EP0661855A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for directly accessing long-term memory devices
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1994-12-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-12-09
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus that retrieves data from a plurality of long-term memory devices (22,24) and delivers the data to a packet network over a plurality of channels, wherein each of the channels has a specific bandwidth requirement. The apparatus comprises a storage device adaptor (34) which is connected to the long-term storage devices (such as disk systems, CD ROM, etc.). The adaptor reads data responsive to a selected channel from a storage device to a location in a buffer memory (36). A network interface (38) reads data from the location in the buffer memory, formats the data, and sends the data to the packet network. A controller selects the channel in such a way that all channels receive their required bandwidth. The controller includes a table having a plurality of entries, wherein each entry may contain a channel identification. All channels have at least one entry in the table, and channels that require more bandwidth have multiple entries in the table.
Inventors
- 👤 Srinivas V. Makam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17336; H04L; H04L65/00; H04L65/60; H04L65/61; H04L65/612; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04N7/17318; H04L65/1066; H04L65/1101; H04L69/00; H04L69/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
An apparatus for retrieving data from a plurality of long-term memory devices and delivering said data directly to a packet network, said apparatus supporting a plurality of channels of said data, each of said channels having a predetermined bandwidth requirement, said apparatus comprising: storage device adapter means connected to said plurality of long-term memory devices for reading data from a selected one of said plurality of long-term memory devices responsive to a selected channel; buffer memory means connected to said storage device adapter means for storing data, said buffer memory means having a plurality of locations, said buffer memory means receiving data from said storage device adapter means and storing said data in one of said plurality of locations responsive to said selected channel; network interface means connected to said buffer memory means for reading data from said buffer memory means and delivering said data to said network responsive to said selected channel; and controller means for selecting said selected channel from said plurality of channels so that each of said plurality of channels meets its predetermined bandwidth requirement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
75 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said packet network comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network and data is transferred in ATM cells, said ATM cells having a header and a payload, wherein said network interface means includes means for reading a portion of said data in said buffer memory equal to the size of said ATM cell payload into an ATM cell, and means for adding an ATM header to said ATM cell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said controller means further includes a table having a plurality of entries, said controller means having means for selecting an entry in said table, wherein each of said channels has at least one entry in said table, and channels requiring greater bandwidth have multiple entries in said table.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
126 words
An apparatus for providing video-on-demand which receives subscriber signaling and delivers data representing said programmatic material over a packet network to said subscriber responsive to said subscriber signaling, said apparatus comprising: one or more content storage means responsive to said subscriber signaling for reading data directly from long-term memory devices, for formatting said data for transport over said packet network, and for sending said data over said packet network, said content storage means comprising: a storage unit adapter, a buffer and a network interface, said storage unit adapter for reading said data from said long-term memory unit into said buffer, and said network interface for reading said buffer, for adding an address usable by said packet network and for sending said packet on said packet network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said apparatus supports a plurality of channels of said data, and said storage unit adapter, buffer and network interface are responsive to a selected channel for moving data from said long-term memory devices, through said storage unit adapter, said buffer and said network interface to said network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each channel has a predetermined bandwidth, said apparatus further including a controller means for selecting said selected channel from said plurality of channels, wherein said controller means includes a table having a plurality of entries, each of said channels having at least one entry in said table, said controller means having means for selecting one of said plurality of entries in said table, wherein channels requiring greater bandwidth have multiple entries in said table.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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