queue is preserved. In another embodiment of the present invention, an input device advances an input buffer pointer to point to a next location in a memory in response to receiving a data sample at a queue during a state of overflow. The input buffer pointer indicates a location in the memory to which a next data sample is to be sent from the queue. The queue stores data samples for an isochronous data transmission. By advancing the input buffer pointer, synchronization for subsequent data samples is preserved.