United States Patent (19)
`Ottesen et al.
`
`54 MULTIMEDIASERVER SYSTEMAND
`METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING
`MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION
`
`75 Inventors: Hal Hjalmar Ottesen; Gordon J.
`Smith; George Willard VanLeeuwen,
`all of Rochester, Minn.
`
`73 Assignee: International Business Machines
`Corporation, Armonk, N.Y.
`
`21 Appl. No.: 08/472,506
`22 Filed:
`Jun. 7, 1995
`(51) Int. Cl." ...................................................... G06F 17/00
`52 U.S. Cl. ................................................. 395/500; 348/7
`58 Field of Search ..................................... 395/500, 800;
`364/514 R; 348/7, 467
`
`56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,142,209 2/1979 Hedlund et al. .......................... 386/95
`4,420,828 12/1983 Yoshida et al. ........................... 369/47
`4,475,132 10/1984 Rodesch .................................... 386/92
`4,761,694 8/1988 Shudo et al. .............................. 386/95
`4,797,752
`1/1989 Giddings .......
`... 386/125
`4,916,682 4/1990 Tomoda et al. ........................... 369/32
`4,949,187 8/1990 Cohen ....................................... 386/69
`4,972,190 11/1990 Primeau et al.
`... 341/155
`5,113,439 5/1992 Hashimoto ...
`... 380/7
`5,191,410 3/1993 McCalley et al.
`... 348/13
`5,197,051 3/1993 Tomoda et al. ........................... 369/14
`5,208,665
`5/1993 McCalley et al. ........................ 348/12
`(List continued on next page.)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`0265167 8/1989 European Pat. Off. ........ G11B 27/OO
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Taylor, Herb et al., The Magic Video-On-Demand Server
`and Real-Time Simulation System, IEEE, 1995, pp. 40-51.
`Lougher, Phillip et al., The Impact of Digital Audio and
`Video on HIgh-Speed Storage, IEEE, 1994, pp. 84-89.
`
`
`
`USOO5930493A
`Patent Number:
`11
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`5,930,493
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sincoskie, W.D., System architecture for a large Scale video
`On demand Service, Computer Networks and ISDN Systems
`22, 1991, 155-162.
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Multimedia Extensions
`to Tutorial Manager for Officevision, vol. 33, No. 2, Jul.
`1990, p. 440.
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Interactive Computer/
`Video Server, vol. 34, No. 3, Aug. 1991, pp. 67-68.
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`Primary Examiner Kevin J. Teska
`ASSistant Examiner Vu the Siek
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm Mark A. Hollingsworth;
`Merchant, Gould, Smith Edell, Welter & Schmidt; Min S.
`Xu
`ABSTRACT
`57
`A multimedia Server System and a method for communicat
`ing multimedia programming to distantly situated media
`control Systems are disclosed. The multimedia Server System
`includes a mass Storage library for Storing a plurality of
`multimedia programs. A multimedia program is coded in
`accordance with a predetermined compression Standard and
`Stored in a compressed digital format as Sequentially ordered
`discrete program Segments in the mass Storage library, with
`each of program Segments being representative of a unique
`portion of the multimedia program. A video parser organizes
`the Sequentially ordered program Segments of a multimedia
`program into a custom ordered Series of program Segments
`preferably including non-Sequentially and Sequentially
`ordered program Segments in accordance with configuration
`parameters associated with the configuration and presenta
`tion control features of a media control System requesting
`the multimedia program. Concurrent transmission of a plu
`rality of custom ordered Series of program Segments to a
`corresponding plurality of distantly located media control
`Systems is facilitated by an asynchronous transfer mode
`distribution Switch. The custom ordered Series of program
`Segments are processed by a local media control System to
`provide for the Sequential presentation of the program
`Segments on a local display and for providing local VCR
`type control functions.
