Video storage and retrieval system

• US 6,181,867 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterVU, Inc. (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterVU, Inc. (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kenner, Brian, Gruber, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUY THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/486,517
• Time in Patent Office: 2,064 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/112, 386/111, 386/125, 386/124, 348/12, 348/13, 348/5, 348/7, 707/10, 707/104, 395/200.47
• US Class Current: 386/326
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/70 of video data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A video clip storage and retrieval system whereby video clips, stored locally and/or at a more remote location, can be requested and retrieved by a user at the user'"'"'s multimedia terminal. When the user requests a desired video clip, the request is processed by a primary index manager (“PIM”) via a Local Search and Retrieval Unit (“SRU”). Before the message is communicated to the PIM, the local SRU checks its own storage to see whether the requested video clips are available locally. If some of the video clips are local, the local SRU still forwards the request to the PIM so that the PIM may determine specific video clip usage. The PIM determines the extended SRU where the audio-visual data is stored and passes this information to a Data Sequencing Interface (“DSI”). The DSI collects the video clips and downloads the clips to the user'"'"'s terminal. The user may then view, copy, or print the video clip as desired.

Claims

1. A method for storing and retrieving a video presentation from a distributed network, comprising the steps of:

distributing a plurality of storage and retrieval units capable of communication with a decentralized network, wherein each storable and retrieval unit comprises a collection of video presentations;

associating at least one index manager with one or more storage and retrieval units, wherein each index manager communicates with at least one other index manager and each index manager maintains a database of video presentations stored on at least a portion of the storage and retrieval units;

formulatingy a request for a video presentation at a multimedia terminal;

specifying at least one storage and retrieval unit as a local storage and retrieval unit associated with the multimedia terminal;

transmitting the request from the multimedia terminal to a local storage and retrieval unit;

searching the local storage and retrieval unit to determine whether any of the request can be satisfied from the collection of video presentations stored by the local storage and retrieval unit;

if any of the request can be satisfied, transmitting at least one presentation satisfying the request from a local storage and retrieval unit for delivery to the multimedia terminal;

if any of the request is not satisfied, identifying at least one index manager as a primary index manager for a local storage and retrieval unit associated with the multimedia terminal;

forwarding all or part of the request to a primary index manager;

searching a database on the primary index manager to determine at least one storage location for each video presentation satisfying all or part of the request from among a first set of storage and retrieval units;

if any of the forwarded request can be satisfied, transmitting at least one presentation satisfying the request, from at least one of the storage and retrieval units in the first set of storage and retrieval units, for delivery to the multimedia terminal;

if any of the request is not satisfied, identifying at least one index manager as a secondary index manager;

forwarding all or part of the request to at least one secondary index manager,

searching a database on the secondary index manager to determine a storage location for each video presentation satisfying the forwarded request from among a second set of storage and retrieval units; and

if any of the forwarded request can be satisfied, transmitting at least one presentation satisfying the request, from at least one storage and retrieval unit in the second set of storage and retrieval units, for delivery to the multimedia terminal.

2. A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising the step of invoking a data sequencing interface to handle the delivery of at least one video presentation from a storage and retrieval unit to a multimedia terminal.

3. A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising the step of storing one or more video presentations on one or more local storage and retrieval units in a compressed format.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one video presentation delivered to a multimedia terminal is at least one of downloaded, stored and displayed by the multimedia terminal.

5. A method according to claim 4, additionally comprising the steps of storing one or more video presentations on one or more local storage and retrieval units in a compressed format, and decompressing the presentation for display at a multimedia terminal.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein each data sequencing interface is in communication with at least one index manager.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein each index manager maintains a database of video presentation usage.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein maintaining a database of video presentation usage includes the step of logging requests.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein maintaining a database of video presentation usage includes the step of logging video presentation deliveries.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein maintaining a database of video presentation usage further includes the step of logging video presentation deliveries.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of logging a request includes associating a regional identifier with the request.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the step of logging a delivery includes associating a regional identifier with the delivery.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein logging a request includes recording at least one of the date, the time, all or part of the request, an identification of the multimedia terminal making the request, an identification of at least one storage and retrieval unit contacted in connection with the request, an identification of at least one index manager contacted in connection with the request, an indication of whether any of the request is or can be satisfied, and a regional identifier associated with the request.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein logging a delivery includes recording at least one of the date, the time, all or part of a request associated with the delivery, an identification of the multimedia terminal receiving the delivery, an identification of at least one storage and retrieval unit contacted to provide a delivery, an identification of at least one index manager contacted in connection with a corresponding request or delivery, an indication whether a delivery has been successful, an indication whether a delivery satisfies all or part of a request, and a regional identifier associated with one or more of any source or destination for a request or delivery.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein at least one logging function is mediated by a data sequencing interface.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein at least one logging function is mediated by a data sequencing interface.

17. A method according to claim 7, comprising the additional steps of:

evaluating video usage based on information from one or more databases maintained by one or more index managers;

as a function at least in part of evaluated video usage, performing at least one of

adding one or more video presentations to a collection of video presentations stored by at least one storage and retrieval unit, and

removing one or more video presentations from a collection of video presentations stored on at least one storage and retrieval unit; and

updating at least one database of at least one index manager to record at least one video presentation that is added or removed.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the evaluation of video usage includes consideration of at least one of the logging of requests, the logging of deliveries, the video presentation content of one or more storage and retrieval units, the date, the time, the storage capacity of one or more storage and retrieval units, and the communications load on the network.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein each index manager adds to and removes from the collection of video presentations stored by storage and retrieval units with which it is associated.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein each index manager communicates with at least one other index manager to perform at least one of

updating the other index manager, and

obtaining a video presentation for storage by a storage and retrieval unit associated with the index manager from a storage and retrieval unit associated with the other index manager.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein each database is updated at least one of periodically or in real time.