EP0657801A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for supporting reproduction of full motion video on a plurality of playback platforms
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1994-11-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-18
Abstract
Abstract According to the invention, distinct full motion video segments may be reproduced on a plurality of playback platforms by storing duplicate video segments on each of a plurality of direct access storage devices. In response to a request for a video segment, a direct access storage device for retrieval of the video segment is selected from among devices listed in a drive information table. The selected direct access storage device is then instructed to retrieve the video segment. Finally, the drive information table is updated to reflect use of the selected direct access storage device for retrieval.
Inventors
- 👤 Wendi Lynn Nusbickel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F3/0602; G06F3/0614; G06F3/0617; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0638; G06F3/0643; G06F3/0668; G06F3/067; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0683; G06F3/0689; G11; G11B; G11B20/00; G11B20/10; G11B27/00; G11B27/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
A data processing system comprising: a plurality of playback platforms (12A, 12B, 12C; 12); a file server (13; 14); a network (8) interconnecting the plurality of playback platforms and the file server; a plurality of direct access storage devices (41A - 41D); memory (27; 64) for storing a drive information table (33) providing status indications for each of the direct access storage devices; a plurality of video segments recorded on each of the plurality of direct access storage devices; selection means (17; 66, 69), responsive to a request for a video segment from a playback platform (12A, 12B, 12C; 12) to the file server (13; 14), for selecting a direct access storage device for retrieval of the video segment by reference to the drive information table (33); control means (17; 69) for instructing the selected direct access storage device to retrieve the video segment; and storing means (17; 69) for updating the drive information table (33) to reflect use of the selected direct access storage device for retrieval.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selection means (17; 66, 69) includes: means for accessing the drive information table (33) to retrieve availability information for each of the plurality of direct access storage devices; and means, responsive to one or more direct access storage devices being available, for assigning one of the available direct access storage devices to support the video request.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the selection means further includes indicating means, responsive to no direct access storage device being available, for signalling a failure to connect to the playback platform.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the request for a video segment from the playback platform is forwarded to a router (69) controlling access to the plurality of direct access storage devices.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
19 words
A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the selection means is a device driver.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of delivering full motion video on a plurality of playback platforms (12A, 12B, 12C; 12) connected to a file server (13; 14) over a network (8), the method comprising the steps of: storing video segments on each of a plurality of direct access storage devices (41A - 41D) controlled by the server (13; 14); responsive to a request from a playback platform, selecting (217) a direct access storage device for retrieval of the video segment from a drive information table (33) stored in a memory (27; 64); instructing (219) the selected direct access storage device to retrieve the video segment; updating (221) the drive information table (33) to reflect use of the selected direct access storage device for retrieval; and transmitting the video segment to the playback platform over the network (8).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step of selecting (217) includes: accessing the drive information table (33) to retrieve availability information for each of the plurality of direct access storage devices; and if one or more direct access storage devices is available, assigning one of the available direct access storage devices to support the video request.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the step of selecting (217) further includes, if no direct access storage device is available, signalling a failure to connect to the playback platform.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
51 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, wherein a request for a video segment from the playback platform is forwarded to a router (69) controlling access to the plurality of direct access storage devices, the router performing the step of selecting (217) a direct access storage device.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, further comprising the step of attaching a required data rate to a video file as an extended attribute.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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