Scalable interactive multimedia server system for providing on demand data
First Claim
1. A hierarchical multimedia (MM) distribution system for supporting "on demand" control of graphical data files being received by viewing-control devices connected to a network, comprising:
- a host computer system for monitoring the MM distribution system,the MM distribution system comprised of a plurality of MM adapters connected to the host computer system,each MM adapter containing one or more MM controllers, each MM controller containing a controller bus connected to an MM processor,one or more MM pairs connected to the controller bus,each MM pair including a disk adapter and a network adapter, the disk adapter connected to one or more disk drives for receiving data blocks read from selected disk drives, graphical data files being stored on the disks, and data blocks in a requested data file being read directly from each selected disk to the disk adapter,a pair bus in each MM pair for directly receiving the data blocks received by the disk adapter and for directly transmitting the data blocks to the network adapter,the network adapter in each MM pair directly distributing the data blocks from the pair bus to the network, each data block being addressed to any viewing-control device requesting a data file containing the data block, andmeans in each viewing-control device for issuing interactive commands through the network to the network adapter to control characteristics of data reception of the requested data file being transmitted to each viewing-control device.
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Abstract
Connects a host computer system (such as a mainframe or host server system) to a large multimedia (MM) distribution network having wide scalability without being limited by bandwidth constraints in the host system or in any multimedia controller for controlling "on demand" viewing of movies at a large number of set-top-boxes (STBs) with TV sets. Connected to the host system is a network distribution arrangement comprised of a plurality of multimedia (MM) adapters, each MM adapter containing a plurality of MM controllers, each MM controller being connected to a multiplicity of MM pairs, each MM pair being connected to the network for controlling a direct distribution of movies to a large number of STBs. Each MM pair includes a disk adapter and a network adapter connected by a common MM pair bus for transmitting disk data blocks directly to the STBs. The disk adapter controls and receives data from one or more disk devices. The network adapter sends the disk data to the network. In each MM pair, a pair bus connects the network adapter to transmit data from the disk adapter to the network. Data files (movies) are stored on the disks, and any file can be selected by an STB for transmission to the STB. Data blocks are read directly from the disk to the pair bus and then directly through the network to the requesting STB. Any STB may issue interactive commands to control a data file while it is being received.
181 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A hierarchical multimedia (MM) distribution system for supporting "on demand" control of graphical data files being received by viewing-control devices connected to a network, comprising:
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a host computer system for monitoring the MM distribution system, the MM distribution system comprised of a plurality of MM adapters connected to the host computer system, each MM adapter containing one or more MM controllers, each MM controller containing a controller bus connected to an MM processor, one or more MM pairs connected to the controller bus, each MM pair including a disk adapter and a network adapter, the disk adapter connected to one or more disk drives for receiving data blocks read from selected disk drives, graphical data files being stored on the disks, and data blocks in a requested data file being read directly from each selected disk to the disk adapter, a pair bus in each MM pair for directly receiving the data blocks received by the disk adapter and for directly transmitting the data blocks to the network adapter, the network adapter in each MM pair directly distributing the data blocks from the pair bus to the network, each data block being addressed to any viewing-control device requesting a data file containing the data block, and means in each viewing-control device for issuing interactive commands through the network to the network adapter to control characteristics of data reception of the requested data file being transmitted to each viewing-control device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification