Distributed server video-on-demand system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A video on demand system comprising:
- a local data network;
a plurality of local processing units in the local network, the local processing units being associated with corresponding system subscribers and having a corresponding memory that is configured to store multimedia data; and
a database server configured to deliver multimedia data from a first one of the local processing units to a second one of the local processing units.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A apparatus and method for effecting a distributed video on demand system is a local data network. A number of local processing units within the local network are utilized, with the local processing units being associated with system subscribers of the video on demand system. The local processing units include memories that are each configured to store video data. A database server in communication with local data network is further included for directing streamed delivery of the video data from certain ones of the local processing units storing particular video data to other local processing units in the local network that are requesting playback of the particular video data.
332 Citations
60 Claims
-
1. A video on demand system comprising:
-
a local data network;
a plurality of local processing units in the local network, the local processing units being associated with corresponding system subscribers and having a corresponding memory that is configured to store multimedia data; and
a database server configured to deliver multimedia data from a first one of the local processing units to a second one of the local processing units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for providing video on demand service comprising:
-
storing video data within a plurality of local processing units in a local network, the local processing units being associated with corresponding subscribers of the video on demand service;
receiving at a first computer a request for particular video data from a first one of the local processing units; and
streaming the particular video data to the first one of the local processing units from at least a second one of the plurality of local processing units via the local network. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. For use in a video on demand system, a database server comprising:
-
a distribution monitor for managing storage of multimedia data in a plurality of local processors associated with subscribers;
a communication device to receive a request from a first one of the local processors to access a program in the multimedia data;
a management database that maps the storage locations of the multimedia data; and
a sequencer in communication with the management database to control serving of the program from at least a second one of the local processors to the first local processor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of monitoring a distributed video on demand system comprising:
-
identifying an inability of a first local unit to deliver a first portion of a movie stored within the first local unit to a second local unit;
determining whether a third local unit has the ability to deliver the first portion of the movie;
storing the first portion of the movie in the third local unit if the third local unit is determined to have the ability to deliver the first portion of the movie; and
logging the location of the first portion of the movie in a table. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A method of monitoring a distributed video on demand system comprising:
-
checking to see if a predetermined redundancy ratio is maintained for a first data set to be stored in local processors in the system;
if the predetermined redundancy ratio is not met, determining a number of additional local processors to store the first data set to meet the predetermined redundancy ratio; and
storing the first data set in the additional number of local processors to meet the predetermined redundancy ratio. - View Dependent Claims (31)
-
-
32. A method for supplying data in a distributed video on demand network comprising:
-
at a first time, supplying a first set of data associated with a requested video from a first local device associated oath a first subscriber to a second local device associated with a second subscriber; and
at a second time, supplying a second set of data associated with the requested video from a third local device associated with a third subscriber to the second local device. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
-
-
35. A method for supplying data in a distributed video on demand network comprising:
-
at a first time, supplying a first set of data associated with a requested video from a first local device associated with a first subscriber to a second local device associated with a second subscriber; and
at a second time, supplying a second set of data associated with the requested video from a backup server. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
-
-
38. A method for providing multimedia data in a distributed video on demand network comprising:
-
storing multimedia data in a first local device associated with a first network subscriber; and
serving the multimedia data from the first local device to a second local device associated with a second network subscriber in response to a request to a database server for the multimedia data from the second network subscriber via the second local device to the database server. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. For use in a distributed video on demand network, an apparatus comprising:
-
a database server configured to manage distributed storage of multimedia data across the network on a plurality of local units associated with system subscribers;
a first local unit in the plurality of local units configured to request and receive portions of the multimedia data; and
a second local unit in the plurality of local units configured to stream a first portion of the multimedia data to the second local unit in response to a command from the database server, the database server generating the command in response to a request for the multimedia data from the second local device. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. A software program stored on a medium for providing video on demand service comprising:
-
a first software storing video data within a plurality of local processing units in a local network, the local processing units being associated with corresponding subscribers of the video on demand service;
a second software receiving a request at a server for particular video data from a first one of the local processing units; and
a third software streaming the particular video data to the first one of the local processing units from at least a second one of the plurality of local processing units via the local network. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. For use in a video on demand system having a database server configured to control delivery of video data between local processing units connected within a local network, an apparatus comprising:
a local processing unit connectable to the local network, the unit having a storage device configured to store video data and wherein the local processing unit is configured to transmit stored video data to other local processing units connected within the local network at the direction of the database server. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
Specification