Symmetrically switched multimedia system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for delivering multimedia items to customers via a communications network, comprising:
- a plurality of nodes, each node including a switch connected to a server, each server including means for connecting to the communications network and means for storing a different portion of a selected multimedia item, and the switch including a first direct memory access engine connected to an input port of the switch, the first direct memory access engine for acquiring the different portions from an adjacent node via the data and control network, and an output buffer connected to an output port, the output buffer for storing the different portions acquired by the first direct memory access engine; and
a data and control network symmetrically connecting the plurality of nodes to each other.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multimedia system for delivering multimedia content items to customer premises equipment via a circuit of a communications network includes a plurality of substantially identical nodes connected in a symmetric mesh. Each node includes a switch and a server. The server includes disk storage for the multimedia content, a switch interface for connecting the server to the switch, and a network adapter for connecting the server to the communications network. Source nodes fetch data from disk, routing nodes transport data among nodes, and destination nodes transport the data to the communications network. The switch is a store-and-forward switch including direct memory access engine for pulling data into the switch, and a buffer for storing data to be forwarded to another switch. Portions of each content item are distributed substantially equally over the available storage media to improve load balancing and data redundancy.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for delivering multimedia items to customers via a communications network, comprising:
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a plurality of nodes, each node including a switch connected to a server, each server including means for connecting to the communications network and means for storing a different portion of a selected multimedia item, and the switch including a first direct memory access engine connected to an input port of the switch, the first direct memory access engine for acquiring the different portions from an adjacent node via the data and control network, and an output buffer connected to an output port, the output buffer for storing the different portions acquired by the first direct memory access engine; and a data and control network symmetrically connecting the plurality of nodes to each other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for delivering multimedia items to customers via a communications network, comprising the steps of:
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distributing portions of each multimedia item over a plurality of nodes, each node including a switch connected to a server, each server including means for connecting to the communications network and means for storing a different portion of a selected multimedia item, and the switch including a first direct memory access engine connected to an input port of the switch, the first direct memory access engine for acquiring the different portions from an adjacent node via the data and control network, and an output buffer connected to an output port, the output buffer for storing the different portions acquired by the first direct memory access engine; fetching, in response to a customer demand, a portion of a selected multimedia item from the storage means of a source one of the plurality of nodes; routing the portion to a destination one of the plurality of nodes using a data and control network symmetrically connecting the plurality of nodes; presenting the portion to the communications network connected to the destination node.
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Specification