 |
Claims  |
|
|
What is claimed is:
1. An information transmission system comprising:
a set of one or more computer memory devices on which is stored an
information database;
database editing means, coupled to said one or more computer memory
devices, for generating a hierarchically arranged set of indices for
referencing data in said information database, including distinct indices
for referencing distinct portions thereof, and for embedding said indices
in said information database;
a transmission scheduler for scheduling transmission of selected portions
of said information database, including assigning each selected portion of
said information database one or more scheduled transmission times;
a transmitter, coupled to said transmission scheduler and said one or more
computer memory devices, for transmitting a stream of data packets
containing said selected portions of said information database in
accordance with said scheduled transmission times;
said transmission scheduler dividing said selected portions of said
information database into a prioritized set of tiers, wherein all the
selected portions of said information database in each tier are
transmitted at a corresponding repetition rate, wherein the repetition
rate for higher priority tiers is higher than the repetition rate for
lower priority tiers; and
subscriber stations that receive said transmitted stream of data packets,
each subscriber station including a data filter that stores filter data
corresponding to a subset of said indices, said filter data specifying a
set of requested data packets which comprising a subset of said
transmitted data packets, and that downloads into a memory storage device
those of said received data packets which match said specified set of
requested data packets.
2. The information transmission system of claim 1, wherein
said set of indices include timestamps therein indicating when each said
portion of the information database referenced by an index is scheduled to
be transmitted; and
said subscriber stations including data processing apparatus that decodes
said timestamps in said indices;
whereby subscribers can be informed as to when a specified portion of the
information database will be received.
3. The information transmission system of claim 2, wherein
each timestamp includes a repetition rate value indicating how often the
associated portion of the information database is transmitted, and a time
skew value indicating in conjunction with said repetition rate value a
scheduled transmission time for the associated portion of the information
database.
4. The information transmission system of claim 3, wherein the timestamp in
indices referencing portions of the information database not scheduled for
transmission is null, indicating that said referenced portions of the
information database are transmitted only upon request by subscribers.
5. The information transmission system of claim 1,
said transmitter including a central program transmission station that
transmits said stream of data packets, and one or more cable television
systems that receive the transmitted stream of data packets and retransmit
said stream of data packets via cables to a set of subscribers, said
central program transmission station further transmitting in said stream
of data packets special data packets indicating where in said stream of
data packets local programming data packets may be inserted; and
one or more of said cable television systems including a data switch for
inserting into the stream of retransmitted data packets local programming
data packets at positions in said stream of data packets indicated by said
special data packets.
6. The information transmission system of claim 1,
said transmitter including a central program transmission station that
transmits said stream of data packets, and one or more cable television
systems that receive the transmitted stream of data packets and retransmit
said stream of data packets via cables to a set of subscribers, said
central program transmission station furthermore transmitting in said
stream of data packets special data packets designated as suitable for
pre-emption by local programming; and
one or more of said cable television systems includes a data switch for
inserting into the stream of retransmitted data packets additional "local
programming" data packets so as to pre-empt said special data packets
designated as suitable for pre-emption.
7. The information transmission system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the
transmission bandwidth available to said transmitter is reserved for
transmitting portions of said information database requested by
subscribers;
said information transmission system including a subscriber request
receiver that receives requests from subscribers, said requests each
specifying a portion of said information database; and
said transmission scheduler also scheduling transmission of requested
portions of said information database.
8. The information transmission system of claim 1, wherein one or more
subsets of said subscriber stations are interconnected via a local area
network, including a network server that receives said transmitted stream
of data packets on behalf of an associated set of subscriber stations,
said network server including a data filter that references a specified
set of data packets, said specified set of data packets representing data
packets requested by said associated set of subscriber stations, and that
downloads into a memory storage device those of said received data packets
which match said specified set of requested data packets;
whereby overhead associated with receiving the stream of data packets and
downloading for storage a specified subset thereof is shared by a set of
subscribers.
9. The information transmission system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter
transmits said data packets using multiple transmission channels; and said
subscriber stations include receiver apparatus for receiving data packets
for each of said multiple transmission channels.
10. The information transmission system of claim 9, wherein
said information database includes video program materials as well as
non-video information;
said transmitter transmits data packets containing at least selected
portions of said video program materials on at least one of said multiple
transmission channels and transmits primarily non-video information on at
least one other one of said multiplicity of transmission channels; and
a multiplicity of said subscriber stations include means for receiving and
storing video program materials.
11. The information transmission system of claim 1, said data filter
comprising a buffer for temporarily storing received data packets, a
filter list storage device for storing said filter data referencing said
specified set of requested data packets, and data processing circuitry for
comparing said data packets temporarily stored in said buffer with said
filter data and then forwarding those data packets in said buffer which
match said filter data to a predefined destination;
whereby each subscriber station receives all transmitted data packets but
forwards only requested data packets to said predefined destination.
12. The information transmission system of claim 1, said subscriber
stations including data processing apparatus that automatically specifies
additional data packets to be downloaded, wherein said requested data
packets and said additional data packets each have associated indices at
defined positions in said hierarchically arranged set of indices and said
additional data packets are selected using predefined criteria with regard
to said defined positions of their associated indices relative to the
defined positions of said requested data packets;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto.
13. An information transmission system, comprising:
a set of one or more computer memory devices on which is stored an
information database;
database editing means, coupled to said one or more computer memory
devices, for generating a set of indices for referencing data in said
information database, including distinct indices for referencing distinct
portions thereof, and for embedding said indices in said information
database; said database editing means further embedding in said
information database cross-referencing indices for cross-referencing
related information;
a transmitter, coupled to said one or more computer memory devices, for
transmitting a stream of data packets containing selected portions of said
information database; and
a multiplicity of subscriber stations for receiving said transmitted stream
of data packets, each subscriber station including a data filter that
stores filter data corresponding to a subset of said indices, said filter
data specifying a set of requested data packets which comprises a subset
of said transmitted data packets, and that downloads into a memory storage
device those of said received data packets which match said specified set
of requested data packets;
said subscriber stations including data processing apparatus that
automatically adds, in accordance with predefined criteria, data
corresponding to ones of said cross-referencing indices embedded in said
downloaded data packets to said filter data so as to specify additional
data packets to be downloaded;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto,
wherein
said set of indices include timestamps therein indicating when each said
portion of the information database referenced by an index is to be
transmitted; and
said subscriber stations's data processing apparatus furthermore decoding
said timestamps in said indices;
whereby subscribers can be informed as to when a specified portion of the
information database will be received.
14. The information transmission system of claim 13, wherein
each timestamp includes a repetition rate value indicating how often the
associated portion of the information database is transmitted, and a time
skew value indicating in conjunction with said repetition rate value a
transmission time for the associated portion of the information database.
15. The information transmission system of claim 14,
further including a transmission scheduler for scheduling transmission of
selected portions of said information database, including assigning each
selected portion of said information database one or more scheduled
transmission times;
wherein the timestamp in indices referencing portions of the information
database not scheduled for transmission is null, indicating that said
referenced portions of the information database are transmitted only upon
request by subscribers.
16. An information transmission method comprising the steps of:
storing an information database on one or more memory devices;
generating and storing on said memory devices a hierarchically arranged set
of indices for referencing data in said information database, including
distinct indices for referencing distinct portions thereof, and embedding
said indices in said information database;
scheduling transmission of selected portions of said information database,
including assigning each selected portion of said information database one
or more scheduled transmission times;
transmitting a stream of data packets containing said selected portions of
said information database in accordance with said scheduled transmission
times;
said scheduling step including dividing said selected portions of said
information database into a prioritized set of tiers, wherein all the
selected portions of said information database in each tier are
transmitted at a corresponding repetition rate, wherein the repetition
rate for higher priority tiers is higher than the repetition rate for
lower priority tiers;
receiving said transmitted stream of data packets at subscriber stations;
at each subscriber stations, storing filter data corresponding to a subset
of said indices, said filter data specifying a set of requested data
packets which comprises a subset of said transmitted data packets; and
at each subscriber station, downloading into a memory storage device those
of said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets.
