Automatic replication of digital video as needed for video-on-demand
First Claim
1. A computer server for allocating access to a digital video movie to clients upon demand, said server comprising:
- means for allocating access to an existing copy or existing copies of a digital video movie to clients to satisfy requests to view said movie; and
means, responsive to substantial allocation of access to said existing copy or copies of said movie or a new request to view said movie, for determining whether to make another copy of said movie based in part on the degree to which current viewer(s) have completed their viewing of said movie and a time required to make said other copy.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A server and method allocates access to a digital video movie to clients for viewing upon demand. The server receives requests to view the movie and in response, compares a number of requests to concurrently view the movie to a threshold. If the number is less than the threshold, the server allocates access for a current request to an existing copy of the movie stored on one or more disks, using bandwidth previously reserved from the one or more disks for the movie. However, if the number exceeds the threshold, the server automatically reserves additional bandwidth for future viewers if available from the one or more disks for the movie. But, if the number exceeds the threshold but such additional bandwidth is not available, the server makes another copy of the movie on another disk provided the copy can be made before the most advanced viewer completes its viewing.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer server for allocating access to a digital video movie to clients upon demand, said server comprising:
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means for allocating access to an existing copy or existing copies of a digital video movie to clients to satisfy requests to view said movie; and means, responsive to substantial allocation of access to said existing copy or copies of said movie or a new request to view said movie, for determining whether to make another copy of said movie based in part on the degree to which current viewer(s) have completed their viewing of said movie and a time required to make said other copy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer server for supplying digital video movies stored on DASD to clients upon demand, said server comprising:
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means for allocating existing copy or copies of a digital video movie to requesters to satisfy requests to view said movie; and means, responsive to a subsequent request to view said movie, for determining a level of allocation of said existing copy or copies of said movie, and if said level is greater than a threshold, determining whether to make another copy based on a degree to which an advanced viewer has completed its viewing and a time required to make said other copy. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 22)
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13. A method for allocating access to a digital video movie to clients upon demand, said method comprising the steps of:
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allocating access to an existing copy or existing copies of a digital video movie to clients to satisfy requests to view said movie; and determining whether to make another copy of said movie based in part on the degree to which current viewer(s) have completed their viewing of said movie and a time required to make said other copy. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer program product for allocating access to a digital video movie to clients upon demand, said computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable medium; first program instruction means for instructing a processor to allocate access to an existing copy or existing copies of a digital video movie to clients to satisfy requests to view said movie; second program instruction means, responsive to substantial demand for access to said existing copy or copies of said movie, for instructing a processor to determine whether to make another copy of said movie based in part on the degree to which current viewer(s) have completed their viewing of said movie and a time required to make said other copy; and wherein both of said program instruction means are recorded on said medium. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method for supplying digital video movies stored on DASD to clients upon demand, said method comprising the steps of:
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allocating existing copy or copies of a digital video movie to requesters to satisfy requests to view said movie; and in response to a subsequent request to view said movie, determining a level of allocation of said existing copy or copies of said movie, and if said level is greater than a threshold, determining whether to make another copy based on a degree to which an advanced viewer has completed its viewing and a time required to make said new copy. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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23. A computer server for allocating access to a digital video movie to clients for viewing upon demand, said server comprising:
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means, responsive to requests to view the movie, for comparing a level of demand to concurrently view the movie to a threshold; means, responsive to said level being less than said threshold, for allocating access for a current request to an existing copy of the movie stored on one or more disks; means, responsive to said level exceeding said threshold, for determining whether to make another copy of said movie based in part on the degree to which current viewer(s) have completed their viewing of said movie and a time required to make said other copy; and means for automatically making said other copy on another disk if the determining means determines to make said other copy.
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Specification