Multimedia direct access storage device and formatting method

• US 6,208,804 B1
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ottesen, Hal Hjalmar, Smith, Gordon J., VanLeeuwen, George Willard
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/035,624
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5781, H04/N.583, 386/97, 386/125, 386/126, 386/83, 386/92, 386/109, 386/111, 386/112, 386/124, 386/33-82, 386/70, 386/72, 386/105, 386/106, 368/7, 360/32
• US Class Current: 386/345
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/1217 on discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1062 Data buffering arrangements, e.g. recording or playback buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/415 Redundant array of inexpensive disks [RAID] systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/432 Content retrieval operation from a local storage medium, e.g. hard-disk details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/24 : Systems for the transmission of television signals using pulse code modulation H04N21/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/476 : Free end only engaged

Abstract

A multimedia direct access storage device and a method for transferring source program signals representative of a compressed digital multimedia program to and from the direct access storage device are disclosed.

A multimedia program is transmitted from a multimedia server as a custom ordered series of discrete program segments and received by the multimedia direct access storage device, which buffers the compressed program segments for subsequent presentation on a local display monitor. The multimedia direct access storage device is preferably incorporated as a component of a local set-top control system for buffering a predetermined number of compressed program segments received from the multimedia server, some of which may be non-sequentially ordered and others of which may be sequentially ordered. A novel formatting methodology provides for the sequential presentation of the program segments asynchronously distributed on one or more data storage disks disposed in the direct access storage device. A user-definable presentation control window for performing local VCR-type presentation control functions for the portion of a multimedia program buffered in the direct access storage device is also provided through the novel formatting methodology.

Claims

1. A direct access storage device for buffering at least a chronological portion of a multimedia program defined by non-chronologically ordered source program segments, each of the source program segments being representative of a unique portion of the chronological multimedia program portion, the direct access storage device comprising:

at least one data storage disk having a plurality of data storing regions disposed on any of a lower disk surface and an upper disk surface;

a spindle motor for rotating the at least one data storage disk;

a common actuator having elongated arms;

a transducer comprising read and write elements disposed on each of the elongated arms; and

a controller that coordinates writing of the non-chronologically ordered source program segments to the plurality of data storing regions using the write elements of the transducers, and coordinates reading of the non-chronologically ordered source program segments from the data storing regions as chronologically ordered local program segments using the read elements of the transducers.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one data storage disk includes an upper data storing region disposed on the upper disk surface and a lower data storing region disposed on the lower disk surface; and

the controller coordinates writing of the source program segments to the upper and lower data storing regions, and coordinates reading of the source program segments from the upper and lower data storing regions as the chronologically ordered local program segments.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the at least one data storage disk includes an upper data storing region disposed on the upper disk surface and a lower data storing region disposed on the lower disk surface; and

the controller coordinates writing of a predetermined number of the source program segments to the upper and lower data storing regions, and coordinates reading of the predetermined number of source program segments from the upper and lower data storing regions as the chronologically ordered local program segments.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the predetermined number of the source program segments is a number less than a number of source program segments defining the entirety of the multimedia program.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the predetermined number of the source program segments is overwritten by a subsequently written source program segment on a first-written-first-read basis.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller, in response to either one of a forward and a reverse presentation control signal, respectively coordinates forward sequential and reversed sequential reading of the source program segments from the plurality of data storing regions.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source program segments are arranged in a plurality of packets, and the controller coordinates writing of the source program segments arranged in consecutive packets of the plurality of packets alternately to the plurality of data storing regions.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one data storage disk comprises:

a first spiral data track disposed on either one of the lower and upper disk surfaces; and

a second spiral data track disposed on the other one of the lower and upper disk surfaces.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one data storage disk comprises:

a data band;

an inner spiral diameter location and an outer spiral diameter location defined for the data band;

a first spiral data track disposed on either one of the lower and upper disk surfaces;

a second spiral data track disposed on the other one of the lower and upper disk surfaces; and

the controller coordinates the progressive movement of the actuator substantially along the first spiral data track until either one of the inner and outer spiral diameter locations is reached, and coordinates the progressive movement of the actuator substantially along the second spiral data track until the other one of the inner and outer spiral diameter locations is reached.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller coordinates writing of at least one source program segment from a first transducer to the first spiral data track during a single progression of the actuator between the inner and outer spiral diameter locations, and coordinates reading of at least one previously written source program segment from the first spiral data track by the first transducer during the single progression of the actuator between the inner and outer spiral diameter locations.

11. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source program segments written to and read from the data storing regions are compressed program segments.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a predetermined number of the source program segments are written to the plurality of data storing regions and define a presentation control window buffer, the source program segments being formatted in the presentation control window buffer in accordance with the equations:

13. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the chronological portion of the multimedia program is defined by chronologically ordered source program segments and the non-chronologically ordered source program segments; and

the controller coordinates writing of the chronologically and non-chronologically ordered source program segments to the plurality of data storing regions, and coordinates reading of the chronologically and non-chronologically ordered source program segments from the data storing regions as the chronologically ordered local program segments.