17. The information transmission method of claim 16, wherein said
generating step generates indices including timestamps therein, said
timestamps indicating when each said portion of the information database
referenced by an index is scheduled to be transmitted;
said method including decoding said timestamps in said indices at said
subscriber stations;
whereby subscribers can be informed as to when a specified portion of the
information database will be received.
18. The information transmission method of claim 17, wherein
each timestamp includes a repetition rate value indicating how often the
associated portion of the information database is transmitted, and a time
skew value indicating in conjunction with said repetition rate value a
scheduled transmission time for the associated portion of the information
database.
19. The information transmission system of claim 17, wherein the timestamp
in indices referencing portions of the information database not scheduled
for transmission is null, indicating that said referenced portions of the
information database are transmitted only upon request by subscribers.
20. The information transmission method of claim 16, wherein
said transmitting step includes transmitting said stream of data packets to
one or more cable television systems that receive the transmitted stream
of data packets and retransmit said stream of data packets via cables to a
set of subscribers.
21. The information transmission method of claim 20, wherein one or more of
said cable television systems inserts into the stream of retransmitted
data packets additional "local programming" data packets.
22. The information transmission method of claim 16, wherein said
scheduling step includes reserving a portion of transmission bandwidth
available for said transmitting step for transmitting portions of said
information database requested by subscribers;
said method including receiving requests from subscribers, said requests
each specifying a portion of said information database; and
said scheduling step including scheduling transmission of requested
portions of said information database.
23. The information transmission method of claim 16, wherein one or more
subsets of said subscriber stations are interconnected via a local area
network including a network server;
said method including receiving at said network server said transmitted
stream of data packets on behalf of an associated set of subscriber
stations, storing data in said network server referencing a specified set
of data packets requested by said associated set of subscriber stations,
and downloading into a memory storage device associated with said network
server those of said received data packets which match said specified set
of requested data packets;
whereby overhead associated with receiving the stream of data packets and
downloading for storage a specified subset thereof is shared by a set of
subscribers.
24. The information transmission method of claim 16, wherein said
transmitting step transmits said data packets using multiple transmission
channels; and said receiving step includes receiving data packets from
selected ones of said multiple transmission channels.
25. The information transmission method of claim 24, wherein
said information database includes video program materials as well as
non-video information;
said transmitting step transmits data packets containing at least selected
portions of said video program materials on at least one of said multiple
transmission channels and transmits primarily non-video information on at
least one other one of said multiplicity of transmission channels; and
at a multiplicity of said subscriber stations, receiving and storing video
program materials.
26. The information transmission method of claim 16, said receiving and
downloading steps including:
at each subscriber stations, temporarily storing received data packets in a
buffer, storing a filter list comprising said filter data referencing said
specified set of requested data packets, comparing said data packets
temporarily stored in said buffer with said filter data and then
forwarding those data packets in said buffer which match said filter data
to a predefined destination;
whereby each subscriber station receives all transmitted data packets but
forwards only requested data packets to said predefined destination.
27. The information transmission method of claim 16, said storing filter
data step furthermore including automatically specifying additional data
packets to be downloaded, wherein said requested data packets and said
additional data packets each have associated indices at defined positions
in said hierarchically arranged set of indices and said additional data
packets are selected using predefined criteria with regard to said defined
positions of their associated indices relative to the defined positions of
said requested data packets;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto.
