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Data server, control server and gateway architecture system and method for broadcasting digital video on demand

  • US 5,508,732 A
  • Filed: 03/22/1993
  • Issued: 04/16/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a data processing system coupled to a subscriber communications network through a data switch, the system including a gateway coupled to the network, a control server coupled to the gateway and a data server coupled to the control server and to the data switch, a method for providing digital video data on subscriber demand, comprising the steps of:

  • receiving a subscriber demand in the gateway from the network, and forwarding a subscriber ID and a video ID for the digital video data to the control server;

    determining that no subscriber queue exists in said control server corresponding to said video ID, which is accepting new subscribers;

    creating a new subscriber queue in said control server if a new port having a new port ID is available, starting a new queue timer for adding subscribers to said new subscriber queue and scheduling said video ID for said new port ID at a new start time;

    assigning said subscriber ID to said new subscriber queue;

    sending said new port ID and said subscriber ID to the data switch to connect said new port to the subscriber;

    sending said video ID and said new port ID to said data server after said new queue timer times out;

    accessing a video storage in said data server using said video ID and loading a first page of said video data into an A-buffer and a second page of said video data into a B-buffer and storing a next video storage accessing address;

    selectively coupling an output for said A-buffer and said B-buffer (A-B buffers) to said new port using said new port ID;

    outputting said video data from said A-buffer to said new port to send said video data as a data stream to said data switch;

    outputting said video data from said B-buffer to said new port when said A-buffer is empty and reloading said A-buffer by accessing a next page of video data from said video storage using said next video storage accessing address;

    continuing said outputting of said video data from said A-buffer and said B-buffer to said data switch until an end of said video data is determined;

    sending a termination message to said data switch to disconnect said new port from said subscriber.

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