Multi-node media server that provides video to a plurality of terminals from a single buffer when video requests are close in time

Claim 1

A video server system including plural nodes and N bidirectional links connecting each node to N other nodes, each link enabling bidirectional inter-node communications, comprising: disk storage means associated with a first node for storing at least a portion of a video presentation in plural data blocks, each data block storing data corresponding to a viewing time segment of said video presentation; random access buffer means in a second node for storing data blocks of said video presentation received from said disk storage means in said first node, upon an initial request by a first viewing terminal to view said video presentation; communication means in said second node for providing said data block as an output to enable receipt thereof by viewing terminals coupled to said communication means; and control means coupled to nodes in said system for receiving requests from viewing terminals for said video presentation, said control means causing said communication means in said second node to couple to said first viewing terminal which renders said initial request and to couple to additional viewing terminals which render requests to view said video presentation within a time period from said initial request, said time period not exceeding a sum of viewing times for data blocks stored in said random access buffer means, said control means causing said data blocks to be supplied from said random access buffer means to both said first viewing terminal and said additional viewing terminals; and wherein said control means contains a listing of plural nodes to be sequentially assigned to supply an audiovisual presentation, said plural nodes arranged so that each node to be next assigned to supply said audiovisual presentation is positioned no more than one link distant from an immediately preceding assigned node which provides said audiovisual presentation, said control means assigning a succeeding node to provide said audiovisual presentation when a previously assigned node has no further capacity to respond to additional requests for said audiovisual presentation.