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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A system for selectively distributing selected programs on demand to one
or more display systems for viewing by viewers, the system providing to
each viewer interactive control over the display of the programs on a
display system, comprising:
storage means for storing the programs, the programs being distinct,
individually selectable programs, said programs being divided into
multiple frames of data signals, and for providing multiple, concurrent
accesses to said programs;
server means coupled to said storage means for retrieving from said storage
means selected frames of selected ones of said programs;
network interface means coupled to said server means for accepting said
selected frames from said server means, for forming a selected number of
replicated frames from said accepted frames, and for formatting each one
of said replicated frames into a transmission packet, each said
transmission packet being identified for a selected display system;
distribution network means coupled to said network interface means for
accepting said transmission packets from said network interface means and
for distributing said transmission packets to at least one selected
display system;
decoder means coupled to said distribution network means and to at least
one selected display system for extracting said replicated frames from
said transmission packets, and for presenting said replicated frames for
real-time display on at least one selected display system; and
viewer selection means coupled to said server means for interactively
communicating viewer requests for digital video data distribution service
to said server means.
2. A system having a plurality of display systems capable of selecting
programs as in claim 1, further including a plurality of network interface
means coupled to said server means and said distribution network means,
each of said plurality of network interface means for accepting said
selected frames from said server means, for forming a selected number of
replicated frames from said accepted frames, and for formatting each one
of said replicated frames into a transmission packet, each said
transmission packet being identified for an associated one of the
plurality of display systems.
3. A system as in claim 1, further including a plurality of server means
coupled to said storage means for retrieving from said storage means said
selected frames of selected ones of said programs interactively selected
by viewers, a plurality of network interface means, at least one of said
network interface means being coupled to each one of said plurality of
server weans for accepting said selected frames from said coupled server
means, for forming a selected number of replicated frames from said
accepted frames, and for formatting each one of said replicated frames
into a transmission packet, each said transmission packet being identified
for of the display systems, and a plurality of viewer selection means, at
least one of said viewer selection means being coupled to each one of said
server means for interactively communicating viewer requests for digital
video data distribution service.
4. A system as in claim 3, further including control means coupled to said
plurality of server means for redistributing viewer requests for digital
video data distribution service to a selected one of said server means.
5. A system as in claim 4, wherein said control means includes means for
generating viewer billing information.
6. A system as in claim 1, whereby said server means is capable of
processing viewer requests in real-time to start, pause, and stop digital
video data distribution service, and to modify each requesting viewer's
temporal position in said programs.
7. A system as in claim 2, and further including a plurality of decoder
means coupled to said distribution network means, each one of said decoder
means being coupled to a different one of the display systems, for
extracting said replicated frames from said transmission packets and for
presenting said replicated frames for real-time display on each viewer's
display system.
8. A system as in claim 1, wherein said digital video data signals the
programs stored in said storage mean are encoded and compressed digital
video data signals.
9. A system as in claim 8, wherein said decoder means includes means for
decoding and decompressing said replicated frames prior to display on a
display system.
10. A system as in claim 1, wherein said viewer selection means are
automated telephone answering devices, coupled to said server means and to
a telephone at each viewer's site via a public switched telephone network,
for interactively communicating viewer requests for digital video data
distribution service to said server means.
11. A system as in claim 1, wherein said storage means comprises an optical
disk drive.
12. A system as in claim 11, wherein said storage means further includes a
plurality of optical disk drives.
13. A system as in claim 1, wherein said storage means comprises a magnetic
disk drive.
14. A system as in claim 13, wherein said storage means further includes a
plurality of magnetic disk drives.
15. A system as in claim 1, wherein said storage means comprises a random
access semiconductor memory.
16. A system as in claim 15, wherein said storage means further includes a
plurality of random access semiconductor memories.
17. A system as in claim 1, wherein said storage means comprises a magnetic
tape drive.
18. A system as in claim 17, wherein said storage means further includes a
plurality of magnetic tape drives.
19. A system as in claim 1, wherein said storage means comprises any
combination of zero or more optical disk drives, one or more magnetic disk
drives, zero or more random access semiconductor memories, and zero or
more magnetic tape drives.
20. A system as in claim 1, wherein said server means comprises:
instruction processing means for executing instructions;
main memory means coupled to said instruction processing means for storing
said instructions and said selected frames;
input/output channel means coupled to said storage means for accessing said
instructions and said selected frames from said storage means;
input/output processing means for retrieving said instructions and said
selected frames over said input/output channel means from said storage
means; and
input/output bus means coupled to said input/output processing means, said
instruction processing means, and said main memory means for transferring
said instructions and said selected frames from said input/output
processing means to said main memory means.
21. A system as in claim 20, wherein said network interface means further
comprises:
network input/output processing means coupled to said input/output bus
means, for accepting said selected frames from said input/output bus
means;
multi-cast interface means coupled to said network input/output processing
means for providing a predetermined number of replicated frames from said
accepted frames received from said network input/output processing means;
and
asynchronous transfer mode interface means coupled to said multi-cast
interface means and said distribution network means for formatting said
replicated frames into one or more transmission packets for transmission
over said distribution network means to said decoder.
22. A system as in claim 1, wherein said distribution network means
comprises switched integrated-services digital networks.
23. A system as in claim 22, wherein said public switched
integrated-services digital networks include asynchronous transfer mode
interfaces.
24. A system as in claim 1, wherein said distribution network means
comprises fiber distributed data interface networks.
25. A system as in claim 1, wherein said decoder means includes conversion
means for converting said replicated frames received from said
distribution network means into a selected format for display on the
display system.
26. A system as in claim 25, wherein said selected format is for
high-definition television.
27. A system as in claim 25, wherein said selected format is an analog
signal system compatible with a viewer's display system.
28. A system as in claim 27, wherein said analog signal system is the phase
alternating line format.
29. A multi-cast digital video data server system for distributing selected
digital video data signals on demand to one or more display systems for
viewing by viewers, the system providing to each viewer interactive
control over the display of the digital video data signals on a display
system, comprising:
a video library to store the digital video data signals, the digital video
data signals being grouped into distinct, individually selectable
programs, said programs being divided into multiple frames of data
signals, said video library including an addressable mass storage device
allowing multiple, concurrent accesses to said programs;
a digital video data server coupled to said video library to retrieve
selected frames of selected ones of said programs;
a network interface coupled to said digital video data server to accept
said selected frames from said digital video data server, replicate said
accepted frames a selected number of times, and format each one of said
replicated frames into a transmission packet, each said transmission
packet being identified for a selected display system;
a distribution network coupled to said network interface to accept said
transmission packets from said network interface and distribute said
transmission packets to a selected display system;
a decoder coupled to said distribution network and an associated display
system to extract said replicated frames from said transmission packets,
and to present said replicated frames for real-time display on said
associated display system; and
a viewer selection device coupled to said digital video data server to
interactively communicate viewer requests for digital video data
distribution service to said digital video data server.
30. A system as in claim 29, further including a plurality of network
interfaces coupled to said digital video data server and said distribution
network to accept said selected frames from said digital video data
server, replicate said accepted frames a selected number of times
according to said viewer requests, and format each one of said replicated
frames into a transmission packet, each said transmission packet being
identified for a selected display system.
31. A system as in claim 29, further including a plurality of digital video
data servers coupled to said video library to retrieve from said video
library said selected frames of selected ones of said programs
interactively selected by viewers, a plurality of network interfaces, at
least one of said network interfaces being coupled to each one of said
digital video data servers to accept said selected frames, replicate said
accepted frames a selected number of times, and format each one of said
replicated frames into a transmission packet, each said transmission
packet being identified for a selected display system, and a plurality of
viewer selection devices, at least one of said viewer selection devices
being coupled to each one of said digital video data servers for
interactively communicating said viewer requests for digital video data
distribution service.
32. A system as in claim 31, further including a control server coupled to
said plurality of digital video data servers for redistributing viewer
requests for digital video data distribution service to a selected one of
said digital video data servers.
33. A system as in claim 32, wherein said control server includes means for
generating viewer billing information.
34. A system as in claim 29, whereby said digital video data server is
capable of processing viewer requests in real-time to start, pause, and
stop digital video data distribution service, and to modify each
requesting viewer's temporal position in said programs.
35. A system as in claim 29, further including a plurality of decoders
coupled to said distribution network, each one of said decoders being
coupled to a selected display system, for extracting said replicated
frames from said transmission packets and for presenting said replicated
frames for real-time display on said selected display system.
36. A system as in claim 29, wherein said digital video data signals stored
in said video library are encoded and compressed digital video data
signals.
37. A system as in claim 36, wherein said decoder includes a video signal
processor for decoding and decompressing said replicated frames prior to
display on the display system.
