Video-on-demand system

• US 7,254,622 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 08/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Odie Lee Dancer
• Original Assignee: Tetsuya Nomura, Tommy Sun
• Inventors: Nomura, Tetsuya, Sun, Tommy
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dennison, J. Bret
• Application Number:
  US09/738,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/230, 709/231, 725/98
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• 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 21/278 Content descriptor database or directory service for end-user access details of content or meta data based information retrieval of video data in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 : Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A video-on-demand system provides efficient commercial distribution for renting and/or selling movies, video programs, video games and electronic data. Data input stations upload original video data from videotapes, videocassettes, videodisks or film, or from electronic data format on transferable storage media or over a telecommunications line. A video data capture computer converts the original video data into a preferred video data storage format and stores the video data files in a first generation video data storage unit. The video data files are sorted by categories and classified in indexed master files stored on a second generation video data storage unit. NTSC, PAL and/or HDTV versions of the video data files are created and stored in separate data storage units for serving different markets. Customers access the system through computer servers connected to the Internet. The computer servers access the video data file in the data storage units and create a temporary video data file, which is downloaded to the customer via the Internet. The video data file is downloaded at high speed and stored on the customer'"'"'s video player device for viewing at a later time. The video data files can be downloaded, stored and viewed on a desktop computer, a laptop computer, palmtop computer, a set-top data storage device connected to a television set, video game device, or a personal digital assistant, cellular telephone or pager with video capabilities. The system includes back-up mirror storage files at all levels of the system for security against data loss.

Claims

1. A multitiered video-on-demand system configured for high speed downloading of video data files with fault tolerance and resistance to data corruption, comprising:

a first system tier including;

a first generation video data storage unit for storing original video data files;

wherein the first system tier is configured to not be remotely accessible by customers of the video-on-demand system;

a second system tier including;

a second generation video data storage unit for storing second generation video data files sorted by category and classified in indexed master files;

a high speed data link between the first generation video data storage unit and the second generation video data storage unit, the high speed data link being configured to allow high speed downloading of video data files from the first generation video data storage unit to the second generation video data storage unit and to prevent uploading of data from the second generation video data storage unit to the first generation video data storage unit, thus resisting data corruption of the original video data files on the first generation video data storage unit;

an error detection system for monitoring the downloading of second generation video data files from the first generation video data storage unit to the second generation video data storage unit and for errors in the second generation video data files, the error detection system being configured to stop the downloading of a second generation video data file if an error is detected and to start the downloading over from the last point where the second generation video data file was known to be not corrupted, the error detection system being further configured to selectively initiate the video-on-demand system to restore the second generation video data file on the second generation video data storage unit from the original video data files on the first generation video data storage unit if repeated errors are detected in the downloading of the second generation video data file;

wherein the second system tier is configured to not be remotely accessible by customers of the video-on-demand system;

a third system tier including;

a remotely accessible computer server configured for accessing the video data files, creating temporary video data files and downloading the temporary video data files for storage and viewing on a customer'"'"'s video playing device;

a high speed data link between the second generation video data storage unit and the remotely accessible computer server, the high speed data link being configured to allow high speed downloading of video data files from the second generation video data storage unit to the remotely accessible computer server and to prevent uploading of data from the remotely accessible computer server to the second generation video data storage unit, thus resisting data corruption of the second generation video data files on the second generation video data storage unit; and

an error detection system for monitoring the downloading of temporary video data files from the remotely accessible computer server and for detecting errors in the temporary video data files, the error detection system being configured to stop the downloading of a temporary video data file if an error is detected and to start the downloading over from the last point where the temporary video data file was known to be not corrupted, the error detection system being further configured to initiate the video-on-demand system to restore the temporary video data file on the remotely accessible computer server from the second generation video data files on the second generation video data storage unit if repeated errors are detected in the downloading of the temporary video data file;

wherein only the third system tier is configured to be remotely accessible by customers of the video-on-demand system.

2. The video-on-demand system of claim 1, further comprising:

a back-up first generation video data storage unit for storing back-up original video data files.

3. The video-on-demand system of claim 1, further comprising:

a back-up second generation video data storage unit for storing back-up video data files.

4. The video-on-demand system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one video data storage unit for storing versions of the video data files in a specified video display format.

5. The video-on-demand system of claim 4, further comprising:

a back-up video data storage unit for storing back-up copies of the versions of the video data files in the specified video display format.

6. The video-on-demand system of claim 4, further comprising:

a second video data storage unit for storing a second version of the video data files in a second specified video display format.

7. The video-on-demand system of claim 1, wherein the remotely accessible computer server is configured for downloading the temporary video data files to the customer'"'"'s video playing device via an Internet Service Provider.

8. The video-on-demand system of claim 1, wherein the remotely accessible computer server is configured for downloading the temporary video data files to the customer'"'"'s video playing device via a wireless Internet Service Provider.

9. The video-on-demand system of claim 1, wherein the remotely accessible computer server is configured for downloading the temporary video data files to the customer'"'"'s video playing device in a compressed data format.

10. The video-on-demand system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first data input station configured for uploading original video data of movies or other video programs from their original storage medium to a video data capture computer.

11. The video-on-demand system of claim 10, further comprising:

a second data input station configured for uploading original video data of movies or other video programs from electronic data format to the video data capture computer.

12. A multitiered video-on-demand system configured for high speed downloading of video data files with fault tolerance and resistance to data corruption, comprising:

a first system tier including;

a first data input station configured for uploading original video data of movies or other video programs from their original storage medium;

a second data input station configured for uploading original video data of movies or other video programs from electronic data format;

a video data capture computer for converting the original video data to original video data files of a selected data storage format;

a first generation video data storage unit for storing the original video data files;

a back-up first generation video data storage unit for storing back-up original video data files;

a high speed data link between the first generation video data storage unit and the back-up first generation video data storage unit configured to allow high speed transfer of video data files from the first generation video data storage unit to the back-up first generation video data storage unit and to allow high speed transfer of video data files from the back-up first generation video data storage unit to the first generation video data storage unit to refresh or restore the original video data files if data corruption is detected;

wherein the first system tier is configured to not be remotely accessible by customers of the video-on-demand system;

a second system tier including;

a second generation video data storage unit for storing second generation video data files sorted by category and classified in indexed master files;

a high speed data link between the first generation video data storage unit and the second generation video data storage unit, the high speed data link being configured to allow high speed downloading of video data files from the first generation video data storage unit to the second generation video data storage unit and to prevent uploading of data from the second generation video data storage unit to the first generation video data storage unit, thus resisting data corruption of the original video data files on the first generation video data storage unit;

a back-up second generation video data storage unit for storing back-up second generation video data files sorted by category and classified in indexed master files;

a high speed data link between the second generation video data storage unit and the back-up second generation video data storage unit configured to allow high speed transfer of video data files from the second generation video data storage unit to the back-up second generation video data storage unit and to allow high speed transfer of video data files from the back-up second generation video data storage unit to the second generation video data storage unit to refresh or restore the second generation video data files if data corruption is detected;

an error detection system for monitoring the downloading of second generation video data files from the first generation video data storage unit to the second generation video data storage unit and for second generation errors in the temporary video data files, the error detection system being configured to stop the downloading of a second generation video data file if an error is detected and to start the downloading over from the last point where the second generation video data file was known to be not corrupted, the error detection system being further configured to selectively initiate the video-on-demand system to restore the second generation video data file on the second generation video data storage unit from the first generation video data files on the first generation video data storage unit or from the back-up second generation video data files on the back-up second generation video data storage unit if repeated errors are detected in the downloading of the second generation video data file;

a first video data storage unit for storing a first version of the video data files in a first specified video display format;

a back-up first video data storage unit for storing back-up copies of the versions of the video data files in the first specified video display format;

a second video data storage unit for storing a second version of the video data files in a second specified video display format;

a back-up second video data storage unit for storing back-up copies of the versions of the video data files in the second specified video display format;

wherein the second system tier is configured to not be remotely accessible by customers of the video-on-demand system;

a third system tier including;

a first remotely accessible computer server configured for accessing the video data files in the second generation video data storage unit, the first video data storage unit and/or the second video data storage unit, creating temporary video data files and downloading the temporary video data files via an Internet Service Provider for storage and viewing on a customer'"'"'s video playing device;

a high speed data link between the second generation video data storage unit and the first remotely accessible computer server, the high speed data link being configured to allow high speed downloading of video data files from the second generation video data storage unit to the first remotely accessible computer server and to prevent uploading of data from the first remotely accessible computer server to the second generation video data storage unit, thus resisting data corruption of the second generation video data files on the second generation video data storage unit;

a second remotely accessible computer server configured for accessing the video data files in the second generation video data storage unit, the first video data storage unit and/or the second video data storage unit, creating temporary video data files and downloading the temporary video data files via a wireless Internet Service Provider for storage and viewing on a customer'"'"'s video playing device;

a high speed data link between the second generation video data storage unit and the second remotely accessible computer server, the high speed data link being configured to allow high speed downloading of video data files from the second generation video data storage unit to the second remotely accessible computer server and to prevent uploading of data from the second remotely accessible computer server to the second generation video data storage unit, thus resisting data corruption of the second generation video data files on the second generation video data storage unit; and

an error detection system for monitoring the downloading of temporary video data files from the first and second remotely accessible computer servers and for detecting errors in the temporary video data files, the error detection system being configured to stop the downloading of a temporary video data file if an error is detected and to start the downloading over from the last point where the temporary video data file was known to be not corrupted, the error detection system being further configured to initiate the video-on-demand system to restore the temporary video data file on the first and/or second remotely accessible computer servers from the second generation video data files on the second generation video data storage unit if repeated errors are detected in the downloading of the temporary video data file;

wherein only the third system tier is configured to be remotely accessible by customers of the video-on-demand system.