Digital layout method suitable for near video on demand system

• US 5,721,823 A
• Filed: 09/29/1995
• Issued: 02/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Shenze, Thapar, Manu
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEESO, THOMAS R
• Application Number:
  US08/536,884
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 364/514 R, 395/404, 395/438, 395/439, 395/441, 395/821, 395/200.08, 395/200.33, 360/97.01, 360/97.03, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/17
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A method for layout of digitized media, movies, especially on discs, whereby storage capacity and bandwidth are optimized and near video on demand is accomplished. Several embodiments are taught, including request stimulated near video on demand model which employs the inventive layout strategy taught.

Claims

1. A method for providing digitized performance exhibitions at predetermined intervals, comprising:

defining the concurrent streams required per performance request as a function of performance duration and interval frequency;

selecting at least one digital storage device such that said device capacity accommodates a known portion of at least one digitized performance;

laying out data on said digital storage device in a manner such that the data on the device is read sequentially, beginning with the first stream of the performance, wherein the step of laying out includes the steps of identifying segments of the digitized performance, and pairing or otherwise geographically coupling segments on predetermined physical locations on a digital storage medium, wherein two groups of segments are paired on the digital storage device;

reading data from the device such that each broadcast service round includes a reading of a first group of the paired segments and then a second group of the paired segments; and

transmitting the digitized performance in a manner such that the transmission received is a digital version of the original digitized performance.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a digital storage device further includes the selection of a disk type storage device and wherein the step of laying out data on said disk type storage device is accomplished such that a single disk seek per sweep is required.

3. A method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of broadcasting said digitized performance, said step accomplished in a manner such that a plurality of buffers for each broadcast data stream is used, said buffers in combination sufficient, in relation to the available bandwidth, to ensure continuous data feed broadcast.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the broadcast step further comprises utilization of at least a pair of buffers for each data stream said buffer pair capable of providing for continuous transmission of digitized performance.

5. A digital data layout method as in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a plurality of digitized performances;

laying out on said digital storage device according to a predetermined order sequential segments of each digitized performance to create an interleaving of digital sequences, which, when read, generate discrete data streams with each stream consisting of a single digital performance.

6. A digital data layout method, comprising:

defining the data transfer unit per data transmission;

selecting at least one data storage device such that said device capacity and bandwidth bears a known relationship to the total data transmission;

laying out data on said data storage device in a predetermined manner, said manner enabling data to be read sequentially from the data storage device commencing with the first transfer unit of said data transmission, wherein the step of laying out includes the step of pairing or otherwise geographically coupling data transfer units on predetermined physical locations on a digital storage medium, wherein two groups of data transfer units are paired on the digital storage device such that each broadcast service round includes a reading of a first group of the paired data transfer units and then a second group of the paired data transfer units.

7. A digital data layout method as in claim 6 further comprising the step of selecting a plurality of data storage devices to accommodate, as an aggregate, the capacity and bandwidth requirements of the data transmission and the step of laying out said units on said plurality of data storage devices so as to read sequentially as between each of said plurality of storage device.

8. A digital data layout method as in claim 7 further comprising the step of selecting the digital storage device having a capacity that accommodates the entire data unit to be laid out and exceeds the data file size by the least feasible amount, thereby optimizing disk storage space usage.

9. A digital layout method whereby multiple digitized media performances may be placed on a single data storage device, comprising the steps of:

determining the broadcast interval of each of a plurality of digitized performances;

selecting at least one data storage device such that the device capacity and bandwidth exceeds the sum of the performance digital data requirements by a known multiple;

dividing each performance into digital data segments;

laying out the segments of each performance so that the device is read sequentially and a plurality of performance streams result in the simultaneous broadcast of said plurality of performances, thereby optimizing disk bandwidth usage, wherein the step of laying out includes the step of pairing or otherwise geographically coupling the digital data segments on predetermined physical locations on a digital storage medium, wherein two groups of digital data segments are paired on the digital storage device such that each broadcast service round includes a reading of a first group of the paired digital data segments and then a second group of the paired digital data segments.

10. A digital data layout method comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of digitized performances;

identifying segments of said plurality of digitized performances;

pairing or otherwise geographically coupling segments on predetermined physical locations on the digital storage medium wherein two groups of segments are paired on a digital storage device such that each broadcast service round includes a reading of a first group of the paired segments and then the second group of the paired segments.

11. A digital data layout method as in claim 10 wherein the step of selecting a digital storage device further includes the step of selecting a plurality of digital media storage devices are selected and whereupon at least one digitized work is laid out in such a manner that the disk sweep time is equal to the broadcast repeat interval.

12. A digital data layout method enabling the broadcast of two distinct digitized performances at the same interval comprising:

placing a first performance in the outer zones of a first and second disk;

placing a second performance in the inner zones of said first and second disk;

coordinating the sweep of the first and second disk arms on said first and second disks such that the offset of sweep time commencement is the broadcast interval (t) divided by two.