System and method for distributing and managing digital video information in a video distribution network

• US 5,963,202 A
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Instant Water Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Polish, Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Chris
• Application Number:
  US08/837,202
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/10, 348/11, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 715/723
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

The video distribution network system includes client configuration data, a client video buffer for storing video information, a client video driver coupled to the client video buffer for presenting a portion of the video information on a display device, a current status manager for determining current client status information indicative of the portion of video information presented, a computations engine coupled to the client video buffer and to the current status manager for forwarding a burst of video information to the client video buffer based on the client configuration data and on the client status information, and a video buffer controller coupled to the client video buffer for controlling storage of the burst in the client video buffer.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for managing digital video in a video distribution network, comprising the steps of:

receiving an input control signal for selecting from a video buffer a first portion of video information for output;

selecting for output, responsive to the input control signal, the first portion of the video information from the video buffer;

requesting a burst of video information from a video server, the requesting step including the step of forwarding client status information to the video server; and

replacing a second portion of the video information in the video buffer with the burst of video information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input control signal is a playback request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input control signal is a rewind request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input control signal is a fast-forward request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input control signal is a pause request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input control signal is a stop request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the client status information indicates the amount of future video information and the amount of previous video information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after requesting the burst, the step of receiving from the video server the burst of video information responsive to the client status information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of selecting the second portion based on the client status information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of selecting includes selecting the most expendable locations in the video buffer as the second portion.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the video buffer is sized to store only a predetermined amount of video information.

11. A computer-based method, comprising the steps of:

storing video information in a video buffer;

receiving an input control signal;

presenting a first portion of the video information on a display device responsive to the input control signal;

forwarding current status information, indicative of the first portion presented, to a video server system;

receiving a burst of video information, responsive to the current status information, from the video server; and

replacing in the video buffer a second portion of video information, based on the current status information, with the burst of video information.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the input control signal is a playback request.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the input control signal is a rewind request.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the input control signal is a fast-forward request.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the input control signal is a pause request.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the input control signal is a stop request.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the current status information indicates the amount of future video information and the amount of previous video information.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising, after receiving the burst, the step of selecting the most expendable locations in the video buffer as the second portion.

20. A system, comprising:

a video buffer for storing video information;

a video driver coupled to the video buffer for presenting a first portion of the video information on a display device;

an input interface coupled to the video driver for receiving an input control signal which controls the video driver;

a current status manager for forwarding current client status information, indicative of the first portion presented, to a video server system;

a communications engine coupled to the video buffer for receiving a burst of video information from the video server system; and

a video buffer controller coupled to the video buffer for controlling storage of the burst in the video buffer based on the current client status information.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the video buffer is sized to store only a predetermined amount of video information.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the input control signal is a playback request.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the input control signal is a rewind request.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the input control signal is a fast-forward request.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the input control signal is a pause request.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the input control signal is a stop request.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the current status information indicates the amount of future video information and the amount of previous video information.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the current status information further indicates the input control signal.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the video buffer controller stores the burst in the most expendable locations in the video buffer.

30. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

storing video information in a video buffer;

receiving an input control signal;

presenting a first portion of the video information on a display device responsive to the input control signal;

forwarding current status information, indicative of the first portion presented, to a video server system;

receiving a burst of video information, responsive to the current status information, from the video server; and

replacing in the video buffer a second portion of video information, based on the current status information, with the burst of video information.

31. A system, comprising:

means for storing video information;

means for receiving an input control signal;

means for presenting a first portion of the video information on a display device responsive to the input control signal;

means for forwarding current status information, indicative of the first portion presented, to a video server system;

means for receiving a burst of video information, responsive to the current status information, from the video server; and

means for replacing in the video buffer a second portion of video information, based on the current status information, with the burst of video information.

32. A computer-based method, comprising the steps of:

storing video information in client video buffer;

controlling presentation of a first portion of the video information on a display device;

forwarding to a computations engine client status information based on the presentation of the first portion of the video information;

forwarding to the client video buffer a burst of video information based on client configuration data and on the client status information; and

storing the burst of video information at locations in the client video buffer based on the client status information.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the client video buffer is sized to store only a predetermined amount of video information, and the client configuration data includes a value representing the predetermined amount.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the client status information indicates the amount of future video information and the amount of previous video information.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein storing the burst includes the step of storing the burst at the most expendable locations in the video buffer.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising, before controlling presentation of the first portion, the step of receiving an input control signal and wherein the step of controlling presentation is responsive to the input control signal.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the input control signal is a playback request.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the input control signal is a rewind request.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the input control signal is a fast-forward request.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the input control signal is a pause request.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the input control signal is a stop request.

42. A network system, comprising:

client configuration data;

a client video buffer for storing video information;

a client video driver coupled to the client video buffer for presenting a portion of the video information on a display device;

a current status manager for determining current client status information indicative of the portion of video information presented;

a computations engine coupled to the client video buffer and to the current status manager for forwarding a burst of video information to the client video buffer based on the client configuration data and on the client status information; and

a video buffer controller coupled to the client video buffer for controlling storage of the burst in the client video buffer.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the client configuration data includes a value indicating the size of the client video buffer.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the client status information indicates the amount of future video information and the amount of previous video information.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the step of storing includes storing the burst of video information at the locations in the client video buffer having the most expendable data.

46. The system of claim 42, further comprising an input interface for receiving from a user an input control signal which controls the presentation of the first portion.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the current client status information includes the input control signal.