US5956716A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for delivery of video data over a computer network
Assignee: Intervu Inc
•
Filing: 1996-06-07
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Granted: 1999-09-21
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Expires: 2016-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A video clip storage and retrieval system whereby video clips, stored locally and/or at a more remote location, can be requested and retrieved by a user at the user's multimedia terminal. When the user requests a desired video clip, the request is processed by a primary index manager ("PIM") via a Local Search and Retrieval Unit ("SRU"). Before the message is communicated to the PIM, the local SRU checks its own storage to see whether the requested video clips are available locally. If some of the video clips are local, the local SRU still forwards the request to the PIM so that the PIM may determine specific video clip usage. The PIM determines the extended SRU where the audio-visual data is stored and passes this information to a Data Sequencing Interface ("DSI"). The DSI collects the video clips and downloads the clips to the user's terminal. The user may then view, copy, or print the video clip as desired. In a preferred embodiment, a distributed digital video clip delivery system, according to the invention, provides video clips stored at local and/or remote locations, which can be requested from the Internet and retrieved at the user's multimedia terminal. When the user requests a desired video clip shown on a Web page, the request is diverted to a primary index manager ("PIM"). The PIM attempts to locate the closest server containing the requested clip, from which the download is completed. The system further includes means for uploading and distributing clips to geographically diverse servers, dynamic load balancing, subscription management mechanisms, and protection means to discourage unauthorized duplication of video clips.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Kenner
- 👤 Harry Gruber
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/1004; H04L67/1008; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/40; G06F16/70; H04L67/101; H04L67/1021; H04L67/50; H04L67/56; H04L67/563; H04L67/568; H04L67/60; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/21; H04N21/222; H04N21/23; H04N21/231; H04N21/23106; H04N21/238; H04N21/2385; H04N21/24; H04N21/2402; H04N21/25; H04N21/254; H04N21/2543; H04N21/27; H04N21/274; H04N21/2743; H04N21/2747; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/433; H04N21/4331; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/47; H04N21/478; H04N21/4782; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17336; H04L67/10015; H04L67/2866; H04L67/288; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 65
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A video clip storage and retrieval system comprising: a multimedia terminal through which a user may request video clips from a database, the multimedia terminal also being able to receive and display requested video clips; a local storage and retrieval module which communicates with the multimedia terminal and which is adapted to receive and process video clip requests from the multimedia terminal; a primary index manager which communicates with the local storage and retrieval module and which is adapted to receive and process video clip requests from the local storage and retrieval module and to cause the distribution of video clips among a plurality of extended storage and retrieval modules according to video clip usage in the system; a plurality of extended storage and retrieval modules which communicate with the primary index manager, and which store a plurality of databases including at least one database containing video clips; a data sequencing interface controlled by the primary index manager and adapted to direct the extended storage and retrieval module to download the requested video clips; and means for downloading the requested video clips to the multimedia terminal via the local storage and retrieval module.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A video clip storage and retrieval system comprising: a multimedia terminal through which a user may request video clips from a database, the multimedia terminal also being able to receive and display requested video clips; a local storage and retrieval module which communicates with the multimedia terminal and which is adapted to receive and process video clip requests from the multimedia terminal; a primary index manager which communicates with the local storage and retrieval module and which is adapted to receive and process video clip requests from the local storage and retrieval module and to cause the distribution of video clips among a plurality of extended storage and retrieval modules according to video clip usage in the system; a plurality of extended storage and retrieval modules which communicate with the primary index manager, and which store a plurality of databases including at least one database containing video clips; a data sequencing interface controlled by the primary index manager and adapted to direct the extended storage and retrieval module to download the requested video clips; and means for downloading the requested video clips to the multimedia terminal via the local storage and retrieval module.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of multimedia terminals to accommodate a plurality of users.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 1 wherein a plurality of extended storage and retrieval modules arc connected to the primary index manager.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 1 wherein the primary manager is further connected to a plurality of remote index managers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 4 wherein the primary index manager and each remote index manager maintains a list of every video clip stored at the extended storage and retrieval units.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 4 further comprising means for the local storage and retrieval module to attach a regional identifier to each requested video clip before the request is transmitted to the primary index manager.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 6 wherein the primary index manager uses the regional identifier to identify remote index managers containing the requested video clips.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 5 further comprising: means for searching the local storage and retrieval module to determine whether the requested video clips are stored therein; and means for modifying the user request to indicate whether the requested video clips are so stored.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 1 wherein the videos are stored in compressed form and the multimedia terminal includes decompression means to allow the user to view the video clip at the multimedia terminal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 1 wherein the local search and retrieval module contains decompression means for downloading the requested video clips to the user terminals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system described in claim 3 wherein the data sequencing interface contains means for sequencing information received from the plurality of extended storage and retrieval module.