38. A system as in claim 29, wherein said viewer selection device is an
automated telephone answering device, coupled to said digital video data
server and to a telephone at each viewer's site via a public switched
telephone network, to interactively communicate viewer requests for
digital video data distribution service to said digital video data server.
39. A system as in claim 29, wherein said addressable mass storage device
includes a plurality of optical disk drives.
40. A system as in claim 29, wherein said addressable mass storage device
includes a plurality of magnetic disk drives.
41. A system as in claim 29, wherein said addressable mass storage device
includes a plurality of random access semiconductor memories.
42. A system as in claim 29, wherein said addressable mass storage device
includes a plurality of magnetic tape drives.
43. A system as in claim 29, wherein said addressable mass storage device
includes any combination of zero or more optical disk drives, one or more
magnetic disk drives, zero or more random access semiconductor memories,
and zero or more magnetic tape drives.
44. A system as in claim 29, wherein said digital video data server
comprises:
an instruction processor to execute instructions;
a main memory module to store said instructions and said selected frames;
a storage controller coupled to said instruction processor and to said main
memory to control access to said main memory module;
an input/output bus coupled to said storage controller;
one or more input/output channels coupled to said addressable mass storage
device; and
an input/output processor coupled to said input/output bus and to said one
or more input/output channels to retrieve said instructions and said
selected frames from said addressable mass storage device and to transfer
said instructions and said selected frames to said main memory module over
said input/output bus under the control of said storage controller.
45. A system as in claim 44, wherein said network interface further
comprises:
a network input/output processor coupled to said input/output bus to accept
said selected frames from said input/output bus;
a multi-cast interface coupled to said network input/output processor to
replicate said accepted frames received from said network input/output
processor a selected number of times; and
an asynchronous transfer mode interface coupled to said multi-cast
interface and said distribution network to format said replicated frames
into one or more transmission packets for transmission over said
distribution network to said decoder.
46. A system as in claim 29, wherein said distribution network comprises
switched integrated-services digital networks.
47. A system as in claim 46, wherein said switched integrated-services
digital networks include asynchronous transfer mode interfaces.
48. A system as in claim 29, wherein said distribution network comprises
fiber distributed data interface networks.
49. A system as in claim 29, wherein said decoder includes a conversion
device for converting said replicated frames received from said
distribution network into a selected format for display on a display
system.
50. A system as in claim 49, wherein said selected format is for
high-definition television.
51. A system as in claim 49, wherein said selected format is an analog
signal system compatible with a viewer's display system.
52. A system as in claim 51, wherein said analog signal system is the phase
alternating line format.
53. A system for distributing selected programs to one or more display
systems for viewing by viewers, the system having a video library for
storing the programs, the programs being distinct, individually selectable
programs and divided into multiple frames of data signals, the video
library allowing multiple, concurrent accesses to the programs, the system
comprising:
server means coupled to the video library for retrieving selected frames of
selected ones of the programs;
multi-cast means coupled to said server means for accepting said selected
frames from said server means, for forming a selected number of replicated
frames from said accepted frames, and for formatting each one of said
replicated frames into a transmission packet, each said transmission
packet being identified for a selected display system; and
distribution network means coupled to said multi-cast means for accepting
said transmission packets from said multi-cast means and for distributing
said transmission packets to at least one selected display system.
54. The system of claim 53, wherein said server means comprises:
instruction processing means for executing instructions;
main memory means coupled to said instruction processing means for storing
said instructions and said frames;
input/output channel means coupled to the video library for accessing said
selected frames from the video library;
input/output processing means for retrieving said selected frames over said
input/output channel means from the video library; and
input/output bus means coupled to said input/output processing means, said
instruction processing means, and said main memory means for transferring
said instructions and said selected frames from said input/output
processing means to said main memory means.
55. The system of claim 53, wherein said multi-cast means further
comprises:
network input/output processing means coupled to said server means, for
accepting said selected frames from said server means; and
multi-cast interface means coupled to said network input/output processing
means for replicating said accepted frames received from said network
input/output processing means a selected number of times.
56. The system of claim 55, wherein said multi-cast means further
comprises:
asynchronous transfer mode interface means coupled to said multi-cast
interface means and said distribution network means for formatting said
replicated frames into one or more transmission packets for transmission
by said distribution network means.