28. An information transmission method comprising the steps of:
storing an information database on one or more memory devices;
generating and storing on said memory devices a set of indices for
referencing data in said information database, including distinct indices
for referencing distinct portions thereof, and embedding said indices in
said information database; said storing step further including embedding
in said information database cross-referencing indices for
cross-referencing related information;
transmitting a stream of data packets containing selected portions of said
information database;
receiving said transmitted stream of data packets at subscriber stations;
at each subscriber station, storing filter data corresponding to a subset
of said indices, said filter data specifying a set of requested data
packets which comprises a subset of said transmitted data packets;
at each subscriber station, downloading into a memory storage device those
of said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets; and
said storing filter data step furthermore including automatically adding,
in accordance with predefined criteria, data corresponding to ones of said
cross-referencing indices embedded in said downloaded data packets to said
filter data so as to specify additional data packets to be downloaded;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto;
wherein said generating step generates indices including timestamps
therein, said timestamps indicating when each said portion of the
information database referenced by an index is to be transmitted;
said method including decoding said timestamps in said indices at said
subscriber stations;
whereby subscribers can be informed as to when a specified portion of the
information database will be received.
29. The information transmission method of claim 28, wherein
each timestamp includes a repetition rate value indicating how often the
associated portion of the information database is transmitted, and a time
skew value indicating in conjunction with said repetition rate value a
transmission time for the associated portion of the information database.
30. The information transmission system of claim 29,
scheduling transmission of selected portions of said information database,
including assigning each selected portion of said information database one
or more scheduled transmission times;
wherein the timestamp in indices referencing portions of the information
database not scheduled for transmission is null, indicating that said
referenced portions of the information database are transmitted only upon
request by subscribers.
31. An information transmission system comprising:
a set of one or more computer memory devices on which is stored an
information database;
database editing means, coupled to said one or more computer memory
devices, for generating a set of indices for referencing data in said
information database, including distinct indices for referencing distinct
portions thereof, and for embedding said indices in said information
database; said database editing means further embedding in said
information database cross-referencing indices for cross-referencing
related information;
a transmitter, coupled to said one or more computer memory devices, for
transmitting a stream of data packets containing selected portions of said
information database; and
a multiplicity of subscriber stations for receiving said transmitted stream
of data packets, each subscriber station including a data filter that
stores filter data corresponding to a subset of said indices, said filter
data specifying a set of requested data packets which comprises a subset
of said transmitted data packets, and that downloads into a memory storage
device those of said received data packets which match said specified set
of requested data packets;
said subscriber stations including data processing apparatus that
automatically adds, in accordance with predefined criteria, data
corresponding to ones of said cross-referencing indices embedded in said
downloaded data packets to said filter data so as to specify additional
data packets to be downloaded;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto;
wherein one or more subsets of said subscriber stations are interconnected
via a local area network, including a network server that receives said
transmitted stream of data packets on behalf of an associated set of
subscriber stations, said network server including a data filter that
references a specified set of requested data packets, said specified set
of requested data packets representing all data packets requested by said
associated set of subscriber stations, and that downloads into a memory
storage device those of said received data packets which match said
specified set of requested data packets;
said network server including data processing apparatus that adds, in
accordance with predefined criteria, data packets corresponding to ones of
said cross-referencing indices embedded in said downloaded data packets to
said set of requested data packets so as to specify additional data
packets to be downloaded;
said network server including memory caching means for storing in a memory
cache said additional data packets until said memory cache is full, and
then overwriting ones of said additional data packets that have not been
accessed by any of said associated set of subscriber stations with
subsequently received ones of said additional packets;
whereby overhead associated with receiving the stream of data packets and
downloading for storage a specified subset thereof is shared by a set of
subscribers.
32. An information transmission system comprising:
a set of one or more computer memory devices on which is stored an
information database;
database editing means, coupled to said one or more computer memory
devices, for generating a set of indices for referencing data in said
information database, including distinct indices for referencing distinct
portions thereof, and for embedding said indices in said information
database; said database editing means further embedding in said
information database cross-referencing indices for cross-referencing
related information;
a transmitter, coupled to said one or more computer memory devices, for
transmitting a stream of data packets containing selected portions of said
information database; and
a multiplicity of subscriber stations for receiving said transmitted stream
of data packets, each subscriber station including a data filter that
stores filter data corresponding to a subset of said indices, said filter
data specifying a set of requested data packets which comprises a subset
of said transmitted data packets, and that downloads into a memory storage
device those of said received data packets which match said specified set
of requested data packets;
said subscriber stations including data processing apparatus that
automatically adds, in accordance with predefined criteria, data
corresponding to ones of said cross-referencing indices embedded in said
downloaded data packets to said filter data so as to specify additional
data packets to be downloaded;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto;
wherein one or more subsets of said subscriber stations are interconnected
via a local area network, including a network server that receives said
transmitted stream of data packets on behalf of an associated set of
subscriber stations, said network server including a data filter that
references a specified set of requested data packets, said specified set
of requested data packets representing all data packets requested by said
associated set of subscriber stations, and that downloads into a memory
storage device those of said received data packets which match said
specified set of requested data packets;
said network server including data processing apparatus that adds, in
accordance with predefined criteria, data packets corresponding to ones of
said cross-referencing indices embedded in said downloaded data packets to
said set of requested data packets so as to specify additional data
packets to be downloaded;
said network server including memory caching means for storing in a memory
cache said additional data packets until said memory cache is full, and
then overwriting ones of said additional data packets with subsequently
received ones of said additional packets in accordance with predefined
criteria;
whereby overhead associated with receiving the stream of data packets and
downloading for storage a specified subset thereof is shared by a set of
subscribers.
33. An information transmission method comprising the steps of:
storing an information database on one or more memory devices;
generating and storing on said memory devices a set of indices for
referencing data in said information database, including distinct indices
for referencing distinct portions thereof, and embedding said indices in
said information database; said storing step further including embedding
in said information database cross-referencing indices for
cross-referencing related information;
transmitting a stream of data packets containing selected portions of said
information database;
receiving said transmitted stream of data packets at subscriber stations;
at each subscriber station, storing filter data corresponding to a subset
of said indices, said filter data specifying a set of requested data
packets which comprises a subset of said transmitted data packets;
at each subscriber station, downloading into a memory storage device those
of said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets; and
said storing filter data step furthermore including automatically adding,
in accordance with predefined criteria, data corresponding to ones of said
cross-referencing indices embedded in said downloaded data packets to said
filter data so as to specify additional data packets to be downloaded;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto;
wherein one or more subsets of said subscriber stations are interconnected
via a local area network including a network server;
said method including receiving at said network server said transmitted
stream of data packets on behalf of an associated set of subscriber
stations, storing filter data in said network server referencing a set of
requested data packets, said filter data representing data packets
requested by said associated set of subscriber stations, and downloading
into a memory storage device associated with said network server those of
said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets;
said network server further adding, in accordance with predefined criteria,
data corresponding to ones of said cross-referencing indices embedded in
said downloaded data packets to said filter data stored by said network
server so as to specify additional data packets to be downloaded;
said network server storing in memory cache said additional data packets
until said memory cache is full, and then overwriting ones of said
additional data packets that have not been accessed by any of said
associated set of subscriber stations with subsequently received ones of
said additional packets;
whereby overhead associated with receiving the stream of data packets and
downloading for storage a specified subset thereof is shared by a set of
subscribers.
34. An information transmission method comprising the steps of:
storing an information database on one or more memory devices;
generating and storing on said memory devices a set of indices for
referencing data in said information database, including distinct indices
for referencing distinct portions thereof, and embedding said indices in
said information database; said storing step further including embedding
in said information database cross-referencing indices for
cross-referencing related information;
transmitting a stream of data packets containing selected portions of said
information database;
receiving said transmitted stream of data packets at subscriber stations;
at each subscriber station, storing filter data corresponding to a subset
of said indices, said filter data specifying a set of requested data
packets which comprises a subset of said transmitting data packets;
at each subscriber station, downloading into a memory storage device those
of said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets; and
said storing filter data step furthermore including automatically adding,
in accordance with predefined criteria, data corresponding to ones of said
cross-referencing indicing embedded in said downloaded data packets to
said filter data so as to specify additional data packets to be
downloaded;
whereby said subscriber station automatically downloads data packets
containing data related to data contained in requested data packets,
thereby anticipating potential additional requests that a user may make
and speeding access thereto;
wherein one or more subsets of said subscriber stations are interconnected
via a local area network including a network server;
said method including receiving at said network server said transmitted
stream of data packets on behalf of an associated set of subscriber
stations, storing filter data in said network server referencing a set of
requested data packets, said filter data representing data packets
requested by said associated set of subscriber stations, and downloading
into a memory storage device associated with said network server those of
said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets;
said network server further adding, in accordance with predefined criteria,
data corresponding to ones of said cross-referencing indices embedded in
said downloaded data packets to said filter data stored by said network
server so as to specify additional data packets to be downloaded;
said network server storing in memory cache said additional data packets
until said memory cache is full, and then overwriting ones of said
additional data packets with subsequently received ones of said additional
packets in accordance with predefined criteria;
whereby overhead associated with receiving the stream of data packets and
downloading for storage a specified subset thereof is shared by a set of
subscribers.
35. An information transmission system, comprising:
a set of one or more computer memory devices on which is stored an
information database;
database editing means, coupled to said one or more computer memory
devices, for generating a set of indices for referencing data in said
information database, including distinct indices for referencing distinct
portions thereof, and for embedding said indices in said information
database;
transmission scheduler for scheduling transmission of selected portions of
said information database, including assigning each selected portion of
said information database a transmission repetition rate and one or more
scheduled transmission times in accordance with said assigned repetition
rate;
a transmitter, coupled to said transmission scheduler and said one or more
computer memory devices, for transmitting a stream of data packets
containing said selected portions of said information database in
accordance with said scheduled transmission times;
subscriber stations that receive said transmitted stream of data packets,
each subscriber station including data filter that stores filter data
corresponding to a subset of said indices, said filter data specifying a
set of requested data packets which comprises a subset of said transmitted
data packets, and that downloads into a memory storage device those of
said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets;
said transmitter including a central program transmission station that
transmits said stream of data packets, and one or more cable television
systems that receive the transmitted stream of data packets and retransmit
said stream of data packets via cables to a set of subscribers, said
central program transmission station further transmitting in said stream
of data packets special data packets indicating where in said stream of
data packets local programming data packets may be inserted; and
one or more of said cable television systems including a data switch for
inserting into the stream of retransmitting data packets local programming
data packets at positions in said stream of data packets indicated by said
special data packets.
36. An information transmission system, comprising:
a set of one or more computer memory devices on which is stored an
information database;
database editing means, coupled to said one or more computer memory
devices, for generating a set of indices for referencing data in said
information database, including distinct indices for referencing distinct
portions thereof, and for embedding said indices in said information
database;
transmission scheduler for scheduling transmission of selected portions of
said information database, including assigning each selected portion of
said information database a transmission repetition rate and one or more
scheduled transmission times in accordance with said assigned repetition
rate;
a transmitter, coupled to said transmission scheduler and said one or more
computer memory devices, for transmitting a stream of data packets
containing said selected portions of said information database in
accordance with said scheduled transmission times;
subscriber stations that receive said transmitted stream of data packets,
each subscriber station including data filter that stores filter data
corresponding to a subset of said indices, said filter data specifying a
set of requested data packets which comprises a subset of said transmitted
data packets, and that downloads into a memory storage device those of
said received data packets which match said specified set of requested
data packets;
said transmitter including a central program transmission station that
| | |
