公开(公告)号：CA2154038A1

公开(公告)日：1996-03-09

申请号：CA2154038

申请日：1995-07-17

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： HENLEY MARTHA R ,  WYLLIE JAMES CHRISTOPHER ,  SAXENA ASHOK RAJ

IPC: H04N5/93 ,  G06F3/06 ,  G06F12/00 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04N5/765 ,  H04N7/16 ,  H04N7/173 ,  H04N21/2183 ,  H04N21/238 ,  H04N21/262

Abstract: A media streamer (10) includes at least one storage node (16, 17) comprising mass storage for storing a digital representation of at least one video presentation; and a plurality of communication nodes (14) each having at least one input port that is coupled to an output of the at least one storage node for receiving a digital representation of a video presentation therefrom. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a plurality of output ports, individual ones of the plurality of output ports being operable for transmitting a digital representation as a data stream to a consumer of the digital representation. Individual ones of the output ports also have an associated data buffer for buffering a portion of a digital representation prior to a transmission of t he digital representation. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further include s a scheduler for scheduling, for individual ones of the data buffers, a read request to t he at least one storage node for a next sequential portion of the digital representation for storage within individual ones of the data buffers . Each read request for a particular ind ividual one of the data buffers is scheduled at a predetermined time such that a requested next sequential portion of the digital representation is available to a requesting communica tions node prior to a time that the requested next sequential portion is required to be trans mitted from the output port that is associated with the data buffer for which the read reque st was scheduled. The at least one storage node further includes a scheduler for sc heduling a read request to the mass storage such that a next sequential portion of a di gital representation is available for outputting, prior to the at least one storag e node receiving a read request for the next sequential portion from one of the communication nodes.

公开(公告)号：AT189944T

公开(公告)日：2000-03-15

申请号：AT95306239

申请日：1995-09-05

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BELKNAP WILLIAM RUSSELL ,  FITCHETT LARRY WILLIAM ,  HENLEY MARTHA R ,  SAXENA ASHOK RAJ ,  STANSBURY BUDDY FLOYD ,  WYLLIE JAMES CHRISTOPHER

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04N7/173

Abstract: A video server system or media streamer 10 includes at least one control node 18; at least one storage node 16, 17 with mass storage for storing a digital representation of a video presentation; and a plurality of communication nodes 14 switchably coupled under the direction of the control node to the at least one storage node for receiving a video presentation therefrom. Each of the plurality of communication nodes is coupled to an adapter 212 by a communications bus 210, outputting a video presentation as a sequence of data bursts over the communications bus to the adapter, which converts the received sequence of data bursts to a substantially isochronous data stream. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a plurality of output ports, each having an associated data buffer for buffering a portion of a digital representation prior to a transmission of the digital representation. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a scheduler for scheduling, for individual data buffers, a read request to the storage nodes for a next sequential portion of the digital representation for storage within the data buffers. Each read request is scheduled at a predetermined time such that a requested next sequential portion of the digital representation is available prior to a time that the requested next sequential portion is required to be transmitted from the output port that is associated with the data buffer. The at least one storage node further includes a scheduler for scheduling a read request to the mass storage such that a next sequential portion of a digital representation is available for outputting, prior to the at least one storage node receiving a read request from one of the communication nodes.

公开(公告)号：DE69515153D1

公开(公告)日：2000-03-30

申请号：DE69515153

申请日：1995-09-05

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BELKNAP WILLIAM RUSSELL ,  FITCHETT LARRY WILLIAM ,  HENLEY MARTHA R ,  SAXENA ASHOK RAJ ,  STANSBURY BUDDY FLOYD ,  WYLLIE JAMES CHRISTOPHER

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04N7/173

Abstract: A video server system or media streamer 10 includes at least one control node 18; at least one storage node 16, 17 with mass storage for storing a digital representation of a video presentation; and a plurality of communication nodes 14 switchably coupled under the direction of the control node to the at least one storage node for receiving a video presentation therefrom. Each of the plurality of communication nodes is coupled to an adapter 212 by a communications bus 210, outputting a video presentation as a sequence of data bursts over the communications bus to the adapter, which converts the received sequence of data bursts to a substantially isochronous data stream. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a plurality of output ports, each having an associated data buffer for buffering a portion of a digital representation prior to a transmission of the digital representation. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a scheduler for scheduling, for individual data buffers, a read request to the storage nodes for a next sequential portion of the digital representation for storage within the data buffers. Each read request is scheduled at a predetermined time such that a requested next sequential portion of the digital representation is available prior to a time that the requested next sequential portion is required to be transmitted from the output port that is associated with the data buffer. The at least one storage node further includes a scheduler for scheduling a read request to the mass storage such that a next sequential portion of a digital representation is available for outputting, prior to the at least one storage node receiving a read request from one of the communication nodes.

公开(公告)号：CA2153444A1

公开(公告)日：1996-03-09

申请号：CA2153444

申请日：1995-07-07

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BELKNAP WILLIAM RUSSELL ,  HENLEY MARTHA R ,  FALCON LORENZO JR ,  FRAYNE THOMAS E ,  LUO MEI-LAN ,  SAXENA ASHOK RAJ

IPC: G06F12/08 ,  G06F3/06 ,  G06F12/00 ,  G06F17/30 ,  H04N7/173

Abstract: A data storage system includes a mass storage unit storing a data entity, such as a digital representation of a video presentation, that is partitioned into a plurality N of temporally-ordered segments. A data buffer is bidirectionally coupled to the mass storage unit for storing up to M of the temporally-ordered segments, wherein M is less than N. The data buffer has an output for outputting stored ones of the temporally-ordered segments. The data storage system further includes a data buffer manager for scheduling transfers of individual ones of the temporally-ordered segments between the mass storage unit and the data buffer. The data buffer manager schedules the transfers in accordance with at least a predicted time that an individual one of the temporally-ordered segments will be required to be output from the data buffer. When employed with a media streamer distributed data buffer management techniques are employed for selecting blocks to be retained in a buffer memory, either in a storage node or in a communication node. These techniques rely on the predictable nature of the video data stream, and thus are enabled to predict the future requirements for a given one of the data blocks.

公开(公告)号：CA2154038C

公开(公告)日：2002-07-09

申请号：CA2154038

申请日：1995-07-17

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： HENLEY MARTHA R ,  WYLLIE JAMES CHRISTOPHER ,  SAXENA ASHOK RAJ

IPC: H04N5/93 ,  G06F3/06 ,  G06F12/00 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04N5/765 ,  H04N7/16 ,  H04N7/173 ,  H04N21/2183 ,  H04N21/238 ,  H04N21/262

Abstract: A media streamer (10) includes at least one storage node (16, 17) comprising mass storage for storing a digital representation of at least one video presentation; and a plurality of communication nodes (14) each having at least one input port that is coupled to an output of the at least one storage node for receiving a digital representation of a video presentation therefrom. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a plurality of output ports, individual ones of the plurality of output ports being operable for transmitting a digital representation as a data stream to a consumer of the digital representation. Individual ones of the output ports also have an associated data buffer for buffering a portion of a digital representation prior to a transmission of t he digital representation. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further include s a scheduler for scheduling, for individual ones of the data buffers, a read request to t he at least one storage node for a next sequential portion of the digital representation for storage within individual ones of the data buffers . Each read request for a particular ind ividual one of the data buffers is scheduled at a predetermined time such that a requested next sequential portion of the digital representation is available to a requesting communica tions node prior to a time that the requested next sequential portion is required to be trans mitted from the output port that is associated with the data buffer for which the read reque st was scheduled. The at least one storage node further includes a scheduler for sc heduling a read request to the mass storage such that a next sequential portion of a di gital representation is available for outputting, prior to the at least one storag e node receiving a read request for the next sequential portion from one of the communication nodes.

公开(公告)号：DE69515153T2

公开(公告)日：2000-09-21

申请号：DE69515153

申请日：1995-09-05

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： BELKNAP WILLIAM RUSSELL ,  FITCHETT LARRY WILLIAM ,  HENLEY MARTHA R ,  SAXENA ASHOK RAJ ,  STANSBURY BUDDY FLOYD ,  WYLLIE JAMES CHRISTOPHER

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04N7/173

Abstract: A video server system or media streamer 10 includes at least one control node 18; at least one storage node 16, 17 with mass storage for storing a digital representation of a video presentation; and a plurality of communication nodes 14 switchably coupled under the direction of the control node to the at least one storage node for receiving a video presentation therefrom. Each of the plurality of communication nodes is coupled to an adapter 212 by a communications bus 210, outputting a video presentation as a sequence of data bursts over the communications bus to the adapter, which converts the received sequence of data bursts to a substantially isochronous data stream. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a plurality of output ports, each having an associated data buffer for buffering a portion of a digital representation prior to a transmission of the digital representation. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a scheduler for scheduling, for individual data buffers, a read request to the storage nodes for a next sequential portion of the digital representation for storage within the data buffers. Each read request is scheduled at a predetermined time such that a requested next sequential portion of the digital representation is available prior to a time that the requested next sequential portion is required to be transmitted from the output port that is associated with the data buffer. The at least one storage node further includes a scheduler for scheduling a read request to the mass storage such that a next sequential portion of a digital representation is available for outputting, prior to the at least one storage node receiving a read request from one of the communication nodes.

公开(公告)号：SG54076A1

公开(公告)日：1998-11-16

申请号：SG1995000386

申请日：1995-05-03

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： SEKENA ASHOK RAJ ,  WYLLIE JAMES CHRISTOPHER ,  HENLEY MARTHA R

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  H04N5/93 ,  G06F12/00 ,  H04L29/06 ,  H04N5/765 ,  H04N7/16 ,  H04N7/173 ,  H04N21/2183 ,  H04N21/238 ,  H04N21/262 ,  G06F15/00

Abstract: A media streamer (10) includes at least one storage node (16, 17) comprising mass storage for storing a digital representation of at least one video presentation; and a plurality of communication nodes (14) each having at least one input port that is coupled to an output of the at least one storage node for receiving a digital representation of a video presentation therefrom. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a plurality of output ports, individual ones of the plurality of output ports being operable for transmitting a digital representation as a data stream to a consumer of the digital representation. Individual ones of the output ports also have an associated data buffer for buffering a portion of a digital representation prior to a transmission of the digital representation. Each of the plurality of communication nodes further includes a scheduler for scheduling, for individual ones of the data buffers, a read request to the at least one storage node for a next sequential portion of the digital representation for storage within individual ones of the data buffers. Each read request for a particular individual one of the data buffers is scheduled at a predetermined time such that a requested next sequential portion of the digital representation is available to a requesting communications node prior to a time that the requested next sequential portion is required to be transmitted from the output port that is associated with the data buffer for which the read request was scheduled. The at least one storage node further includes a scheduler for scheduling a read request to the mass storage such that a next sequential portion of a digital representation is available for outputting, prior to the at least one storage node receiving a read request for the next sequential portion from one of the communication nodes.