Apparatus and method for efficient transfer of multimedia data for playback

• US 6,766,357 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Fandozzi, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US09/293,502
• Time in Patent Office: 1,923 Days
• Field of Search: 709/213, 709/219, 725/32, 725/39, 725/56
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence

Abstract

A computer system on a computer network with shared storage and that is connected through a network to playback and other systems, enables editing systems using the shared storage to turn over responsibility for transferring data to these playback and other systems. Using information from an automation control system, such as a playlist, indicating the order in which stories are to be played back by a playback system, the computer system schedules the transfer of data to the playback system in an efficient manner. The computer system may maintain a queue of requests to transfer data for programs that is ordered according to the order of the programs in a playlist specified using, for example, broadcast automation control system.

Claims

1. A computer system for transferring media data from a first storage to a second storage, wherein the first storage is accessible by an editing system for creating programs from the media data stored on the first storage and the second storage is accessible by a playback system for displaying the programs using media data stored on the second storage, comprising:

means for receiving one or more requests from the editing system to transfer media data for a program stored on the first storage to the second storage, wherein the program was created using the editing system;

means for receiving a playlist specifying an order of playback of programs by the playback system; and

means for transferring the media data for the programs requested for transfer by the editing system from the first storage to the second storage in an order according to the order of playback of the programs in the playlist.

2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for maintaining a queue of the one or more requests from the editing system to transfer media data of a program from the first storage to the second storage.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the means for maintaining the queue comprising:

means, responsive to receipt of a request from the editing system, for placing the request in the queue according to a position of the program corresponding to the request in the playlist.

4. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the means for maintaining the queue conprises:

means, responsive to receipt of the playlist, for reordering the one or more requests in the queue according to the playlist.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein, if a program requested to be transferred is not in the playlist, then the means for transferring the media data transfers the media data for the program not in the playlist after transferring media data for programs in the playlist.

6. A computer program product for transferring media data from a first storage to a second storage, wherein the first storage is accessible by an editing system for creating programs from the media data stored on the first storage and the second storage is accessible by a playback system for displaying the programs using media data stored on the second storage, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

computer program instructions stored on the computer readable medium such that, when executed by a computer, the computer performs a process comprising;

receiving one or more requests from the editing system to transfer media data for a program stored on the first storage to the second storage, wherein the program was created using the editing system;

receiving a playlist specifying an order of playback of programs by the playback system; and

transferring the media data for the programs requested for transfer by the editing system from the first storage to the second storage in an order according to the order of playback of the programs in the playlist.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the process performed by the computer executing the computer program further comprises:

maintaining a queue of the one or more requests from the editing system to transfer media data of a program from the first storage to the second storage.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein maintaining the queue comprises:

after a request is received from the editing system, placing the request in the queue according to a position of the program corresponding to the request in the playlist.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein maintaining the queue comprises:

after the playlist is received, for reordering the one or more requests in the queue according to the playlist.

10. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein, if a program requested to be transferred is not in the playlist, then the media data for the program not in the playlist are transferred after media data for programs in the playlist are transferred.

11. A computer-implemented process for transferring media data from a first storage to a second storage, wherein the first storage is accessible by an editing system for creating programs from the media data stored on the first storage and the second storage is accessible by a playback system for displaying the programs using media data stored on the second storage, comprising:

receiving one or more requests from the editing system to transfer media data for a program stored on the first storage to the second storage, wherein the program was created using the editing system;

receiving a playlist specifying an order of playback of programs by the playback system; and

transferring the media data for the programs requested for transfer by the editing system from the first storage to the second storage in an order according to the order of playback of the programs in the playlist.

12. The process of claim 11, further comprising maintaining a queue of the one or more requests from the editing system to transfer media data of a program from the first storage to the second storage.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein maintaining the queue comprises:

after a request is received from the editing system, placing the request in the queue according to a position of the program corresponding to the request in the playlist.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein maintaining the queue comprises:

after the playlist is received, reordering the one or more requests in the queue according to the playlist.

15. The computer-implemented process of claim 11, wherein, if a program requested to be transferred is not in the playlist, then the media data for the program not in the playlist are transferred after media data for programs in the playlist are transferred.

16. A computer system for transferring media data from a first storage to a second storage, wherein the first storage is accessible by an editing system for creating programs from the media data on the first storage and the second storage is accessible by a playback system for displaying the programs using media data stored on the second storage, comprising:

a transfer queue manager having a first input for receiving one or more requests from the editing system to transfer media data for a program stored on the first storage to the second storage, wherein the program was created using the editing system, a second input for receiving a playlist specifying an order of playback of programs by the playback system, and an output for providing a transfer queue listing programs requested for transfer by the editing system from the first storage to the second storage in an order according to the order of playback of the programs in the playlist; and

a transfer agent having a first input for receiving a selected program from the transfer queue, a first interface for accessing the media data of the selected program from the first storage and a second interface for transferring the media data for the selected program accessed from the first storage to the second storage.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the transfer queue manager, after a request is received from the editing system, places the request in the transfer queue according to a position of the program corresponding to the request in the playlist.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the transfer queue manager, after the playlist is received, reorders the one or more requests in the transfer queue according to the playlist.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein, if a program requested to be transferred is not in the playlist, then the transfer queue manager places, in the transfer queue listing, the request to transfer the media data for the program not in the playlist after requests to transfer media data for programs in the playlist.

20. A computer system for supporting editing and playback of multimedia programs, comprising:

a plurality of editing systems for creating programs from media data;

storage shared by the plurality of editing systems for storing the media data used by the plurality of editing systems to create the programs;

a first computer network connecting the plurality of editing systems and the shared storage;

a playback system for displaying the programs using media data stored in second storage accessible by the playback system;

a transfer management system connected to the first network and to the playback system, wherein the transfer management system comprises;

means for receiving one or more requests from the plurality of editing systems to transfer media data for a program stored on the shared storage to the second storage in the playback system, wherein the program was created using the plurality of editing systems;

means for transferring the media data for the programs requested for transfer by the plurality of editing systems from the shared storage to the second storage in the playback system;

means for receiving a playlist specifying an order of playback of programs by the playback system; and

wherein the means for transferring transfers the media data for the programs requested for transfer by the plurality of editing systems in an order according to the order of playback of the programs by the playback system in the playlist.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the transfer management system, after receiving a request from one of the plurality of editing systems to transfer media data of a program, places the request in a transfer queue in a position determined according to a position of the program in the playlist.

22. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the transfer management system, after receiving the playlist, reorders the requests in a transfer queue according to the order of playback of programs in the playlist.

23. The computer system of claim 20, wherein if a program is not in the playlist, then the request to transfer media data of the program is placed at the end of a transfer queue.

24. The computer system of claim 20, wherein a command may be issued indicating that media data for a program is to be played back by the playback system during transfer of the media data for the program, wherein the means for transferring comprises:

means, responsive to the command, for pausing any current transfer of media data to the playback system;

means for transferring the program to be played back during transfer; and

means for resuming any paused transfer after the transfer of the program to be played back is complete.

25. The computer system of claim 20, wherein a command may be issued indicating that media data for a program is to be played back by the playback system during transfer of the media data for the program, wherein the transfer management system comprises:

means, responsive to the command, for holding all requests to add a request to the transfer queue that arrive subsequent to the command;

means, responsive to the command, for pausing any operation on the transfer queue;

means for waiting for an indication that the transfer of the media data of the program is complete; and

means, responsive to the indication that the transfer is complete, for continuing any paused operation and for processing any held requests.