Multimedia direct access storage device and formatting method
First Claim
1. A direct access storage device for buffering at least a chronological portion of a multimedia program defined by non-chronologically ordered source program segments, each of the source program segments being representative of a unique portion of the chronological multimedia program portion, the direct access storage device comprising:
- at least one data storage disk having a plurality of data storing regions disposed on any of a lower disk surface and an upper disk surface, the plurality of data storing regions defining a presentation control window buffer;
a spindle motor for rotating the at least one data storage disk;
an actuator having elongated arms;
a transducer disposed on each of the elongated arms; and
a controller that coordinates writing of the non-chronologically ordered source program segments to the presentation control window buffer and coordinates reading of the non-chronologically ordered source program segments from the presentation control window buffer as chronologically ordered local program segments, the controller coordinating writing of the source program segments to the presentation control window buffer in accordance with the equations;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">SC=D×
M×
L×
S0; and
PTD=D×
M×
L×
T0;
where;
SC is defined as a nominal storage capacity used for supporting the presentation control window buffer in megabytes;
D is defined as a number of data storage disk surfaces used for supposing the presentation control window buffer,M is defined as a number of segment blocks per data storage disk surface used for supporting the presentation control window buffer,L is defined as a length of each segment block as measured by the number of source program segments;
S0 is defined as an average size of each of the source program segments in megabytes;
PTD is defined as a duration of the presentation control window buffer in seconds; and
T0 is defined as a decompressed full-motion program time in seconds corresponding to each of the source program segments.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multimedia direct access storage device and a method for transferring source program signals representative of a compressed digital multimedia program to and from the direct access storage device are disclosed. A multimedia program is transmitted from a multimedia server as a custom ordered series of discrete program segments and received by the multimedia direct access storage device, which buffers the compressed program segments for subsequent presentation on a local display monitor. The multimedia direct access storage device is preferably incorporated as a component of a local set-top control system for buffering a predetermined number of compressed program segments received from the multimedia server, some of which may be non-sequentially ordered and others of which may be sequentially ordered. A novel formatting methodology provides for the sequential presentation of the program segments asynchronously distributed on one or more data storage disks disposed in the direct access storage device. A user-definable presentation control window for performing local VCR-type presentation control functions for the portion of a multimedia program buffered in the direct access storage device is also provided through the novel formatting methodology. The novel formatting methodology also provides concurrent presentation and buffering of program segments received from the multimedia server for on-demand viewing of a selected multimedia program.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A direct access storage device for buffering at least a chronological portion of a multimedia program defined by non-chronologically ordered source program segments, each of the source program segments being representative of a unique portion of the chronological multimedia program portion, the direct access storage device comprising:
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at least one data storage disk having a plurality of data storing regions disposed on any of a lower disk surface and an upper disk surface, the plurality of data storing regions defining a presentation control window buffer; a spindle motor for rotating the at least one data storage disk; an actuator having elongated arms; a transducer disposed on each of the elongated arms; and a controller that coordinates writing of the non-chronologically ordered source program segments to the presentation control window buffer and coordinates reading of the non-chronologically ordered source program segments from the presentation control window buffer as chronologically ordered local program segments, the controller coordinating writing of the source program segments to the presentation control window buffer in accordance with the equations;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">SC=D×
M×
L×
S0; and
PTD=D×
M×
L×
T0;where; SC is defined as a nominal storage capacity used for supporting the presentation control window buffer in megabytes; D is defined as a number of data storage disk surfaces used for supposing the presentation control window buffer, M is defined as a number of segment blocks per data storage disk surface used for supporting the presentation control window buffer, L is defined as a length of each segment block as measured by the number of source program segments; S0 is defined as an average size of each of the source program segments in megabytes; PTD is defined as a duration of the presentation control window buffer in seconds; and T0 is defined as a decompressed full-motion program time in seconds corresponding to each of the source program segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22)
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13. A direct access storage device for buffering at least a portion of a multimedia program defined by source program segments, each of the source program segments being representative of a unique portion of the multimedia program portion, the direct access storage device comprising:
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at least one data storage disk having a plurality of data storing regions disposed on any of a lower disk surface and an upper disk surface; a spindle motor for rotating the at least one data storage disk; an actuator; a transducer disposed on the actuator; and a controller that coordinates writing of the source program segments to the plurality of data storing regions so as to define a presentation control window buffer, the source program segments being formatted in the presentation control window buffer in accordance with the equations;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">SC=D×
M×
L×
S0; and
PTD=D×
M×
L×
T0;where; SC is defined as a nominal storage capacity used for supporting the presentation control window buffer in megabytes; D is defined as a number of data storage disk surfaces used for supporting the presentation control window buffer; M is defined as a number of segment blocks per data storage disk surface used for supporting the presentation control window buffer; L is defined as a length of each segment block as measured by the number of source program segments; S0 is defined as an average size of each of the source program, segments in megabytes; PTD is defined as a duration of the presentation control window buffer in seconds; and T0 is defined as a decompressed full-motion program time in seconds corresponding to each of the source program segments. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24)
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25. A method of buffering at least a portion of a multimedia program defined by source program segments on a direct access storage device, each of the source program segments being representative of a unique portion of the multimedia program portion, the method comprising:
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rotating at least one data storage disk having a plurality of data storing regions disposed on any of a lower disk surface and an upper disk surface; and writing a predetermined number of the source program segments to the plurality of data storing regions so as to define a presentation control window buffer, the source program segments being formatted in the presentation control window buffer in accordance with the equations;
space="preserve" listing-type="equation">SC=D×
M×
L×
S0; and
PTD=D×
M×
L×
T0;where; SC is defined as a nominal storage capacity used for supporting the presentation control window buffer in megabytes; D is defined as a number of data storage disk surfaces used for supporting the presentation control window buffer; M is defined as a number of segment blocks per data storage disk surface used for supporting the presentation control window buffer; L is defined as a length of each segment block as measured by the number of source program segments; S0 is defined as an average size of each of the source program segments in megabytes; PTD is defined as a duration of the presentation control window buffer in seconds; and T0 is defined as a decompressed full-motion program time in seconds corresponding to each of the source program segments. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification