Video information server system including server center cooperating with request terminals performing video on demand

• US 5,675,738 A
• Filed: 12/06/1995
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Niimi, Hiroshi, Suzuki, Youko, Tanaka, Kenji, Hatta, Hiroyuki, Ozawa, Masayuki, Udagawa, Mamoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Application Number:
  US08/568,178
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14, 348/16, 348/17, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A video information server system which makes it possible for a party to remotely control any of a plurality of video information server apparatuses holding a plurality of types of video information different in type from each other through a communication network and thereby easily obtained desired video information, the system being provided with a video information server center including a plurality of video information server apparatuses and a center control equipment for selecting one of these apparatuses in accordance with a request from a request terminal and sending the video information of the request and the central control equipment being provided with a common management file for recording various data for converting requests from terminals compatible with all of the plurality of video information server apparatuses into requests corresponding to the individual apparatuses.

Claims

1. A video information server system comprising

a plurality of request terminals which request desired video information from a plurality of types of video information and receive that video information through a communication network, and

a video information server center provided with a plurality of video information server apparatuses of different types, which hold the plurality of types of video information and can be controlled by control signals from the outside, and center control apparatus which controls the video information server apparatuses through a switching control mechanism, selects one of the plurality of video information server apparatuses in accordance with a request from a request terminal received through the communication network, and sends from the selected video information server apparatus video information through the communication network to the request terminal, wherein

the requests from the request terminals are generic requests compatible with all of the plurality of different types of video information server apparatuses, a common management file in the center control apparatus includes a command file for storing data for converting the generic requests from the request terminals into commands tailored to the individual video information server apparatuses, and the control apparatus selects and controls the video information server apparatus for a specific request out of the plurality of video information server apparatuses through the switching control mechanism, and sends the video information for the request to the request terminal through the switching control mechanism and the communication network.

2. A video information server center provided with a plurality of different video information server apparatuses which hold a plurality of types of video information and can be controlled by control signals from the outside and a center control apparatus which controls the video information server apparatuses through a switching control mechanism, selects one of the plurality of video information server apparatuses in accordance with a request from a request terminal to receive video information, and sends from the selected video information server apparatus the requested video information to the request terminal, wherein

the requests from the request terminals are generic requests compatible with all of the plurality of different types of video information server apparatuses, a common management file

includes a command file for storing data for converting the generic requests from the request terminals into commands tailored to the individual video information server apparatuses, and the video information server apparatus for a specific request out of the plurality of video information server apparatuses is selected and controlled through the switching control mechanism, and the video information for the request is sent to the request terminal through the switching control mechanism.

3. A video information server center as set forth in claim 2, wherein the content of the common management file can be rewritten in accordance with an increase, change, or elimination of video information server apparatus.

4. A video information server center as set forth in claim 2, wherein the common management file includes a tape management file for storing management data for monitoring the feed of the video tape for video information server apparatuses handling video tape.

5. A video information server center as set forth in claim 2, wherein the common management file includes an apparatus connection file for storing the connection data for connecting through the switching control mechanism the video information server apparatus holding the video information relating to the request from the request terminal and the center control apparatus.

6. A video information server center as set forth in claim 2, wherein the common management file includes a menu file for storing data relating to the video information held by the individual video information server apparatuses.

7. A video information server center as set forth in claim 4, wherein a manager for referring to the content of the common management file is provided, which manager includes a calculation means for referring to the tape management file and calculating at least one of the current position of the feed of the video tape, the "playback ratio", showing what ratio of one unit of video data has been played back, and the search time, showing when the video information requested from the request terminal can be started to be provided.

8. A video information server center as set forth in claim 2, wherein the center control apparatus is comprised of

a terminal accommodation unit for connecting with a plurality of request terminals through the communication network,

a manager for referring to the content of the common management file based on requests from individual request terminals obtained through the terminal accommodation unit, and

a communication unit for setting in the switching control mechanism the connection path for sending out to the communication network the video information from the video information server apparatus relating to the request based on the result of the reference of content by the manager.

9. A video information server center as set forth in claim 8, wherein the switching control mechanism includes a video switch for setting up a connection path with the requested video information server apparatus designated through the communication unit.

10. A video information server center as set forth in claim 9, wherein a network converter connected with the communication unit through a local area network (LAN) and provided with a plurality of serial ports is included in the switching control mechanism and the individual video information server apparatuses and the video switch are connected through the respectively corresponding serial ports.

11. A request terminal comprised of a data communication unit for connection through a communication network to a video information server center provided with a plurality of different types of video information server apparatuses and a common management file enabling control of these plurality of video information server apparatuses in a compatible manner and

a video display unit for showing the video information supplied through the communication network and the data communication unit.

12. A request terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein a time display window for providing information on a search time until a start of provision of a desired video information on the video display unit, calculated by the video information server center and sent through the communication network, is formed on the screen of the video display unit in the request terminal.