Multi-media server for treating multi-media information and communication system empolying the multi-media server

• US 5,517,652 A
• Filed: 05/30/1991
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Abe, Mutsumi, Cardwell, Douglas, Miyamoto, Takanori, Suzuki, Toshiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US07/707,914
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 395/325, 395/800, 395/200, 395/500
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A multi-media server for treating multi-media information including video and voice information and a communication system including the multi-media server are provided. The multi-media server is suitable for the application and the system architecture for the multi-media information, a mail system utilizing animation and an application for editing a document. The multi-media server includes an interface circuit connected to a communication network and for controlling send/receive operations of a transmission frame, table memories for recording attribute information of each user terminal, a decoding circuit for decoding multi-media information included in the transmission frame received from the interface circuit by referring to the attribute information of the table memory, an information processing circuit for processing the decoded multi-media information according to the content of a header of the transmission frame, a coding circuit for coding the processed multi-media information according to the content of the header of the transmission frame, a memory unit for recording the coded multi-media information, and a controller for controlling the decoding circuit and the coding circuit to perform the processing for the kind of the multi-media information according to the content of the header of the transmission frame.

Claims

1. In a communication system including a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information, and a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal, and a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server, said multi-media server comprising:

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information;

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame;

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information;

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal;

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information;

coding means for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame; and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame;

wherein said each user communication terminal includes;

an interface connected to said communication network and for controlling send/receive operation of the transmission frame transmitted from said multi-media server,

decoding means for performing a plurality of decoding processings of the multi-media information contained in said transmission frame,

coding means for performing a plurality of coding processings of the information, and

processing means for performing the processing for each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame.

2. In a communication system including a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information, and a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal, and a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server, said multi-media server comprising:

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information;

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame;

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information;

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal;

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information;

coding means for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame; and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame;

wherein said user communication terminal includes;

means for adding at least an identifier indicating said multi-media server, an identifier indicating said communication terminal, an identifier indicating the kind of the multi-media information included in said transmission frame, and an identifier indicating the kind of the processing to be done for said multi-media information, and

wherein said control means of said multi-media server registers the correspondence between the identifier of each communication terminal and the identifier indicating the kind of said multi-media information as said attribute information or updates said attribute information when said control portion receives said transmission frame from said communication terminal.

3. A multi-media server according to claim 2, wherein said control means of said multi-media server controls said decoding means and coding means in accordance with the identifier indicating the kind of the multi-media information registered in said first memory means in a manner to correspond to the identifier of said communication terminal and inputs the data processed in said decoding means and coding means to said second memory means.

4. A multi-media server according to claim 2, wherein said identifier indicating the kind of processings to be performed for said multi-media information actually indicates any one of write of data, read of data, read and write of data, and edition of data.

5. A multi-media server according to claim 4, wherein said edition of data includes to perform an edition for the decoded data stored in said second memory means.

6. A multi-media server according to claim 4, wherein said second memory means includes a plurality of concurrent I/O devices to be independently accessed, and the data sent from said plurality of I/O devices are cyclically processed and edited rapidly by allocating said plurality of I/O devices to each of serial video blocks.

7. A multi-media server according to claim 4, wherein said control means serves to read only a data area required for edition from a file at an "edition" mode, store the data area in a buffer area provided in the signal processing means, and editing the data area in the buffer area for concurrently performing the "write" or "read" processing for the file in response to the control of another terminal.

8. A multi-media server according to claim 7, wherein said second memory means includes a plurality of concurrent I/O devices to be independently accessed, and the data from said I/O devices is cyclically processed by allocating said I/O devices to each of serial video locks, and said control means serves to read only a data area required for edition from a file, store said data area in a buffer area provided in the signal processing means, and edit said data area in the buffer area for concurrently performing the "write" or read" processing of the data to the file in response to the control of another terminal.

9. In a communication system including a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information, and a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal, and a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server, said multi-media server comprising:

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information;

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame;

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information;

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal;

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information;

coding means for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame; and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame;

wherein said interface includes;

a protocol processing means connected to said communication network and for performing error control of the transmission frame transmitted from said communication terminal, and a switch circuit for selectively transmitting the information read from said protocol processing section or said second memory means to said decoding means or protocol processing means,

wherein said control means serves to switch said switch circuit in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame.

10. In a communication system including a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information, and a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal, and a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server, said multi-media server comprising:

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information;

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame;

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information;

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal;

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information;

coding means for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame; and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame;

wherein said information processing means includes a function of processing said multi-media information at a processing speed corresponding to the content of the header of said transmission frame.

11. In a communication system including a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information, and a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal, and a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server, said multi-media server comprising:

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information;

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame; and

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information;

wherein said memory means includes;

recording media, and

at least first and second I/O means for reading data from said recording media or writing data to said recording media,

wherein said first I/O means serves to position said second I/O means on said recording media while said first I/O means is reading data from said recording media or writing data to said recording media and said second I/O means serves to position said first I/O means on said recording media while said second I/O means is reading data from said recording media or writing data to said recording media.

12. In a communication system including a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information, and a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal, and a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server, said multi-media server comprising:

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information;

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame;

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information;

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal;

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information;

coding means for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame; and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame;

wherein said user terminal includes a terminal memory for recording a directory of said multi-media information transmitted to said multi-media server and serves to specify the processing of said multi-media information by referring to said directory.

13. In a communication system including a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information, and a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal, and a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server, said multi-media server comprising:

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information;

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame;

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information;

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal;

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information;

coding meads for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame; and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame;

wherein said user terminal provides a receive buffer having a predetermined volume and stores the multi-media information received from said multi-media server in said receive buffer and sequentially decodes the multi-media information.

14. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information;

a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal; and

a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server,

said multi-media server includes;

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information,

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame,

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information,

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal,

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information,

coding means for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame, and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame.

15. A communication system comprising:

a plurality of user communication terminals each having input/output (I/O) means for providing multi-media information containing video, voice and text information;

a multi-media server for storing or editing the multi-media information sent from each user communication terminal in response to information included in the multi-media information, said information being inputted by the user of said user communication terminal; and

a communication network connecting said plurality of user communication terminals and said multi-media server for transmitting a transmission frame containing the multi-media information between said user communication terminals and said multi-media server,

said multi-media server includes;

an interface connected to said communication network for controlling a send/receive operation of a transmission frame including multi-media information,

information processing means for editing said multi-media information in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame,

memory means for recording said edited multi-media information,

a second memory means for recording attribute information of said each user communication terminal,

decoding means for decoding the multi-media information contained in the transmission frame received from said communication network through said interface and decoding said information in accordance with said attribute information,

coding means for coding processed multi-media information from said information processing means in accordance with the content of a header of said transmission frame, and

control means for controlling said decoding means and coding means to edit each kind of said multi-media information in accordance with the content of the header of said transmission frame,

wherein each user terminal includes a synchronizing unit for integrating time-series data outputted from a plurality of output equipments and outputting said integrated data, said synchronizing unit including a plurality of buffer units for controlling output of the information in said output equipment and compressing, retaining, or expanding the information sent from said output equipments and a controller for controlling said output equipments through said buffer units and controlling said buffer units for synchronizing the information sent from said output equipments.

16. A communication system according to claim 15, wherein said controller of said synchronizing unit serves to control said buffer units for synchronizing the earlier information with the later information received by said buffer units.

17. A communication system according to claim 16, wherein said synchronizing unit provides means for synchronizing the information by requesting re-output of said information to said output equipment when said buffer unit stores said information.

18. A communication system according to claim 15, wherein said synchronizing unit controls said buffer units so that said information arrived earlier to said buffer unit may be synchronized with said information arrived later.

19. A communication system according to claim 15, wherein said synchronizing unit serves to read said information to be outputted from said controller in said buffer units in advance.

20. A communication system according to claim 15, wherein said synchronizing unit includes means for compressing input information when said buffer unit stores said information.

21. A communication system according to claim 20, wherein said synchronizing unit provides variable compression rates when said buffer unit compresses said information.