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A video clip storage and retrieval system according to claim 1, wherein the user may request clips from a database at least one of real estate, pharmaceutical, retail sales, travel, and personnel information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The video clip storage and retrieval system as in claim 6 wherein the user may request clips from a database containing real estate information and the regional identifier is one of a ZIP code, cartesian coordinate, and GPS coordinate.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for storing and retrieving an audio-visual clip from a database comprising the steps of: searching through the database to select audio-visual clips for viewing and formulating a request for the selected audio-visual clips; transmitting the request for audio-visual clips from a user's multimedia terminal to a local search and retrieval module; searching the local search and retrieval module to determine whether the requested audio-visual clips are stored therein; modifying the request within the local search and retrieval module to indicate whether the requested audio-visual clips are stored therein, and by appending a regional identifier to each requested audio-visual clip; transmitting the modified request to a primary index manager; using the primary index manager to determine the exact storage location of each audio-visual clip within one or more extended search and retrieval modules; creating and maintaining a data sequencing interface to direct the extended search and retrieval modules to download the requested audio-visual clips to the data sequencing interface; downloading the audio-visual clips to the user's multimedia terminal via the local search and retrieval module; and decompressing the audio-visual clips from its compressed state for viewing at the user's multimedia terminal.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for storing and retrieving an audio-visual clip from a database comprising the steps of: searching through the database to select audio-visual clips for viewing and formulating a request for the selected audio-visual clips; transmitting the request for audio-visual clips from a user's multimedia terminal to a local search and retrieval module; searching the local search and retrieval module to determine whether the requested audio-visual clips are stored therein; modifying the request within the local search and retrieval module to indicate whether the requested audio-visual clips are stored therein, and by appending a regional identifier to each requested audio-visual clip; transmitting the modified request to a primary index manager; using the primary index manager to determine the exact storage location of each audio-visual clip within one or more extended search and retrieval modules; creating and maintaining a data sequencing interface to direct the extended search and retrieval modules to download the requested audio-visual clips to the data sequencing interface; downloading the audio-visual clips to the user's multimedia terminal via the local search and retrieval module; and decompressing the audio-visual clips from its compressed state for viewing at the user's multimedia terminal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
152 words
A distributed video clip delivery system comprising: at least one multimedia terminal through which a user may request video clips from a clip database, wherein the multimedia terminal is connected to a network and is able to receive and display requested video clips via the network; a plurality of extended storage and retrieval units connected to the network, each storing a plurality of video clips; at least one primary index manager which communicates with the multimedia terminal via the network and which is adapted to receive and process video clip requests from the multimedia terminal and to cause distribution of video clips among the plurality of extended storage and retrieval units according to video clip usage in the system; and at least one data sequencing interface controlled by the primary index manager and adapted to direct the extended storage and retrieval units to download the requested video clips to the multimedia terminal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
152 words
A distributed video clip delivery system comprising: at least one multimedia terminal through which a user may request video clips from a clip database, wherein the multimedia terminal is connected to a network and is able to receive and display requested video clips via the network; a plurality of extended storage and retrieval units connected to the network, each storing a plurality of video clips; at least one primary index manager which communicates with the multimedia terminal via the network and which is adapted to receive and process video clip requests from the multimedia terminal and to cause distribution of video clips among the plurality of extended storage and retrieval units according to video clip usage in the system; and at least one data sequencing interface controlled by the primary index manager and adapted to direct the extended storage and retrieval units to download the requested video clips to the multimedia terminal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 15, wherein said network is the Internet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 15, wherein a plurality of the multimedia terminals is associated with each of the primary index managers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of remote storage and retrieval units, each storing a plurality of video clips, connected to the network.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 15, wherein said primary index manager maintains a user database containing information on all authorized users.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 15, wherein said multimedia terminal further comprises a storage buffer for temporary storage of downloaded clips.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 20, wherein said storage buffer is hosted by a local storage and retrieval unit interposed between the terminal and the interface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 21, wherein the storage and retrieval unit maintains a local database of video clips.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 22, wherein said multimedia terminal can access said local database alternatively to receiving video clips by said network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
31 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 15, wherein; certain video clips comprise a plurality of segments; and the segments are indicated by segment data associated with a segmented clip.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 24, wherein the segment data comprises non-video information associated with at least one segment.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 24, wherein the segment data is stored by said primary index manager.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
