Video data storage

• US 6,118,931 A
• Filed: 04/11/1997
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Discreet Logic, Inc. (Autodesk, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bopardikar, Raju C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US08/835,960
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 386/4, 386/21, 386/45-46, 386/52, 386/64, 386/125-126, 386/113, 386/116, 360/13, 360/15-17, 395/182.05, 369/83-85
• US Class Current: 386/344
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/006 Identification G06F11/2289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/926 by pulse code modulation H04N5/919 takes precedence

Abstract

Video storage is shown in which stripes of video data, derived from video frames or video fields, are written to respective magnetic storage disks. Each disk is provided with a unique serial number during manufacture and the position of a stripe within an image frame is mapped to these unique serial numbers. In this way, it is possible for the physical locations of the disks within the array to be changed while maintaining correct alignment of the stripes making up each image frame.

Claims

1. Video data storage apparatus, comprising storage means, transfer means and processing means, wherein

said storage means comprises a plurality of storage devices, each of said storage devices having a unique identifier applied thereto during manufacture and being positioned at an addressable physical location within an array,

said transfer means is arranged to transfer video data stripes at a rate at least substantially equal to video display rate, and

said processing means is configured to identify the unique identifiers applied to said storage devices and to retain a mapping of video data stripes to said storage devices such that video data stripes are assembled with reference to the unique identifiers and not with reference to the addressable physical locations.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing means maps video data stripes to locations within the array and maps locations within the array to each storage device.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said storage devices are magnetic disks.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said disks are manually removable from the array.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transfer means is arranged to transfer image frames at a multiple of the video display rate.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for generating the video data stripes by scanning cinematographic film.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for generating the video data stripes from frames of high definition video.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for generating the video data stripes from fields of broadcast video.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for generating the data stripes from compressed video.

10. A method of storing video data signals, comprising steps of

applying a unique identifier to each of a plurality of storage devices during manufacture,

positioning each of said storage devices at an addressable physical location within an array,

transferring video stripes to respective storage devices at a rate at least substantially equal to video display rate, and

processing data to identify the unique identifiers applied to said storage devices and to retain a mapping of video data stripes to said storage devices such that video data stripes are assembled with reference to the unique identifiers and not with reference to the addressable physical locations.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein video data stripes are mapped to locations within the array and locations within the array are mapped to each storage device.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said storage devices are magnetic disks.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said disks are manually removable from the array.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein frames are transferred at a multiple of the video display rate.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein the video data stripes are generated by scanning cinematographic film.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein the video data stripes are generated from high definition video.

17. A method according to claim 10, wherein the video data stripes are generated from fields of broadcast video.

18. A method according to claim 10, wherein the video data stripes are generated from compressed video.

19. A data storage system comprising:

storage devices each having a unique identifier and positioned at respective addressable physical locations within an array, wherein the unique identifiers are independent of the addressable physical locations of said storage devices in the array;

a memory for storing first data relating respective data stripes of a data signal to the unique identifiers of said storage devices; and

an access control circuit for accessing said storage devices using the first data stored in said memory such that the data stripes are assembled in the same order even if the physical locations of said storage devices are re-arranged.

20. A data storage system according to claim 19, wherein said memory stores second data relating the unique identifiers of said storage devices to the physical location of said storage devices within the array.

21. A data storage system according to claim 20, wherein the second data stored in said memory is updated when the location of any of said storage devices within the array is changed.

22. A data storage system according to claim 20, wherein said storage devices are targets on SCSI channels and the second data comprises channel and target data.

23. A data storage system according to claim 20, wherein the first and second data stored in said memory are updated when a spare storage device replaces a defective storage device.

24. A data storage system according to claim 19, wherein the data signal comprises a video data signal.

25. A data storage system according to claim 24, wherein the video data signal is a high definition video data signal.

26. A data storage system according to claim 24, wherein frames of the video data signal are divided into stripes and each storage device stores a respective corresponding one of the stripes.

27. A data storage system according to claim 19, wherein the unique identifier for each storage device is derived from a manufacturer'"'"'s code and an identity number.

28. A data storage system according to claim 19, wherein said storage devices are magnetic disks.

29. A method of storing data using storage devices each having a unique identifier, the method comprising:

arranging said storage devices at respective addressable physical locations within an array, wherein the unique identifiers of said storage devices are independent of the addressable physical locations of said storage devices in said array;

storing in a memory first data relating respective data stripes of a data signal to the unique identifiers of said storage devices; and

accessing said storage devices using the first data stored in said memory such that the data stripes are assembled in the same order even if the physical locations of said storage devices in the array are re-arranged.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein

the method comprises the further step of storing second data relating the unique identifiers of said storage devices to the physical location of said storage devices within the array, and

said storage devices are accessed using the first and second data stored in said memory.

31. A method according to claim 30, comprising the further step of:

updating the first and second data stored in said memory when a spare storage device replaces a defective storage device.

32. A method according to claim 30, comprising the further step of:

updating the second data stored in said memory when the location of any of said storage devices within the array is changed.

33. A method according to claim 29, wherein said storage devices are magnetic disks.

34. A method according to claim 29, wherein the identifier for each storage device is derived from a manufacturer'"'"'s code and an identity number.

35. A method according to claim 29, wherein the data signal comprises a video data signal.