Multimedia server system having rate adjustable data retrieval based on buffer capacity

Abstract

Abstract A system and method of using spare disk bandwidth and buffer capacity maximizes the system throughput of a multimedia server. An important issue is determining a criterion for selecting a data stream for which the additional disk bandwidth should be used. Minimization of buffer consumption is selected as the criterion to select an appropriate media stream to use the spare system resources. Buffer consumption measures not only the amount of buffer but also the amount of time the space is occupied (i.e., the space-time product). Even though both currently active streams and waiting streams can be chosen to adjust the rate of retrieval, it is generally more effective for the active streams. A system and method, for improving data throughput of a multimedia information retrieval system by adjusting a rate of retrieval of one or more data streams, includes means for determining a length of a server service cycle; means for determining a set containing one or more active streams to be serviced concurrently in a cycle by the information retrieval system; means for determining a minimum amount of data retrieval in a cycle for each active stream, where the minimum equals an amount required for continuous playback in a cycle; and means for selecting one or more streams to increase retrieval amount in the cycle.

Inventors

• 👤 Kun-Lung Wu
• 👤 Philip Shi-lung Yu

Bibliographic Details