57. The system of claim 53, wherein said distribution network means
includes switched integrated-services digital networks having asynchronous
transfer mode interfaces.
58. A system for distributing selected digital video data signals on demand
to one or more display systems for viewing by viewers, the system
providing to each viewer interactive control over the display of the
digital video data signals on a display system, comprising:
storage means for storing the digital video data signals, the digital video
data signals being grouped into distinct, individually selectable
programs, said programs being divided into multiple frames of data
signals, said storage means allowing multiple, concurrent accesses to said
programs;
at least one server means coupled to said storage means for retrieving from
said storage means selected frames of selected ones of said programs, said
at least one server means including
instruction processing means for executing instructions;
main memory means coupled to said instruction processing means for storing
said instructions and said selected frames;
input/output channel means coupled to said storage means for accessing said
instructions and said selected frames from said storage means;
input/output processing means for retrieving said instructions and said
selected frames over said input/output channel means from said storage
means; and
input/output bus means coupled to said input/output processing means, said
instruction processing means, and said main memory means for transferring
said instructions and said selected frames from said input/output
processing means to said main memory means;
at least one network interface means connected to said at least one server
means for accepting said selected frames from said at least one server
means, for forming a selected number of replicated frames from said
accepted frames, and for formatting each one of said replicated frames
into a transmission packet, each said transmission packet being identified
for a selected display system, said network interface means including
network input/output processing means connected to said input/output bus
means, for accepting said selected frames from said input/output bus
means;
multi-cast interface means connected to said network input/output
processing means for forming a selected number of replicated frames from
said accepted frames received from said network input/output processing
means; and
asynchronous transfer mode interface means connected to said multi-cast
interface means for formatting said replicated frames into said
transmission packets;
distribution network means coupled to said network interface means for
accepting said transmission packets from said network interface means and
for distributing said transmission packets to at least one selected
display system, said distribution network means including switched
integrated-services digital networks having asynchronous transfer mode
interfaces;
decoder means coupled to said distribution network means and to at least
one selected display system for extracting said replicated frames from
said transmission packets, and for presenting said replicated frames for
real-time display on said at least one selected display system; and
viewer selection means coupled to said server means for interactively
communicating viewer requests for digital video data distribution service
to said server means.
59. A multi-cast digital video data server system for distributing selected
digital video data signals on demand to one or more display systems for
viewing by viewers, the system providing to each viewer interactive
control over the display of the digital video data signals on a display
system, comprising:
a video library to store the digital video data signals, the digital video
data signals being grouped into distinct, individually selectable
programs, said programs being divided into multiple frames of data
signals, said video library including at least one addressable mass
storage device allowing multiple, concurrent accesses to said programs;
at least one digital video data server connected to said video library to
retrieve selected frames of selected ones of said programs, said at least
one digital video data server including
at least one instruction processor to execute instructions;
a main memory module to store said instructions and said selected frames;
a storage controller connected to said at least one instruction processor
and to said main memory to control access to said main memory module;
an input/output bus connected to said storage controller;
a plurality of input/output channels connected to said at least one
addressable mass storage device; and
at least one input/output processor connected to said input/output bus and
to said plurality of input/output channels to retrieve said instructions
and said selected frames from said at least one addressable mass storage
device and to transfer said instructions and said selected frames to said
main memory module over said input/output bus under the control of said
storage controller;
at least one network interface connected to said digital video data server
to accept said selected frames from said digital video data server, form a
selected number of replicated frames from said accepted frames, and format
each one of said replicated frames into a transmission packet, each said
transmission packet being identified for a selected display system, said
at least one network interface including
at least one network input/output processor connected to said input/output
bus to accept said selected frames from said input/output bus;
at least one multi-cast interface connected to said at least one network
input/output processor to form a selected number of replicated frames from
said accepted frames received from said at least one network input/output
processor; and
at least one asynchronous transfer mode interface connected to said at
least one multi-cast interface to format said replicated frames into
transmission packets;
a distribution network connected to said at least one network interface to
accept said transmission packets from said at least one network interface
and distribute said transmission packets to a selected display system,
said distribution network including switched integrated-services digital
networks having asynchronous transfer mode interfaces;
a decoder connected to said distribution network and an associated display
system to extract said replicated frames from said transmission packets,
and to present said replicated frames for real-time display on said
associated display system; and
a viewer selection device connected to said digital video data server to
interactively communicate viewer requests for digital video data
distribution service to said digital video data server. |
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