`
`20 Claims, 30 Drawing Sheets
`
`-1-
`
`Amazon v. Audio Pod
`US Patent 9,954,922
`Amazon EX-1039
`
`

`

`5,930,493
`Page 2
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Automatic Multiple
`5,257,111 10/1993 Kakuyama .............................. 386/125
`t
`yE. Sty et al. ................................ so Source Selection in a Video Conference, vol. 34, No. 7A,
`21-- a-2
`OO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`5,341,474 8/1994 Gelman et al. ...
`5056 Dec. 1991, pp. 385–386.
`-
`-
`-
`-
`-
`5,357.276. 10/1994 Banker et al. .............................. 348/7
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Multimedia Bitmap
`5,369,533 11/1994 Ottesen et al. ............................ 360/51
`Video Imaging in an OS/2 Window, vol. 34, No. 7A, Dec.
`5,410,676 4/1995 Huang et al. ........................... 395/500
`1991, pp. 402-403.
`5,414,455 5/1995 Hooper et al. .............................. 348/7
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Multimedia Network
`E. E. As al.
`s: System, vol. 35, No. 4B, Sep. 1992, pp. 118-119.
`5.442.455 8/1995 E. . .38637
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Spiral Direct. Access
`5,517,250 5/1996 Hoogenboom et al. ................ 348/467
`Storage Device Format for Non-Stop Multimedia Data
`5,517,652 5/1996 Miyamoto et al. ..................... 395/800
`Transfers, vol. 37, No. 8, Aug. 1994, pp. 7-8.
`5,528,281
`6/1996 Grady et al. ................................ 348/7
`Electronic Engineering Times, Rich Boyd-Merritt,
`5.535,137 7/1996 Rossmere et al.
`364/514 A Video-on-Demand Battle Brewing, Oct. 4, 1993, pp.
`5,555,441 9/1996 Haddad .................................... 455/4.2
`113-114
`5,557,538 9/1996 Retter et al. ..
`... 364/514 A
`5,557,541
`9/1996 Schulhof et al. .
`... 364/514 R
`Electronic Engineering Times, Rich Boyd-Merritt, Rede
`5,583,561 12/1996 Baker et al. ................................ 348/7
`signed Disk Drives Go to the Movies, Jan. 17, 1994, pp. 37,
`5,610,653 3/1997 Abecassis ................................ 348/110
`39-40, 53.
`
`
`
`-2-
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 1 of 30
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`5,930,493
`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`Sheet 2 of 30
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`5,930,493
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`Sheet 4 of 30
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`Sheet 7 of 30
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`Sheet 8 of 30
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`

`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 9 of 30
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 11 of 30
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`5,930,493
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`SERVER
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`U.S. Patent
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`Jul.27, 1999
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`Sheet 12 of 30
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 14 of 30
`Sheet 14 of 30
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`5,930,493
`5,930,493
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 15 0f 30
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`5,930,493
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 16 of 30
`
`5,930,493
`
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`DIRECTION OF
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul.27, 1999
`
`Sheet 17 of 30
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`5,930,493
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`Jul. 27, 1999
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`5,930,493
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 24 of 30
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`5,930,493
`
`Select Media Program
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 25 of 30
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`5,930,493
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`
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`Organize Sequential Program
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul.27, 1999
`
`Sheet 26 of 30
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`5,930,493
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`Jul.27, 1999
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`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 28 of 30
`
`5,930,493
`
`MOVE Actuator and LOWe?t Transducer t0
`OSDL of LOWer Spiral Track Of Disk
`
`Spiral nwardly to First LOWe?t Block (MN)
`
`Over Write Oldest Stored Program Segment. With
`Next Newly Received Program Segment
`
`Read Next Sequential Program Segment
`
`Continue Spl ral ng I? Wardly
`
`l08
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`00
`
`O2
`
`40l.
`
`O6
`
`Spiral nwardly to Next
`Lower Block (MLN, )
`
`l2
`
`IS
`SDL Rgached
`
`Yes
`
`
`
`Perfor lead Switch fron
`LOWe?t Transducer t0
`Upper Transducer
`
`l6
`
`10
`
`DeCOde and Display
`Program Segment
`
`FG. 24
`
`-30-
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 29 of 30
`
`5,930,493
`
`Spiral OutWardly to First Upper Block (MUN)
`
`22
`
`Over Write Oldest St0red Program Segment With
`Next Newly Received Prografin Segment
`
`l2
`
`l26
`
`Read Next Sequential Program Segment
`
`
`
`li28
`
`Continue Spiral ng OutWardly
`
`
`
`l32
`
`Spiral Outwardly to
`Next Upper Block (M)
`
`IS
`OSD Rgached
`
`Yes
`
`l36
`
`
`
`Perform lead SWitch from
`Upper Transducer to
`OWer Transducer
`
`Repeat Update-In-Place Procedure
`
`l38
`
`30
`
`DeCOcle and Display
`Pr0gral Segment
`
`FG. 25
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`-31-
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 27, 1999
`
`Sheet 30 of 30
`
`5,930,493
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`START
`
`l/O
`
`MOn t0r Status Of Output Buffer
`
`Pause
`CO?irnand ni tated
`
`Output
`Buffer Filled
`
`DISCOrtinue Transmitting POSlt On Error Offset
`Ramp Signal With the POSIt On Error Signal t0
`Actuator for Spiral Track Foll OWing
`
`Transmit Constant POS it. On Error Signal
`to Actuator for Concentric Track Following
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Pase
`COmand DiSCOntinued
`Of Output Buffer
`NOt. Fylled
`
`Transmit Post on Error Offset Ramp
`Signal With Position Error Signal to
`Actuat0r t0. Resume Spiral Track following
`
`COntinue F l l ng Output Buffer
`
`COn true Operation
`
`88
`
`FG. 26
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`

`

`5,930,493
`
`1
`MULTIMEDIASERVER SYSTEMAND
`METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING
`MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION
`
`2
`Importantly, conventional multimedia Services fail to pro
`vide media presentation control features now expected by
`the Sophisticated consumer after enjoying more than a
`decade of home entertainment through the use of a Video
`cassette recorder (VCR). Functions such as fast forward,
`reverse, and pause, for example, are Standard presentation
`control functions now provided by all or most home VCRs,
`and are typically effectuated by use of an infrared (IR)
`remote control handset. The limited transmission bandwidth
`of household telephone lines, as well as common cable
`television channels, generally precludes accommodation of
`full VCR-type control functionality when employed to Sup
`port a conventional multimedia communication System
`adapted to provide on-demand Service to a large number of
`Subscribing customers.
`In FIG. 1, for example, there is illustrated a generalized
`block diagram of a conventional pay-per-view communica
`tion Service for providing video program distribution to a
`plurality of households over a public Switched telephone
`network. Movies are typically Stored on one or more media
`servers 10, each of which is multiplexed to the PSTN 16. A
`telephonic ordering System 14 is generally coupled to the
`PSTN 16, and provides a means for accepting a pay-per
`view order from a customer or user 20 over the telephone.
`Upon Verifying the account Status of a user 20, the media
`Server 10 typically transmits the ordered movie or program
`to a decoderbox 22 coupled to the customer's telephone line
`18. The transmitted program is continuously decoded by the
`decoder box 22 to provide continuous presentation of the
`Selected program on the customer's television 24. Limita
`tions in the transmission bandwidth of the telephone lines
`18, as well as limitations in the Switching capability of the
`PSTN 16, generally preclude the use of a PSTN 16 to
`Support a media communication System that provides high
`quality, full-motion Video signal transmission with full
`VCR-type control functionality. Such limitations similarly
`impact a conventional pay-per-view Video communication
`Service that utilizes cable television lines.
`Other video communication Systems, Such as that dis
`closed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,187, provide a local disk
`Storage System for Storing a digitized multimedia program
`received from a central archive library. After establishing a
`telephonic link with the central server 10 over a PSTN
`telephone network, a Selected digitized movie is down
`loaded in its entirety into the disk Storage System incorpo
`rated into the terminal unit disclosed in the 187 patent. This
`and other home communication Systems that employ disk
`Storage Systems to provide local Storage of a Selected
`multimedia program generally require downloading of the
`entire multimedia program prior to viewing the program on
`the Subscriber's television.
`Depending on the bandwidth of the telephone line and
`Source transmission rate, the downloading procedure may
`delay viewing of a Selected movie for an appreciable amount
`of time. Very-high capacity data Storage Systems are gener
`ally required to locally Store an entire feature-length movie.
`Such local data Storage Systems must generally be config
`ured to allocate Several gigabytes of memory for Storing a
`typical movie in a compressed form, and Several hundred
`gigabytes of memory for Storing a typical non-compressed
`movie.
`The excessively large memory requirement of these and
`other conventional local data Storage Systems employed to
`Store Video programming in accordance with a conventional
`media communication methodology generally results in a
`commercial product that is prohibitively expensive for the
`average consumer. Also, Such systems cannot provide
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`RELATED INVENTIONS
`The present invention is related to:
`co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/288,525,
`filed on Aug. 8, 1994, which is entitled “Apparatus and
`Method for Providing Multimedia Data;”
`co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/488,329,
`filed on Jun. 7, 1995, which is entitled “Media-on
`Demand Communication Method and Apparatus;”
`co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/488,328,
`filed on Jun. 7, 1995, which is entitled “Multimedia
`Control System and Method for Controlling Multime
`dia Program Presentation;' and
`co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/472,506,
`filed on Jun. 7, 1995, which is entitled “Multimedia
`Direct AcceSS Storage Device and Formatting
`Method, all of which are assigned to the assignee of
`the present invention.
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention relates generally to Server-based
`Storage and communication Systems, and, more particularly,
`to a multimedia Server System and method for communicat
`ing multimedia information.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Advancements in communications technology and
`increased consumer Sophistication have challenged the dis
`tributors of multimedia programming to provide the Sub
`Scribing public with entertainment Services more convenient
`and accessible than those traditionally made available over
`35
`cable television and telephone Systems. An improving com
`munications infrastructure has resulted in a proliferation of
`pay-per-view media Services in many of the larger broadcast
`markets. Most pay-per-view Systems permit the consumer to
`choose from a relatively Small number of motion picture
`Selections for home Viewing, with the Selected programs
`generally being presented only at pre-Scheduled viewing
`times.
`A number of on-demand video services have been devel
`oped that permit the consumer to order desired programs for
`home viewing through the household telephone line. For
`example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,347, assigned to Bell Atlantic
`Network Services, discloses a Sophisticated Video-on
`demand telephone Service that provides consumer ordered
`Video programming to a plurality of households through use
`of a public switched telephone network (PSTN). An exten
`Sive discussion regarding the inherent deficiencies of com
`municating video and other multimedia Signals over Stan
`dard bandwidth limited analog telephone lines is provided in
`the 347 patent.
`The video-on-demand system disclosed in the 347 patent
`and other conventional telephony-based multimedia Services
`fail to Satisfactorily address the adverse impact to home
`communications during periods of prolonged program View
`ing. For example, a typical theatrical motion picture can tie
`up the household telephone line for over two hours. Further,
`Such Sophisticated telephony-based multimedia Services
`generally require procurement of expensive communica
`tions and diagnostic equipment by the pay-per-view pro
`vider to ensure a reasonable level of Signal quality and
`System reliability. These and other related operating
`expenses, however, are typically passed on to the consumer.
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`3
`instantaneous viewing of a Selected multimedia program
`immediately upon receiving the transmission of the program
`signals from the server 10. Moreover, VCR-type control
`functionality can only be provided, if at all, after download
`ing the entire multimedia program onto the disk Storage
`System.
`There exists a need in the communications industry for a
`media-on-demand communication System that provides
`local VCR-type control over the presentation of a selected
`multimedia program at a minimal cost to the consumer.
`There exists a further need to provide a multimedia com
`munication System that can efficiently distribute program
`ming to a plurality of Subscribing customers without requir
`ing complex and typically expensive Server processing
`hardware and Software at the remote communication distri
`bution center. The present invention fulfills these and other
`needs.
`
`15
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention is a multimedia Server System and
`a method for communicating multimedia programming to
`distantly situated media control Systems. The multimedia
`Server System includes a mass Storage library for Storing a
`plurality of multimedia programs. A multimedia program is
`coded in accordance with a predetermined compression
`Standard and Stored in a compressed digital format as
`Sequentially ordered discrete program Segments in the mass
`Storage library, with each of program Segments being rep
`resentative of a unique portion of the multimedia program.
`A video parser organizes the Sequentially ordered program
`Segments of a multimedia program into a custom ordered
`Series of program Segments preferably including non
`Sequentially and Sequentially ordered program Segments in
`accordance with configuration parameters associated with
`the configuration and presentation control features of a
`media control System requesting the multimedia program.
`Concurrent transmission of a plurality of custom ordered
`Series of program Segments to a corresponding plurality of
`distantly located media control Systems is facilitated by an
`asynchronous transfer mode distribution Switch. The custom
`ordered Series of program Segments are processed by a local
`media control System to provide for the Sequential presen
`tation of the program Segments on a local display and for
`providing local VCR-type control functions.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional communica
`tion System for distributing Selected Video programs to a
`plurality of users,
`FIG. 2 is a generalized block diagram of a novel multi
`media communication System for distributing multimedia
`programs concurrently to a plurality of Subscriber Set-top
`control Systems preferably on an on-demand, pay-per-view
`basis,
`FIG. 3 is a generalized block diagram of a novel multi
`media Server for communicating a Synchronous,
`asynchronous, or combined Synchronous/asynchronous
`Series of Source program Segments representative of a
`Selected multimedia program to a plurality of Subscriber
`Set-top control Systems preferably on an on-demand, pay
`per-view basis,
`FIG. 4 is a generalized block diagram of a mass Storage
`library portion of a novel multimedia Server;
`FIG. 5 is an illustration of a partial series of synchronous
`compressed Source program Segments, with each discrete
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`5,930,493
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`4
`program Segment being representative of a predetermined
`time portion of a multimedia program;
`FIG. 6 is an illustration of a customized series of discrete
`Source program Segments including an asynchronous Source
`program Segment Series portion followed by a Synchronous
`Source program Segment Series portion, with each discrete
`Source program Segment being representative of a predeter
`mined time portion of a multimedia program;
`FIG. 7 is an illustration of an initially synchronously
`ordered Series of Source program Segments representative of
`a two-hour multimedia program arranged as a 60x120
`matrix of 7,200 discrete one-Second Source program Seg
`ments,
`FIG. 8 is an illustration of 7,200 discrete one-second
`Source program Segments representative of a two-hour mul
`timedia program arranged in a 20x360 customized matrix
`comprising two 10x360 sub-matrices or blocks, with each
`block containing 3,600 asynchronously ordered discrete
`One-Second Source program Segments,
`FIG. 9 is an illustration of 3,600 discrete two-second
`Source program Segments representative of a two-hour mul
`timedia program arranged in a 20x180 customized matrix
`comprising four 5x180 sub-matrices or blocks, with each of
`the four blocks containing 900 asynchronously ordered
`discrete two-Second compressed Source program Segments,
`FIG. 10 is a depiction of the asynchronously ordered
`Source Video Segments contained in the first twelve Segment
`packets transmitted by a novel multimedia Server during
`Successive transmission windows;
`FIG. 11 is a generalized block diagram of a novel intel
`ligent Set-top control System adapted to communicate with a
`remote multimedia server to facilitate asynchronous format
`ting of Source program Segments on a multimedia DASD
`received from the multimedia server preferably on an
`on-demand, pay-per-view basis,
`FIG. 12 is a depiction of a novel presentation control
`window effectuated using a novel intelligent Set-top control
`System for controlling a portion of a multimedia program
`presentation in a plurality of presentation modes, including
`forward, reverse, and pause modes,
`FIG. 13 is an illustration of a novel multimedia direct
`acceSS Storage device of a Set-top control System adapted for
`buffering a predetermined number of discrete Source pro
`gram Segments representative of at least a portion of a
`multimedia program to provide full local VCR-type control
`of the buffered portion of the Selected multimedia program;
`FIG. 14 is an exaggerated Side plan view of a novel
`multimedia direct acceSS Storage device of a Set-top control
`System including a plurality of data Storage disks adapted for
`buffering discrete Source program Segments representative
`of at least a portion of a multimedia program;
`FIG. 15 is an illustration of a novel data storage archi
`tecture for buffering Synchronously and asynchronously
`ordered discrete Source program Segments on an outwardly
`Spiralling data track disposed on an upper Surface of a data
`Storage disk,
`FIG. 16 is an illustration of a novel data storage archi
`tecture for buffering Synchronously and asynchronously
`ordered discrete Source program Segments on an inwardly
`Spiralling data track disposed on a lower Surface of a data
`Storage disk,
`FIG. 17 is an illustration of the first twenty asynchro
`nously ordered Source program Segments defining a twenty
`second presentation control window buffer to be distributed
`on a lower and an upper Surface of a data Storage disk, with
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`5,930,493
`
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`each discrete Source program Segment being representative
`of a one-Second time portion of a multimedia program;
`FIG. 18 is a depiction of twenty data storage locations
`defining a twenty Second presentation control window dis
`posed on a lower and an upper Surface of a data Storage disk,
`and a novel method for writing and reading discrete Source
`program Segments to and from the ten Storage locations
`disposed on each of the lower and upper disk Surfaces,
`FIG. 19 is a composite illustration of a lower surface of
`a data Storage disk Superimposed along Side of an upper
`Surface of the data Storage disk, with ten data Storage
`locations disposed on each of the lower and upper disk
`Surfaces for buffering at any one time twenty discrete Source
`program Segments comprising a twenty Second presentation
`control window buffer in accordance with a novel formatting
`methodology;
`FIG. 20 is a depiction of forty data storage locations
`disposed on a lower and an upper Surface of a data Storage
`disk defining a forty Second presentation control window,
`and a novel method for writing and reading discrete Source
`program Segments to and from the ten Storage locations
`organized into two Segment blocks disposed on each of the
`lower and upper disk Surfaces,
`FIGS. 21-22 are flow charts depicting general processing
`25
`Steps performed by a novel multimedia Server when com
`municating with a Subscriber's Set-top control System to
`provide on-demand transmission of Source program Seg
`ments representative of a multimedia program in accordance
`with configuration parameters associated with the configu
`ration of a presentation control window buffer provided on
`a novel multimedia direct acceSS Storage device of the
`Subscriber's Set-top control System;
`FIG. 23 is a flow chart depicting general processing Steps
`performed by a novel intelligent Set-top control System when
`communicating with a remote multimedia Server to receive
`on-demand transmission of Source program Segments rep
`resentative of a Selected multimedia program in accordance
`with configuration parameters associated with the configu
`ration of a presentation control window buffer provided on
`a novel multimedia direct acceSS Storage device of the
`Set-top control System;
`FIGS. 24-25 are flow charts depicting general processing
`Steps performed by a novel intelligent Set-top control System
`when writing a custom ordered Series of discrete Source
`program Segments representative of a portion of a Selected
`multimedia program to a presentation control window buffer
`provided on a novel multimedia direct acceSS Storage device,
`and when reading the discrete Source program Segments as
`a Sequentially ordered Series of discrete local program
`Segments from the direct access Storage device in accor
`dance with a novel update-in-place formatting methodology;
`and
`FIG. 26 is a flow chart depicting general processing Steps
`asSociated with effectuating a spiral-and-hold operation of a
`novel multimedia direct access Storage device.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
`The present invention, as previously indicated, relates to
`a multimedia Server System and method for communicating
`multimedia information over a communication channel to
`distantly located media control Systems, preferably on an
`on-demand, pay-per-view basis. The present application
`describes the entire multimedia communication System and
`proceSS for providing multimedia program distribution from
`a remote multimedia Server System to a plurality of distantly
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`located Set-top control Systems. AS Such, there are described
`in the present application various fea