14. A direct access storage device for buffering at least a sequential portion of a multimedia program defined by non-sequentially ordered source program segments each representing a unique portion of the sequential multimedia program portion, the direct access storage device comprising:

at least one data storage disk having a lower data storing region defined on a lower surface of the disk and an upper data storing region defined on an upper surface of the disk;

a spindle motor for rotating the at least one data storage disk;

a common actuator having elongated upper and lower actuator arms;

an upper transducer disposed on the upper actuator arm and a lower transducer disposed on the lower actuator arm, each of the upper and lower transducers respectively comprising a read element and a write element; and

controller means for controlling the transfer of the non-sequential source program segments from the upper and lower transducers to the upper and lower data storing regions, respectively, and for controlling the transfer of the non-sequential source program segments as sequentially ordered local program segments from the upper and lower data storing regions respectively to the upper and lower transducers.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the controller means includes means for controlling the transfer of the source program segments, asynchronously distributed on the upper and lower data storing regions, as the sequentially ordered local program segments respectively to the upper and lower transducers.

16. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the controller means includes means for controlling the transfer of a predetermined number of the source program segments , asynchronously distributed on the upper and lower data storing regions, as the sequentially ordered local program segments to the upper and lower transducers.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of the predetermined number of source program segments is overwritten by a subsequently transferred source program segment on a first-written-first-read basis.

18. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the controller means includes means, responsive to either one of a forward and a reverse presentation control signal, for respectively controlling forward sequential and reversed sequential transferring of the source program segments respectively from the upper and lower data storing regions to the upper and lower transducers.

19. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the source program segments are arranged in a plurality of packets, and the controller means includes means for controlling the transfer of the source program segments arranged in consecutive packets of the plurality of packets alternately from the upper and lower transducers to the upper and lower data storing regions, respectively.

20. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one data storage disk comprises:

a first spiral data track disposed on either one of the lower and upper disk surfaces; and

a second spiral data track disposed on the other one of the lower and upper disk surfaces.

21. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one data storage disk comprises:

a data band;

an inner spiral diameter location and an outer spiral diameter location defined for the data band;

a lower spiral data track disposed on the lower disk surface;

an upper spiral data track disposed on the upper disk surface; and

the controller means includes means for controlling the progressive movement of the upper transducer substantially along the upper spiral data track until either one of the inner and outer spiral diameter locations is reached, and for controlling the progressive movement of the lower transducer substantially along the lower spiral data track until the other one of the inner and outer spiral diameter locations is reached.

22. A system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the controller means includes means for controlling the transfer of at least one source program segment from either one of the lower and upper transducers respectively to either one of the lower and upper spiral data tracks during a single progression between the inner and outer spiral diameter locations, and for controlling the transfer of at least one previously transferred source program segment from either one of the lower and upper spiral data tracks respectively to either one of the lower and upper transducers during the single progression between the inner and outer spiral diameter locations.

23. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the sequential portion of the multimedia program includes non-sequentially and sequentially ordered source program segments; and

the controller means further includes means for controlling the transfer of the non-sequentially and sequentially ordered source program segments from the upper and lower transducers to the plurality of data storing regions, and for controlling the transfer of the non-sequentially and sequentially ordered source program segments as the sequentially ordered local program segments from the data storing regions to the upper and lower transducers.

24. A method for transferring non-chronologically ordered source program segments representing a chronological portion of a multimedia program to and from a direct access storage device, wherein each of the source program segments represents a unique portion of the chronological multimedia program portion, the method comprising:

providing a direct access storage device having a plurality of data storing regions defined on a surface of at least one data storage disk disposed in the direct access storage device, the direct access storage device further comprising at least one pair of read/write transducers arranged for simultaneous movement by a common actuator;

moving the common actuator to sweep the read/write transducers repeatedly between respective inner and outer diameter locations of the at least one data storage disk;

writing, while moving the common actuator, the non-chronologically ordered source program segments to at least two of the plurality of data storing regions; and

reading, while moving the common actuator, the non-chronologically ordered source program segments from the at least two of the plurality of data storing regions as chronologically ordered local program segments.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the source program segments include chronologically and non-chronologically ordered source program segments;

the writing step includes the further step of writing the chronologically and non-chronologically ordered source program segments to the at least two of the plurality of data storing regions; and

the reading step includes the further step of reading the chronologically and non-chronologically ordered source program segments from the at least two of the plurality of data storing regions as the chronologically ordered local program segments.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the at least two of the plurality of data storing regions are defined along spiral data tracks provided on the surface of the at least one data storage disk.

27. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the source program segments are arranged in packets; and

the writing step includes the further step of writing the source program segments of consecutive packets alternately to the at least two of the plurality of data storing regions.

28. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

the at least one data storage disk comprises;

a data band;

an inner diameter location and an outer diameter location defined within the data band;

a lower disk surface including a lower data storing region; and

an upper disk surface including an upper data storing region; and

the writing and reading steps include the further steps of;

writing at least one of the source program segments and reading at least one previously written source program segment respectively to and from the lower data storing region; and

writing at least another one of the source program segments and reading at least another previously written source program segment respectively to and from the upper data storing region.