Interactive broadband server system

• US 7,437,472 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interactive Content Engines, LLC
• Original Assignee: Interactive Content Engines, LLC
• Inventors: Rose, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHILLIPS, HASSAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/304,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20030115282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/231, 709/233, 709/247
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• 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 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2182 involving memory arrays, e.g. RAID disk arrays RAID arrays per se G06F3/0689; use of parity to protect data in RAID systems G06F11/1008
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21825 involving removable storage units, e.g. tertiary storage such as magnetic tapes or optical disks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2318 using striping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2405 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An interactive broadband server system including multiple processors, a backbone switch, multiple storage devices and multiple user processes. The backbone switch enables high speed communication between the processors. The storage devices are distributed across the processors to store titles, where each title is divided into data chunks that are distributed across the storage devices. The user processes are configured for execution on the processors for interfacing multiple subscriber locations. Each user process is operative to retrieve a requested title from two or more of the processors via the backbone switch and to assemble a requested title for delivery to a requesting subscriber location. The storage devices may be organized into RAID groups. Distributed media readers and a library storage system may be included. Multiple isochronous titles may be simultaneously delivered to downstream subscribers. Titles may be preprocessed and stored in a predetermined format to reduce loading and processing overhead.

Claims

1. An interactive broadband server system, comprising:

a plurality of processors, each having a port interface, a storage device interface, and a communication interface;

a backbone switch including a plurality of ports, each of said plurality of ports coupled to a corresponding port interface of a corresponding one of said plurality of processors, wherein said backbone switch enables high speed communication between each of said plurality of processors;

a plurality of storage devices coupled to and distributed across said plurality of processors, each said storage device having an interface coupled to a storage device interface of a corresponding one of said plurality of processors;

wherein each of said plurality of processors is coupled between said backbone switch and said plurality of storage devices;

said plurality of storage devices storing at least one title, each title divided into data chunks that are distributed across two or more of said plurality of storage devices; and

a plurality user processes, each for execution on a corresponding one of said plurality of processors for interfacing a corresponding one of a plurality of subscriber locations via a corresponding communication interface, each user process operative to retrieve a requested title from two or more of said plurality of processors via said backbone switch and to assemble said requested title for delivery to a requesting subscriber location.

2. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of storage devices are organized into a plurality of RAID groups, and wherein data chunks of each stored title are distributed across said plurality of RAID groups.

3. The interactive broadband server system of claim 2, wherein each data chunk is further divided into a plurality of sub-chunks that are distributed across one of the plurality of RAID groups.

4. The interactive broadband server system of claim 2, wherein RAID group retrieval and assembly functionality is distributed among said plurality of user processes.

5. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, wherein each said user process is operative, via said backbone switch, to forward a request of a title and to receive a title map specifying locations of data chunks of said requested title, and to use said title map to retrieve said data chunks from said plurality of storage devices via said backbone switch.

6. The interactive broadband server system of claim 5, wherein each said title map defines where each data chunk of a title is stored in said plurality of storage devices.

7. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one storage source for storing at least one title; and

at least one loading process executed on at least one of said plurality of processors, each said loading process configured to retrieve a title from said at least one storage source, to divide said title into data chunks, and to distribute said data chunks across said plurality of storage devices via at least two of said plurality of processors and said backbone switch.

8. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one retrieval process, each said retrieval process executed on a corresponding one of said plurality of processors, each said retrieval process configured to retrieve said data chunks from said plurality of storage devices of a title requested by another processor and to forward retrieved data chunks to a requesting user process executing on said another processor.

9. The interactive broadband server system of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one of said plurality of processors executing a directory process that includes a master directory which further includes a title map for each title stored in said plurality of storage devices, each included title map locating each data chunk of a corresponding title.

10. The interactive broadband server system of claim 9, further comprising:

said directory process operative to receive title requests from any of said plurality of user processes, to allocate storage space in said plurality of storage devices, to create a corresponding title map, to invoke a loading process to transfer a copy of said requested title from said at least one storage source to said plurality of storage devices, and to forward title maps to any of said plurality of user processes; and

said loading process storing each said data chunk according to a corresponding title map.

11. The interactive broadband server system of claim 9, wherein said directory process employs a least recently used (LRU) policy when allocating storage space in said plurality of storage devices.

12. The interactive broadband server system of claim 9, wherein said plurality of storage devices are organized into a plurality of RAID groups, and wherein data chunks of each stored title are evenly distributed across said plurality of RAID groups.

13. The interactive broadband server system of claim 7, wherein said at least one storage source comprises a plurality of media readers, each coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of processors and configured to receive a storage media storing at least one title.

14. The interactive broadband server system of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of media readers comprises an optical disk drive.

15. The interactive broadband server system of claim 13, wherein said at least one storage source comprises a library storage system, which includes a plurality of storage media for storing a plurality of titles, said library storage system configured to receive title requests via said backbone switch and to load a corresponding storage media on any of said plurality of media readers.

16. The interactive broadband server system of claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of processors comprises a personal computer (PC) system with PC components including a first peripheral interface that couples to at least one of said plurality of storage devices, a second peripheral interface that couples to one of said plurality of media readers, a third peripheral interface that couples to a port of said backbone switch, and a fourth peripheral interface for interfacing at least one of said plurality of subscriber locations.

17. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of processors includes a management processor that operates an operations support system and a business support system.

18. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, wherein said backbone switch comprises an Ethernet switch.

19. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, wherein at least one title is preprocessed and stored in a predetermined format to reduce loading and processing overhead.

20. The interactive broadband server system of claim 19, wherein said at least one title is pre-encrypted, includes pre-calculated redundancy information, and incorporates transport protocol.

21. The interactive broadband server system of claim 1, wherein at least one of a plurality of processes executed on one processor is shadowed on another processor.

22. The interactive broadband server system of claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of processors generates a heartbeat signal to a shadowing processor.

23. The interactive broadband server system of claim 22, wherein each said heartbeat signal is a numeric value which indicates a position of a master process in a title being delivered to a subscriber location and serves as a heartbeat and status indicator.

24. The interactive broadband server system of claim 21, further comprising an output switch having a first port coupled to an output of a first processor, a second port for interfacing a first subscriber location supported by said first processor, a third port coupled to an output of a second processor shadowing said first processor, and a fourth port for interfacing a second subscriber location supported by said second processor.

25. An interactive broadband server system, comprising:

a backbone switch including a plurality of bi-directional ports;

a disk array comprising a plurality of disk drives, said disk array storing a plurality of titles sub-divided into a plurality of data chunks which are distributed across said disk array;

a plurality of processors, each having a plurality of interfaces including a first interface coupled to a port of said backbone switch, a second interface coupled to at least one disk drive of said drive array, and a third interface for coupling to a network for interfacing a plurality of subscriber devices;

wherein each of said plurality of processors is coupled between said backbone switch and said disk array; and

a plurality of processes for execution on said plurality of processors, said plurality of processes enabling each processor to retrieve a plurality of data chunks of a requested title from two or more of said plurality of processors, to assemble said requested title, and to transmit said requested title via said third interface.

26. The interactive broadband server system of claim 25, wherein said disk array is organized into a plurality of RAID groups, and wherein said data chunks of each stored title are distributed across said plurality of RAID groups.

27. The interactive broadband server system of claim 26, wherein each RAID group comprises a plurality of disk drives each coupled to a different one of said plurality of processors.

28. The interactive broadband server system of claim 27, wherein each data chunk is further divided into a plurality of sub-chunks in which each sub-chunk is stored on a separate disk drive of a RAID group.

29. The interactive broadband server system of claim 25, wherein a plurality of titles each comprise isochronous data content simultaneously delivered to a corresponding plurality of subscriber devices via corresponding third interfaces of said plurality of processors.

30. The interactive broadband server system of claim 25, further comprising:

a plurality of media readers;

said plurality of interfaces of each of said plurality of processors further comprising a fourth interface coupled to one of said plurality of media readers; and

a library storage system, coupled to a port of said backbone switch, said library storage system including a plurality of storage media that collectively store a plurality of titles, said library storage system configured to receive a title request via said backbone switch and to load a corresponding storage media on any available one of said plurality of media readers.

31. The interactive broadband server system of claim 30, wherein said plurality of processes includes at least one loading process configured to retrieve a title from a media reader, to divide said title into data chunks, and to distribute said data chunks across said disk array via said plurality of processors.

32. The interactive broadband server system of claim 31, wherein said loading process further creates a title map that locates each data chunk of said title.

33. The interactive broadband server system of claim 32, wherein said plurality of processes includes at least one user process executed on a processor that retrieves said title map and that uses said title map to retrieve each data chunk of said title.

34. The interactive broadband server system of claim 25, wherein at least one title is preprocessed and stored in a predetermined format to reduce loading and processing overhead.

35. The interactive broadband server system of claim 34, wherein said at least one title is pre-encrypted.

36. The interactive broadband server system of claim 34, wherein said at least one title incorporates pre-calculated redundancy information.

37. The interactive broadband server system of claim 34, wherein said at least one title incorporates pre-stored transport protocol.

38. The interactive broadband server system of claim 34, wherein said at least one title incorporates a plurality of pointers to specific locations within stored title content.

39. The interactive broadband server system of claim 38, wherein said plurality of pointers includes a plurality of time stamps.

40. An interactive content engine, comprising:

a backbone switch including a plurality of ports;

a plurality of processors, each coupled to said backbone switch via one of said plurality of ports;

a plurality of media readers, each coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of processors;

a library storage system, coupled to a port of said backbone switch, said library storage system including a plurality of storage media that collectively store a plurality of titles, said library storage system configured to receive a title request from a processor and to load a corresponding storage media on any available one of said plurality of media readers; and

a plurality of storage devices distributed among said plurality of processors;

wherein each of said plurality of processors is coupled between said backbone switch and said plurality of storage devices;

and at least one process executed on said plurality of processors that collectively submits a title request, retrieves a requested title from said available media reader, stores said requested title in said plurality of storage devices, and delivers said requested title to one of said plurality of processors.

41. The interactive content engine of claim 40, wherein said plurality of processes comprises:

at least one loading process that forwards said title request to said library storage system, that retrieves said requested title from a media reader, that divides said requested title into data chunks, that stores said data chunks into said plurality of storage devices via said plurality of processors, and that creates a title map that locates each data chunk of said requested title; and

at least one user process that retrieves said title map and that uses said title map to retrieve each data chunk of said requested title.