US 6,529,685 B2 · Multimedia direct access storage device and formatting method

Abstract

A multimedia direct access storage device and a method for transferring source program signals representative of a compressed digital multimedia program to and from the direct access storage device are disclosed. A multimedia program is transmitted from a multimedia server as a custom ordered series of discrete program segments and received by the multimedia direct access storage device, which buffers the compressed program segments for subsequent presentation on a local display monitor. The multimedia direct access storage device is preferably incorporated as a component of a local set-top control system for buffering a predetermined number of compressed program segments received from the multimedia server, some of which may be non-sequentially ordered and others of which may be sequentially ordered. A novel formatting methodology provides for the sequential presentation of the program segments asynchronously distributed on one or more data storage disks disposed in the direct access storage device. A user-definable presentation control window for performing local VCR-type presentation control functions for the portion of a multimedia program buffered in the direct access storage device is also provided through the novel formatting methodology. The novel formatting methodology also provides concurrent presentation and buffering of program segments received from the multimedia server for on-demand viewing of a selected multimedia program.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A direct access storage device for buffering at least a portion of a multimedia program presentation comprising source program segments each representative of a temporally unique portion of the multimedia program, the direct access storage device comprising:

at least one data storage disk having a plurality of data storing regions disposed on any of a lower disk surface and an upper disk surface;
a spindle motor for rotating the at least one data storage disk;
a single actuator having elongated arms;
a read/write transducer disposed on each of the elongated arms;
a translatable presentation control window buffer supported by the plurality of data storing regions, the presentation control window buffer storing source program segments defining a portion of the multimedia program presentation and comprising a forward window portion and a reverse window portion defined with respect to a current viewing time reference;
and
a controller for coordinating writing of the source program segments to the plurality of data storage regions and reading of the source program segments from the presentation control window buffer to effect at least pause, forward, and reverse functions in response to respective pause, forward, and reverse control signals.

4 more elements

A method for buffering at least a portion of a multimedia program presentation comprising source program segments each representative of a temporally unique portion of a multimedia program, the method comprising:

providing a direct access storage device comprising a plurality of read/write heads supported by a single actuator and having a plurality of data storing regions defined on a surface of at least one data storage disk disposed in the direct access storage device;
providing a translatable presentation control window buffer supported by the plurality of data storing regions, the presentation control window buffer storing source program segments defining a portion of the multimedia program presentation and comprising a forward window portion and a reverse window portion defined with respect to a current viewing time reference;
writing the source program segments to the plurality of data storage regions;
and
reading the source program segments from the presentation control window buffer to effect at least pause, forward, and reverse functions in response to respective pause, forward, and reverse control signals.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multimedia direct access storage device and formatting method

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Multimedia direct access storage device and formatting method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20