Distributed storage of audio/video content

• US 7,257,309 B1
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avica Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avica Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Clay, Nicholas J., Maltz, Andrew H., Elswick, William E., Hurst, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNN, MISHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US10/091,908
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 386/33, 386/46, 386/79, 386/92, 386/95, 386/96, 386108-112, 348/441, 348/512, 360/13, 360 22- 27, 714/6, 714/8, 714/42, 711/114, 711/137, 707200-705
• US Class Current: 386/200
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/412 Distributed storage methods, i.e. the system may autonomously determine for a storage device that provides enough storage capacity for recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

Provided are systems and techniques for playing audio/video programs (e.g., movies) using a bank of networked audio/video players (e.g., digital projectors). Initially, a first portion (e.g., the majority) of an audio/video program is stored on a first audio/video player in a bank of networked audio/video players and a second portion (e.g., the balance) of the audio/video program is stored on a second audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players. An instruction to play the audio/video program (or a composition that includes the audio/video program) is input in the first audio/video player and, in response to that instruction, the second portion of the audio/video program is transferred from the second audio/video player to the first audio video player and the audio/video program is played on the first audio/video player.

Claims

1. An apparatus for playing audio/video programs using a bank of networked audio/video players, said apparatus comprising:

a. means for storing a first portion of an audio/video program on a first audio/video player in a bank of networked audio/video players;

b. means for storing a second portion of the audio/video program on a second audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players;

c. means for inputting an instruction to play the audio/video program in the first audio/video player; and

d. means for, in response to the instruction input by said means (c), automatically transferring the second portion of the audio/video program from the second audio/video player to the first audio video player and causing the audio/video program to be played on the first audio/video player.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio/video program is played sequentially on the first audio/video player.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portion is substantially larger than the second portion.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first portion accounts for approximately 85 to 95% of the audio/video program.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second portion is contiguous with the first portion.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for causing content from the second portion to be integrated with content from the first portion to provide content for playing at a given point in time.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the audio/video program comprises a work that includes synchronized audio and video and is played sequentially by the first audio/video player.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing a third portion of the audio/video program on a third audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players, and wherein also in response to the instruction input by said means (c), the third portion of the audio/video program is transferred from the third audio/video player to the first audio/video player.

9. An apparatus for playing audio/video programs using a bank of networked audio/video players, said apparatus comprising:

a. means for storing a first portion of an audio/video program on a first audio/video player in a bank of networked audio/video players;

b. means for storing a second portion of the audio/video program on a second audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players;

c. means for inputting an instruction to play the audio/video program in the first audio/video player;

d. means for, in response to the instruction input by said means (c) transferring the second portion of the audio/video program from the second audio/video player to the first audio video player and causing the audio/video program to be played on the first audio/video player; and

e. means for loading the audio/video program into the bank of networked audio/video players and means for automatically dividing the audio/video program into the first portion and the second portion upon said loading.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for automatically selecting the second audio/video player.

11. An apparatus for playing audio/video programs using a bank of networked audio/video players, said method comprising:

a. means for storing a first portion of an audio/video program on a first audio/video player in a bank of networked audio/video players;

b. means for storing a second portion of the audio/video program on a second audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players;

c. means for inputting an instruction to play, in the first audio/video player, a composition that includes the audio/video program; and

d. means for, in response to the instruction input by said means (c), automatically transferring the second portion of the audio/video program from the second audio/video player to the first audio video player and causing the audio/video program to be played on the first audio/video player.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the audio/video program is played sequentially on the first audio/video player.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first portion is substantially larger than the second portion.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first portion accounts for approximately 85 to 95% of the audio/video program.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second portion is contiguous with the first portion.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for causing content from the second portion to be integrated with content from the first portion to provide content for playing at a given point in time.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the audio/video program comprises a work that includes synchronized audio and video and is played sequentially by the first audio/video player.

18. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for storing a third portion of the audio/video program on a third audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players, and wherein also in response to the instruction input by said means (c), the third portion of the audio/video program is transferred from the third audio/video player to the first audio/video player.

19. An apparatus for playing audio/video programs using a bank of networked audio/video players, said method comprising:

a. means for storing a first portion of an audio/video program on a first audio/video player in a bank of networked audio/video players;

b. means for storing a second portion of the audio/video program on a second audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players;

c. means for inputting an instruction to play, in the first audio/video player, a composition that includes the audio/video program;

d. means for, in response to the instruction input by said means (c) transferring the second portion of the audio/video program from the second audio/video player to the first audio video player and causing the audio/video program to be played on the first audio/video player; and

e. means for loading the audio/video program into the bank of networked audio/video players and means for automatically dividing the audio/video program into the first portion and the second portion upon said loading.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising means for automatically selecting the second audio/video player.

21. A method of playing audio/video programs using a bank of networked audio/video players, said method comprising:

a. storing a first portion of an audio/video program on a first audio/video player in a bank of networked audio/video players;

storing a second portion of the audio/video program on a second audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players;

c. inputting an instruction to play the audio/video program in the first audio/video player; and

d. in response to step (c), automatically transferring the second portion of the audio/video program from the second audio/video player to the first audio video player and causing the audio/video program to be played on the first audio/video player.

22. A system for playing audio/video programs using a bank of networked audio/video players, said system comprising:

at least one computer-readable medium storing computer-executable process steps; and

at least one processor configured to retrieve and execute said computer-executable process steps,

wherein said process steps comprise steps to;

a. store a first portion of an audio/video program on a first audio/video player in a bank of networked audio/video players;

b. store a second portion of the audio/video program on a second audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players;

c. input an instruction to play, in the first audio/video player, a composition that includes the audio/video program; and

d. in response to the instruction input by said step (c), automatically transfer the second portion of the audio/video program from the second audio/video player to the first audio video player and cause the audio/video program to be played on the first audio/video player.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the audio/video program comprises a work that includes synchronized audio and video and is played sequentially by the first audio/video player.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein the second portion is contiguous with the first portion.

25. A system according to claim 22, wherein said process steps further comprises a step to cause content from the second portion to be integrated with content from the first portion to provide content for playing at a given point in time.

26. A system according to claim 22, wherein said process steps further comprises a step to load the audio/video program into the bank of networked audio/video players and a step to automatically divide the audio/video program into the first portion and the second portion upon said loading.

27. A system according to claim 22, wherein said process steps further comprises a step to store a third portion of the audio/video program on a third audio/video player in the bank of networked audio/video players, and wherein also in response to the instruction input by said step (c), the third portion of the audio/video program is transferred from the third audio/video player to the first audio/video player.