Video on demand system with multiple data sources configured to provide VCR-like services

• US 5,815,146 A
• Filed: 09/16/1996
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Youden, John J., Kovalick, Albert W., Siccardo, Paolo L., Adams, Christopher R., Jensen, James E., Coggins, David John, Thapar, Manu, Santos, Kari
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/715,272
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/327, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/17, 348/6, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1
• US Class Current: 715/720
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/16 Multiplexed systems, i.e. using two or more similar devices which are alternately accessed for enqueue and dequeue operations, e.g. ping-pong buffers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2312 Data placement on disk arrays data placement in general G06F3/0604
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2318 using striping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A video server for providing Video-On-Demand is disclosed. A plurality of data sources are coupled individually to a first and second bi-directional data/instruction switch. The first switch is additionally coupled to a data storage system and the second switch is coupled to a network interface. A real time controller is coupled to the data sources and the switches and can couple any part of the data storage system to any selected data source and any given network channel to any selected data source. A control system coupled to the real time controller and the second switch provides support services to the real time controller and acts as a gateway to third party services and products. The data storage system is largely comprised of disk drive arrays. Video data is striped across the individual arrays, each video data program that a user requests being striped across one array. Each array provides video data to many users through the data sources. The video server is tolerant of individual failures in the data storage system and among the data sources, as operating portions of the data storage system and spare data sources can be rapidly switched to substitute for failed units. The server can also be readily expanded and provides a user experience similar to that of a video cassette recorder.

Claims

1. A system for providing at least video data to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a data storage system for storing at least video data;

a plurality of data sources coupled to the data storage system, each data source receiving several independent streams of video data from the data storage system and directing the independent streams to a plurality of users under the direction of a first controller;

a first switch coupled to each of the data sources and to a plurality of communications channels, the first switch directing the packaged video data from a data source to a communications channel;

the first controller coupled to the first switch, the data sources, and the data storage system, the first controller controlling the connection of the data storage system to the data sources, the data sources to the first switch, and the first switch to the communications channel, the first controller making the connections at least partially in response to user requests received from users over the communications channel; and

a second controller coupled to the first controller, the second controller controlling system access by users.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a second switch is coupled to the data storage system, the data sources, and to the first controller, the second switch receiving the independent video data streams from the data storage system and transmitting those different streams to a plurality of data sources under the control of the first controller.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the data storage system further comprises:

an archival tape storage system, for storing at least a plurality of video data programs;

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the archival tape storage system, the disk drives receiving and storing the video data programs from the archival tape storage system and providing faster access to the video data programs than the archival tape storage system; and

a plurality of disk interfaces coupled to the data sources and the disk drives for providing the data sources with access to the video data programs stored on the disk drives.

4. A system for providing at least video data to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

data storage system for storing at least video data;

a first switch coupled to the data storage system, the switch receiving multiple independent streams of video data from the data storage system;

a plurality of data sources coupled to the first switch and a plurality of communications channels, each data source receiving several independent streams of video data from the first switch and directing the independent streams to a plurality of users through the plurality of communications channels under the direction of a first controller;

the first controller coupled to the switch, the data sources, and the data storage system, the first controller controlling the connection of the data storage system to the switch, the switch to the data sources, and the data sources to the communications channels, the first controller making the connections at least partially in response to user requests received from users over the communications channels; and

a second controller coupled to the first controller, the second controller controlling system access by users.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the data storage system further comprises:

an archival tape storage system, for storing at least a plurality of video data programs;

a plurality of disk drives coupled to the archival tape storage system, the disk drives receiving and storing the video data programs from the archival tape storage system and providing faster access to the video data programs than the archival tape storage system; and

a plurality of disk interfaces coupled to the data sources and the disk drives for providing the data sources with access to the video data programs stored on the disk drives.