The distributed video clip delivery system of claim 26, wherein said segmented clip is stored as a plurality of files on said extended storage and retrieval units.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 24, wherein the segmented clip is an MPEG file.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 28, wherein said segment data is stored in a user segment belonging to said MPEG file.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for distributing a video clip over a network to a user having a multimedia terminal, comprising the steps of: distributing, by an index manager, video clips among a plurality of clip databases according to video clip usage in the network; identifying a video clip of interest; searching a clip database in cooperation with an index manager to retrieve clip information corresponding to the clip of interest; analyzing the clip information to determine where the clip is stored; directing, by an index manager, a data sequencing interface to download the clip from a storage location; and downloading the clip to the multimedia terminal.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for distributing a video clip over a network to a user having a multimedia terminal, comprising the steps of: distributing, by an index manager, video clips among a plurality of clip databases according to video clip usage in the network; identifying a video clip of interest; searching a clip database in cooperation with an index manager to retrieve clip information corresponding to the clip of interest; analyzing the clip information to determine where the clip is stored; directing, by an index manager, a data sequencing interface to download the clip from a storage location; and downloading the clip to the multimedia terminal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of viewing the clip on a multimedia terminal.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of storing the clip on a local storage and retrieval unit.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of updating a user database to reflect additional charges incurred by the user for the download.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of: protecting the clip prior to downloading the clip; and unprotecting the clip prior to viewing the clip.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of determining whether the clip is stored at a local storage and retrieval unit before directing a data sequencing interface to download the clip.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 35, wherein said clip is not downloaded if it is already stored at the local storage and retrieval unit.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of determining whether the clip is stored on an extended storage and retrieval unit prior to directing a data sequencing interface to download the clip.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of querying neighboring index managers to determine where the clip is stored if the clip is not stored on an extended storage and retrieval unit.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 38, further comprising the step of querying the source index manager to determine where the clip is stored if the clip is not stored on a storage and retrieval unit local to said neighboring index managers.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of making clips available on said network.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 40, wherein said step of making clips available comprises the substeps of: uploading a clip to a Web server; registering the clip with an index manager corresponding to the Web server; determining which selected index managers on the network will store the clip; passing the clip to said selected index managers; and loading the clip to selected extended storage and retrieval units and registering the clip with the index manager corresponding to each such extended storage and retrieval unit.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 41, wherein said passing step comprises multicasting the clip to said selected index managers.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 41, wherein each index manager determines whether to load the clip to its corresponding storage and retrieval units.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of distributing clips for efficient network utilization.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
142 words
The method of claim 44, wherein said distributing step comprises the substeps of: calculating a first predicted usage of clips for an upcoming period in a given subject area based on historical usage at the same time on previous days and on the same day in previous weeks; calculating a second predicted usage of clips for an upcoming period based on historical usage at the same time on prior days; calculating a third predicted usage of clips for an upcoming period based on historical usage in immediately preceding time periods; combining said predicted usages to determine, for each clip, an overall predicted usage in the upcoming period; estimating the bandwidth required to accommodate the predicted usage; determining which popular clips contribute most to the predicted usage; and moving said popular clips to distribute the load if the estimated bandwidth exceeds a threshold.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of communicating to the primary index manager any delays experienced in transmitting the clip.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 46, wherein: said primary index manager tracks the apparent load experienced by each of its extended storage and retrieval units; and said primary index manager directs the redistribution of an extended storage and retrieval unit's clips if the extended storage and retrieval unit's apparent load is greater than a first threshold.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 47, wherein said primary index manager directs that popular clips be loaded into a RAM buffer if an extended storage and retrieval unit's apparent load based on the popular clips is greater than a second threshold.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 48, wherein said primary index manager directs that clips be downloaded from remote storage and retrieval units associated with neighboring index managers if the data sequencing interface is unable to download from any extended storage and retrieval unit.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 49, wherein the remote storage and retrieval units are identified by the data sequencing interface by querying the primary index manager.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of: determining whether the clip is segmented; and if the clip is segmented, determining which segments are desired; wherein the downloading step downloads only the desired segments.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of subscribing to desired content.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of: searching a user database on an index manager to retrieve user information corresponding to said user; and matching the user information to the clip information to determine if the user is authorized to receive said clip prior to the directing step.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 53, wherein the searching, analyzing, matching, and directing steps are performed by said index manager.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 53, wherein the matching step includes comparing a rating attribute in said clip information to a rating limit in said user information.
Claim 60
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for distributing a video clip over a network to a user having a multimedia terminal, comprising the steps of: identifying a video clip of interest; searching a clip database in cooperation with an index manager to retrieve clip information corresponding to the clip of interest; analyzing the clip information to determine where the clip is stored; directing a data sequencing interface to download the clip from a storage location; downloading the clip to the multimedia terminal; communicating to the index manager any delays experienced in transmitting the clip; tracking an apparent load experienced by an extended storage and retrieval unit; and directing redistribution of an extended storage and retrieval unit's clips when the extended storage and retrieval unit's apparent load is greater than a first threshold.
Claim 61
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for distributing a video clip over a network to a user having a multimedia terminal, comprising the steps of: identifying a video clip of interest; searching a clip database in cooperation with an index manager to retrieve clip information corresponding to the clip of interest; analyzing the clip information to determine where the clip is stored; directing a data sequencing interface to download the clip from a storage location; downloading the clip to the multimedia terminal; communicating to the index manager any delays experienced in transmitting the clip; tracking an apparent load experienced by an extended storage and retrieval unit; and directing redistribution of an extended storage and retrieval unit's clips when the extended storage and retrieval unit's apparent load is greater than a first threshold.
Claim 62
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for distributing a video clip over a network to a user having a multimedia terminal, comprising the steps of: identifying a video clip of interest; searching a clip database in cooperation with an index manager to retrieve clip information corresponding to the clip of interest; analyzing the clip information to determine where the clip is stored; directing a data sequencing interface to download the clip from a storage location; downloading the clip to the multimedia terminal; and distributing clips for efficient network utilization, comprising the steps of: calculating an first predicted usage of clips for a given time period based on historical usage at the same time on prior days; generating an overall predicted usage according to the first predicted usage; estimating a bandwidth required to accommodate the overall predicted usage; determining which popular clips contribute most to the overall predicted usage; and moving said popular clips to distribute clip retrieval load if the estimated bandwidth exceeds a threshold.
Claim 63
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for distributing a video clip over a network to a user having a multimedia terminal, comprising the steps of: identifying a video clip of interest; searching a clip database in cooperation with an index manager to retrieve clip information corresponding to the clip of interest; analyzing the clip information to determine where the clip is stored; directing a data sequencing interface to download the clip from a storage location; downloading the clip to the multimedia terminal; and distributing clips for efficient network utilization, comprising the steps of: calculating an first predicted usage of clips for a given time period based on historical usage at the same time on prior days; generating an overall predicted usage according to the first predicted usage; estimating a bandwidth required to accommodate the overall predicted usage; determining which popular clips contribute most to the overall predicted usage; and moving said popular clips to distribute clip retrieval load if the estimated bandwidth exceeds a threshold.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method of claim 57 further including the steps of: calculating a second predicted usage of clips for the given time period based on historical usage at the same time on previous days and on the same day in previous weeks; and combining the first predicted usage with the second predicted usage to determine, for each clip, the overall predicted usage for the given time period.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 58 further including the steps of: calculating a third predicted usage of clips for the given time period based on historical usage in immediately preceding time periods; and combining the first predicted usage with the second predicted usage and the third predicted usage to determine, for each clip, the overall predicted usage for the given time period.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-09-20 | 2003-03-22 | 2003-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-09-20 | 2007-03-22 | 2007-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-09-20 | 2011-03-22 | 2011-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |