Physical layer recovery in a streaming data delivery system
First Claim
1. An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) digital document delivery system, comprising:
- a customer premise equipment (CPE) unit configured to permit a customer to order and receive a content data stream;
a buffer coupled to the customer premise equipment unit to store the content data stream before transmitting the content data stream to a customer;
a server having digital documents stored thereon for delivery to the customer through a switched ATM network;
means for controlling a data rate of the content data stream between the server and the buffer to ensure maintenance of a steady content data stream from the customer premise equipment unit to the customer during a loss of a physical layer between the server and the customer premise equipment unit, the means for controlling including a network control system coupled to the server and the customer premise equipment unit, wherein the customer premise equipment unit is configured to deliver the content data stream at a rate less than a normal rate when the physical layer is lost, and the network control system is configured for increasing the data rate of the content data stream to the customer premise equipment unit from the server for a period of time when the physical layer is restored, and a multiplexer coupled between the customer premise equipment unit and the network control system, the multiplexer including a signaling mechanism to alert at least one component that the physical layer is lost.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) digital document delivery system is provided. A customer premise unit is configured to permit a customer to order and receive a data stream. A buffer is coupled to the customer premise unit to store the data stream before transmitting the data stream to a customer. A server includes digital documents stored thereon for delivery to customers through a switched ATM network. A control mechanism is employed to control a data rate of the data stream between the server and the buffer to ensure maintenance of a steady data stream from the customer premise unit to a customer during a loss of a physical layer between the server and the customer premise unit.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) digital document delivery system, comprising:
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a customer premise equipment (CPE) unit configured to permit a customer to order and receive a content data stream; a buffer coupled to the customer premise equipment unit to store the content data stream before transmitting the content data stream to a customer; a server having digital documents stored thereon for delivery to the customer through a switched ATM network; means for controlling a data rate of the content data stream between the server and the buffer to ensure maintenance of a steady content data stream from the customer premise equipment unit to the customer during a loss of a physical layer between the server and the customer premise equipment unit, the means for controlling including a network control system coupled to the server and the customer premise equipment unit, wherein the customer premise equipment unit is configured to deliver the content data stream at a rate less than a normal rate when the physical layer is lost, and the network control system is configured for increasing the data rate of the content data stream to the customer premise equipment unit from the server for a period of time when the physical layer is restored, and a multiplexer coupled between the customer premise equipment unit and the network control system, the multiplexer including a signaling mechanism to alert at least one component that the physical layer is lost. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for maintaining a content data stream over an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network, comprising the steps of:
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providing a customer premise equipment unit configured to permit a customer to receive a content data stream; storing a portion of the data stream in a buffer before transmitting the content data stream to a customer; transmitting the content data stream from a server through a switched ATM network; controlling a data rate of the content data stream between the server and the buffer to ensure maintenance of a steady content data stream from the customer premise equipment unit to a customer during a loss of a physical layer between the server and the customer premise equipment unit, the controlling includes employing a network control system coupled to the server and the customer premise equipment unit wherein the customer premise equipment unit is configured for delivering the content data stream at a rate less than a normal rate when the physical layer is lost, and further comprising the step of the network control system increasing the data rate of the content data stream to the customer premise equipment unit from the server for a period of time when the physical layer is restored, a multiplexer coupled between the customer premise equipment unit and the network control system, and further comprising the step of;
when the physical layer is lost, signaling from tile multiplexer to alert at least one component that the physical layer is lost. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification