LOW COST, HIGHLY ACCURATE VIDEO SERVER BIT-RATE COMPENSATION

• US 20080301226A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Joseph I., Cleary, Geoffrey Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/241 Operating system [OS] processes, e.g. server setup

Abstract

A method, apparatus and system for adaptably distributing video server processes among processing elements within a video server such that video server operation may be adapted in a manner facilitating rigorous timing constraints.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

associating each of one or more processing elements operating according to a first operating system with a plurality of video server processes including an administrative process and a video data retrieval process;

associating each of one or more processing elements operating according to a second operating system with software for driving video output data at a controlled rate;

whereby changes in loading associated with said plurality of video server processes operating according to the first operating system do not substantially impact the software operating according to the second operating system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second operating system is a LINUX operating system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting associations of processing elements and video server processes operating according to a first operating system in response to at least one of processing element loading, monitored timing parameters, changes in system loading conditions, changes in system operating conditions and operating system scheduler requirements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein individual processing elements are distributed among a plurality of servers.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising synchronizing said plurality of servers using a network time protocol (NTP).

6. A controller, comprising:

a processor and a memory for storing a program, which, when executed by the processor, performs a method comprising;

associating each of one or more processing elements operating according to a first operating system with a plurality of video server processes including an administrative process and a video data retrieval process;

associating each of one or more processing elements operating according to a second operating system with software for driving video output data at a controlled rate;

whereby changes in loading associated with said plurality of video server processes operating according to the first operating system do not substantially impact the software operating according to the second operating system.

7. Apparatus, comprising:

first processing elements operating according to a first operating system to execute a plurality of programs including at least one administrative process and at least one video data retrieval process;

second processing elements operating according to a second operating system to execute a program for driving video output data at a controlled rate;

whereby changes in loading associated with the first processing elements do not substantially impact the program executed by the second processing elements.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second operating system is a LINUX operating system.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

adjusting associations of the processing elements with a plurality of administrative and video data retrieval processes in response to at least one of processing element loading, monitored timing parameters, changes in system loading conditions, changes in system operating conditions and operating system scheduler requirements.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein individual processing elements are distributed among a plurality of servers.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising synchronizing said plurality of servers using a network time protocol (NTP).