System for sending list of media data objects to server which may be read by client and receiving from the server indicator of allocated resource
First Claim
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1. A distributed multimedia network system, comprising:
- a server computer having a nonvolatile storage medium on which media data is stored in a plurality of media data files; and
a client computer, connected to the server computer by a computer network, and having means for sending the server computer a list of media data objects which may be requested by the client computer, wherein each media data object includes an indicator of one of the plurality of media data files and a range of data within the media data file, and means for sending a request for media data of one of the media data objects to the server computer;
wherein the server computer includes;
means for allocating a buffer in a memory in the server computer for the media data objects in the list, wherein the memory has a faster access time than that nonvolatile storage medium;
means for retrieving media data of the media data objects in the list from the plurality of media data files stored on the nonvolatile storage medium and for caching the retrieved media data in the allocated buffer; and
means, operative in response to the request from the client computer for media data of one of the media objects, for transmitting the media data of the media object to the client computer from the allocated buffer in the memory of the server computer.
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Abstract
The problems of latency, flow control and data loss, and data movement within a client system memory are solved in a distributed multimedia system so as to enable real-time transmission of broadcast quality media data over the network. Latency is reduced by an estimation by the server of client needs. Data loss is prevented and flow control is provided by permitting the server to send only as much information as the network interface can reliably receive. Data movement is minimized by copying data directly from the network interface to memory in a display processor or audio processor.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A distributed multimedia network system, comprising:
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a server computer having a nonvolatile storage medium on which media data is stored in a plurality of media data files; and a client computer, connected to the server computer by a computer network, and having means for sending the server computer a list of media data objects which may be requested by the client computer, wherein each media data object includes an indicator of one of the plurality of media data files and a range of data within the media data file, and means for sending a request for media data of one of the media data objects to the server computer; wherein the server computer includes; means for allocating a buffer in a memory in the server computer for the media data objects in the list, wherein the memory has a faster access time than that nonvolatile storage medium; means for retrieving media data of the media data objects in the list from the plurality of media data files stored on the nonvolatile storage medium and for caching the retrieved media data in the allocated buffer; and means, operative in response to the request from the client computer for media data of one of the media objects, for transmitting the media data of the media object to the client computer from the allocated buffer in the memory of the server computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A server computer, for use in a distributed multimedia network system including a client computer connected to the server computer by a computer network, comprising:
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a nonvolatile storage medium on which media data is stored in a plurality of media data files; a memory having a faster access time than that nonvolatile storage medium; means for receiving, from the client computer, a list of media data objects which may be requested by the client computer, wherein each media data object includes an indicator of one of the plurality of media data files and a range of data within the media data file; means for allocating a buffer in the memory for the media data objects in the list; means for retrieving media data of the media data objects in the list from the plurality of media data files stored on the nonvolatile storage medium and caching the retrieved media data in the allocated buffer; means for receiving, from the client computer, a request for media data of one of the media data objects; and means, operative in response to the request for media data of one of the media objects, for transmitting the media data of the media object to the client computer from the allocated buffer in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A client computer for use in a distributed multimedia network system including a server computer having a nonvolatile storage medium on which media data is stored in a plurality of media data files, wherein the server computer is connected to the client computer by a computer network, comprising:
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means for sending the server computer a list of media data objects which may be read by the client computer, wherein each media data object includes an indicator of one of the plurality of media data files and a range of data within the media data file; means for receiving from the server computer an indicator of a resource allocated at the server computer for storing the media data of the media objects; and means for sending a request for media data of one of the media data objects to the server computer, including the indicator of the allocated resource for storing the media data. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A process for communicating media data in a distributed multimedia network system, including a server computer having a nonvolatile storage medium on which media data is stored in a plurality of media data files and a client computer connected to the server computer by a computer network, the process comprising the steps of:
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the client computer sending the server computer a list of media data objects which may be requested by the client computer, wherein each media data object includes an indicator of one of the plurality of media data files and a range of data within the media data file; the server computer allocating a buffer in a memory in the server computer for the media data objects in the list, wherein the memory has a faster access time than that nonvolatile storage medium; the server computer retrieving media data of the media data objects in the list from the plurality of media data files stored on the nonvolatile storage medium and caching the retrieved media data in the allocated buffer; the client computer sending a request for media data of one of the media data objects to the server computer; and the server computer operating in response to the request from the client computer for media data of one of the media objects to transmit the media data of the media object to the client computer from the allocated buffer in the memory of the server computer. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A process for communicating media data in a distributed multimedia network system, including a server computer having a nonvolatile storage medium on which media data is stored in a plurality of media data files and a client computer connected to the server computer by a computer network, the process comprising the steps, performed by the server computer, of:
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receiving, from the client computer, a list of media data objects which may be requested by the client computer, wherein each media data object includes an indicator of one of the plurality of media data files and a range of data within the media data file; allocating a buffer in a memory in the server computer for the media data objects in the list, wherein the memory has a faster access time than that nonvolatile storage medium; retrieving media data of the media data objects in the list from the plurality of media data files stored on the nonvolatile storage medium and caching the retrieved media data in the allocated buffer; receiving, from the client computer, a request for media data of one of the media data objects; and in response to the request from the client computer for media data of one of the media objects, transmitting the media data of the media object to the client computer from the allocated buffer in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A process for reading data from a server computer in a distributed multimedia network system having a nonvolatile storage medium on which media data is stored in a plurality of media data files, wherein the server computer is connected to a client computer by a computer network, comprising the steps, performed by the client computer, of:
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sending the server computer a list of media data objects which may be read by the client computer, wherein each media data object includes an indicator of one of the plurality of media data files and a range of data within the media data file; receiving from the server computer an indicator of a resource allocated at the server computer for storing the media data of the media objects; and sending a request for media data of one of the media data objects to the server computer, including the indicator of the allocated resource for storing the media data. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification