`Hooper et al.
`
`l|l||||ll|l|||Illlllll|||||lllllIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`USOO544239OA
`5,442,390
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`[54]
`
`[75]
`
`[73]
`
`[21]
`[22]
`[5 1]
`[52]
`
`[58]
`
`VIDEO ON DEMAND WITH MEMORY
`ACCESSING AND OR LIKE FUNCTIONS
`
`
`
`Inventors: Donald F. Hooper, Shrewsbury; Matthew S. Goldman, Marlborough;
`
`5,233,603 8/ 1993 Takeuchi et a1. ................ .. 370/94.1
`5,247,347 9/1993 Litteral et a1.
`5,251,009 10/1993 Reed et al. ....... ..
`
`5,237,182 2/1994 Haskell er a1. 5,341,474 8/1994 Gelman et a1.
`
`..
`
`Peter C, Bixby, Westborough; Suban
`?'aiziinamoorthy, Shrewsbury, all of
`
`5,357,276 10/1994 Banker et al. ....................... .. 348/12
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`.
`_
`,
`,
`_
`Asslgnee' 318g! tilgqwlll [288m Corporatlon’
`y
`’
`'
`
`“IBM, AT&T Emerge Early Rivals For Video on De
`mand” by Stuart Zipper, Jun. 7, 1993, p. 1 5th para
`graph.
`
`Appl. No.: 88,504
`_
`Jlll- 7, 1993
`Flled!
`Int. Cl.6 ............................................. .. H04N 7/16
`US. Cl. . ....................................... .. 348/7; 348/12'
`
`_
`,
`Primary Exammer—James J. Groody
`Assistant Examiner-Chris Grant
`Attorney’ Agent’ or Firm_Dirk Brinkman; Ronald C‘
`Hudgens; Arthur W- Fisher
`
`455/49-
`_
`Field of Search .............. .. 358/86, 84; 455/2, 4.2,
`455/51, 61, 41; H04N 7/173, 7/16; 395 /425;
`343/7, 6, 12, 13
`
`[56]
`
`Ci d
`R
`eferences
`te
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4,506,358 3/1985 Montgoemery
`4,760,442 7/1933 (yconnen et a1,
`4,761,684 8/1988 Clark et al. ...... ..
`4,316,905 3/ 1989 Tweedy et a1‘
`gu'oshlma ---- "
`
`370/60
`353/36
`358/86
`358/86
`2555/23
`358/é6
`4’920’533 M1990
`358/86
`4:949:169 8/199o Lumelsky et ai_
`358/86
`5,014,125 5/1991 Pocock et a1.
`358/86
`5,019,900 5/ 1991 Clark et a1.
`353/36
`5,089,885 2/1992 Clark ---------- '
`i‘gden et al- """"""""""""""" "j’ssssl/sgi
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`_
`_
`_
`_
`_
`In a system for interactively vlewmg vldeos, a selected
`video is transmitted as a plurality of frames of digitized
`video data for playback on a viewing device. The sys
`tem receives the transmitted video data and includes a
`memory buffer for storing a segment of a selected one
`of the videos. The segment includes a predetermined
`number of frames representing a predetermined time
`interval of the selected video. In addition, the memory
`buffer including a write pointer and a read pointer.
`Software controlled servers are provided for witting
`and reading video data of the selected video to and from
`the memory buffer, independently, at locations indi~
`eated by the Write and read pointers to transfer the
`selected video to the viewing device. By using a remote
`controller the viewer can position the read and write
`pointers to view any portion of the selected video in
`
`,
`
`,
`
`ams ............................... ..
`
`.
`
`-
`
`.. 348/719
`5,153,726 10/1992 Billing .......... ..
`358/86
`5,168,353 12/1992 Walker et a1. .
`5,172,413 12/ 1992 Bradley et a1. ..................... .. 380/20
`
`teracnvely'
`
`10 Claims, 10 Drawing Sheets
`
`l
`80? PACKET
`RCVR 80,6
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`lg/
`
`TV
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 1 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`v08
`
`_
`
`VIDEO ON-DEMAND
`SYSTEM
`
`(20
`
`V05
`
`COMMUNICATIONS ‘
`NETWORK
`
`\
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`INTER _ TV
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`CTRL
`
`CUSTOMER
`PREMISES
`EQUIPMENT
`(10
`('2
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`INTER___ TV
`FACE
`
`l3
`CTRLJ CPE
`
`FIG. I
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15,1995
`
`Sheet 2 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`/\
`
`GATEWAY sERvER
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`5o
`
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`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`VIDEO sERvER
`
`(22
`
`(24
`
`70
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`CTRL (60 6'
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`27
`
`LIBRARY SERVER
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`JUKE __gl
`BOX
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`~23
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 3 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`89>va
`
`o:o:
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`z...m_5.on5.on
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`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`Case IPR2014—01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 4 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`‘ CONNECT
`CUSTOMER
`
`IDENTIFY
`CUSTOMER "42D
`
`SELECT
`VIDEO
`
`"430
`
`YES
`
`VIIIDNEO
`
`PROGRESS?
`
`4410
`
`400
`
`CREATE
`BROADCAST
`STREAM
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`45D
`
`CONNECT
`TO
`BROADCAST
`STREAM
`
`TRANSFER
`VIDEO
`
`P470
`
`FIG.4
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 5 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`WRITE
`VIDEO TO N 5'0
`DISK
`
`READ VIDEO
`INTO FIFO
`BUFFER
`
`“520
`
`>
`
`READ VIDEO »\
`PACKETS
`53o
`
`COMMUNICATION /\ 540
`PACKETS
`
`500
`
`PLAY-BACK
`PACKETS
`
`’\ 550
`
`560
`
`ALTER
`SEQUENCE A 570
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 6 0f 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`I0!“
`
`VIDEO
`
`- o -
`
`~I99
`
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`
`I
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`
`FIG.6
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 7 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`f2‘
`GATEWAY
`sERvER
`
`38
`(
`
`SERVER
`24 SEGMENT
`/ CACHE
`
`CACHE
`700’ CTRL
`
`MEMORY
`BLOCK
`
`7.2120
`
`300’
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`1722
`M
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`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 8 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`300
`
`FILL-POINTER
`r3lO
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`6
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`320
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`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 9 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`CREATE
`BROADCAST \6l0
`STREAM
`
`' IDENTIFY
`TARGET N620
`STREAM
`
`PRIME
`FIFO
`BUFFER
`
`m630
`
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`PACKET
`
`(670
`
`‘
`
`FALSE
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`
`FALSE
`
`(697
`‘- RELEASE
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`US. Patent
`
`Aug. 15, 1995
`
`Sheet 10 of 10
`
`5,442,390
`
`izwowo 0mm _
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`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`1
`
`5,442,390
`
`VIDEO ON DEMAND WITH MEMORY
`ACCESSING AND OR LIKE FUNCTIONS
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention applies to the general area of video
`viewing systems, and more particularly to video view
`ing systems which are interactive.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`There is a need to provide consumers with video
`services on-demand. Desirable video on-demand ser
`vices can include, for example, movies, sporting events,
`interactive games, home shopping, textual information,
`and educational and arts programs, hereinafter collec
`tively referred to as “videos”. It should be understood
`that videos generally includes both video and audio
`portions, although, a video may only have an image
`portion as in textual information, or only an audio por
`tion, as for example music.
`Consumers would like videos of their choice to be
`available at times and locations convenient for them. It
`would be an advantage if the videos could be delivered
`by any transmission medium, such as commercial tele
`phone, cable, and satellite networks. The videos should
`be compatible with readily available display systems,
`such as NTSC standard televisions, or personal comput
`ers.
`Furthermore, consumers would like to have real
`time, interactive VCR-like control of the videos, skip
`ping, holding, or replaying portions at will. Home shop
`ping and video games require a much higher level of
`interaction between the video and the game-player. In
`addition, the system used to provide video on-demand
`services should be scaleable at a reasonable cost to max~
`imize the availability of the service to large populations
`of consumers.
`A major problem with known distribution systems
`for video services, such as broadcast or cable television
`is that the consumer has no control over program or
`time selection. Also, known video distribution systems
`are limited by predetermined channel allocations in the
`number of different videos that are available at any one
`time. And, most known video services are generally not
`interactive.
`Some video services allow for interactive videos by
`using specialized high-speed ?ber optic cable networks.
`Generally such services deliver the video to the cus
`tomer as one continuous uninterruptable stream. There
`fore, such services generally require expensive mass
`storage devices and special play-back equipment at the
`consumer’s location to provide interaction. Alternative
`such services require duplicate system resources at the
`distribution site for each of the customers, even if multi
`ple customers are viewing the same video.
`
`40
`
`45
`
`55
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that
`there still exists a need in the art for a method and sys
`tem for interactively viewing videos without a substan
`tial incremental costs. In a system for viewing videos
`interactively, a selected videos includes a plurality of
`frames. Each frame including digitally encoded video
`data, the video data representing a time sequenced
`image and audio signals for play-back on a viewing
`device, the video data are transmitted over a communi
`cations network.
`
`65
`
`2
`The system at the receiving end of the communica
`tions network includes a memory buffer for storing a
`segment of a selected video. The segment includes a
`predetermined time interval of the selected video. In
`addition, the memory buffer including a write pointer
`and a read pointer.
`Video data received over the communications net
`work are written to the memory buffer at memory loca
`tions indicated by the write pointer while advancing the
`write pointer. Means, such as a remote controller, or
`provided to interactively position the read pointer to
`any of the video data stored in memory buffer. Play
`back of the selected video commences by reading the
`video data from the memory buffer at memory locations
`indicated by the read pointer while advancing the read
`pointer as the video data are read.
`As an advantage, a customers can view different
`portions of the selected video, even though only a single
`relatively small sized memory is required for storing the
`segment. For example, if the memory buffer stores
`about 10 minutes of the video data, typically about 60 to
`100 Megabytes, the customer can interactively and
`independently view any portion of the 10.
`In the preferred embodiment the memory buffer is a
`disk storage device managed as a circular buffer. Ini
`tially, when the buffer does not contain any video data
`to be transferred, the video data are written at a higher
`rate than the rate at which the video are read for play
`back. Thus, the memory buffer is rapidly ?lled, so that
`requests to view different portions of the video can be
`ful?lled soon after transfer of the video is initiated.
`In addition, an index to the memory buffer is in
`cluded. Entries to the index include the time stamps of
`the frames stored in the memory buffer. The time
`stamps are associated with memory addresses of the
`frames when the frames are stored in the memory
`buffer. Thus, the viewer can select a particular portion
`of the video by time, and the index enables the rapid
`positioning of the read pointer to the particular frame
`by associating the time stamp with a memory address.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`These and other features and advantages of the pres
`ent invention will become apparent from reading of the
`detailed description in conjunction with the attached
`drawings, wherein:
`FIG. 1 is a high-level schematic view of a system for
`providing videos on-demand services;
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a video on-demand sys
`tem;
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a video;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a procedure to request a
`video;
`FIG. 5 is a block ‘diagram of a procedure to transfer
`a video;
`FIG. 6 is a timing diagram of a segmented video;
`FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a segment cache;
`FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a server segment cache;
`FIGS. 9 and 10 are block schematics of the segment
`cache operation;
`FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a procedure for manag
`ing segmented broadcast streams; and
`FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a customer segment
`cache.
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`3
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a system for
`providing videos on-demand. The system includes cus
`tomer premises equipment (CPE) 10 located at sites
`distributed over a large geographical area, one or more
`centralized video on-demand systems 20, and a commu
`nications network 30. Generally, videos are transferred
`from the video on-demand systems 20 to the CPE 10
`over the network 30. However, videos can also be
`transferred among the video on-demand systems 20.
`The physical medium used for communicating be
`tween the video on-demand system 20 and the CPE 10
`can be, for example, a twisted pair of wires, a co-axial or
`?ber optic cable, or a micro-wave or satellite link. The
`continuous physical path used for communicating is
`called a circuit. The circuit includes a relatively small
`bandwidth “bi-directional” channel for communicating
`control signals, and a relatively large bandwidth
`“downstream” channel for communicating video sig
`nals. The circuit may alsoinclude additional channels,
`for example, a medium bandwidth channel may be allo
`cated for two-way communications such as plain old
`telephone service.
`The con?guration of the CPE 10 at each customer
`location can vary with the needs of the customer. The
`CPE 10 includes a network interface box 11, a viewing
`device 12, and a video controller 13. The interface box
`can include an optional customer segment cache 14.
`The interface box 11 is for receiving videos to play
`back on the viewing device 12 via the downstream
`channel. The interface box 11 also communicates com
`mands with the video on-demand system 20 via the
`bi-directional channel as will be explained hereinafter.
`Customer commands can be demands for video ser
`vices. While a video is being transferred to the CPE 10,
`customer commands can include VCR-like control
`functions, such as reverse, forward, and pause, gener
`ally not available for known broadcast or cable-TV
`services. Moreover, customer commands for more so
`phisticated functions, such as jump backward or jump
`forward, to skip over entire portions of the video are
`also supported. Furthermore, specialized customer
`commands for controlling highly interactive videos,
`such as games or home shopping, are possible.
`The viewing device 12 can be, for example, a moni
`tor, a television, a VCR, or data processing equipment
`such as a personal computer or a work-station. The
`video controller 13 for entering customer commands
`can be con?gured as a hand-held remote controller for
`communicating with the interface box 11 by using radio
`or infrared signals. Alternatively, the video controller
`13 can be a telephone capable of generating audible
`tones by pressing the dialing buttons. The optional cus
`tomer segment cache 14, which will be described in
`greater detail hereinafter, is for locally storing portions
`of videos received by the CPE 10.
`FIG. 2 is a more detailed depiction of one centralized
`video on-demand system 20. The video on-demand
`system 20 includes a gateway server 21, a video server
`22, a library server 23, and an optional server segment
`cache 24. The video on-demand system 20 also includes
`a plurality of communications ports 80 for interfacing
`with the network 30.
`The gateway, video, and library servers 21-23 are
`connected to each other for process control by a con
`trol bus 26. The video server 22 and the library server
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`5,442,390
`
`5
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`4
`23 are connected to each other by a data bus 27. The
`servers 21-23 can be implemented as workstations, each
`workstation having disk and semiconductor memory
`for executing distributed software programs.
`The optional server segment cache 24, which will be
`described in greater detail hereinafter, is for locally
`storing portions of videos to be transmitted to the CPE
`10.
`The gateway server 21 includes an interactive gate
`way unit (IGU) 31 and a server management unit
`(SMU) 32. The IGU 31 is for communicating com
`mands with the CPE 10 over the network 30. The IGU
`31 includes a customer database 33 for containing ad
`ministrative data identifying customers. The SMU 32, in
`response to commands, coordinates the video server 22
`and the library server 23 to deliver the selected video to
`the CPE 10 for viewing by the customer.
`The library server 23 includes a bulk video storage
`system, such as a video juke box 41. The juke box 41 can
`be in the form of high capacity disks or tapes storing
`thousands of videos in encoded, compressed, and digi
`tized form. A typical two hour compressed VHS movie
`requires about 1.15 Gigabytes of storage. Of course
`videos having higher resolutions, such as HDTV vid
`eos, may require greater amounts of storage. It should
`be understood that videos can be acquired for storing on
`the juke box 41 via the network 30 from, for example,
`another video on-demand system 20.
`Each video server 22 includes a video server control
`ler 51 and a disk read/ write controller 52 having disks
`53. By using modern high capacity disks, for example
`redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID), a video
`server 22 can store over 100 Gigabytes of video data,
`equivalent to some one hundred full-length feature
`movies.
`The video server 22 also includes one or more ?rst-in,
`?rst-out (FIFO) video buffers 60 made of, for example,
`semiconductor dynamic random access memory
`(DRAM). Each buffer 60 is partitioned into a plurality
`of chunks 61. One chunk 61 for storing, for example,
`64K bytes of video data. The size of each FIFO buffer
`60 is dynamically adjustable by allocating or deallocat
`ing chunks 61 during operation.
`Connected to each FIFO buffer 60 is one or more
`packet controllers 70. The packet controllers 70 are for
`reading variable sized data packets from the FIFO buff
`ers 60.
`The communications ports 80 provide the interface
`between the video on-demand system 20 and the net
`work 30. It should be understood that the video on
`demand system 20 can include ports 80 con?gured for
`communicating signals using methods adapted for dif
`ferent types of networks 30.
`Two methods of communicating are used. In a ?rst
`method, signals are communicated over a ?xed band
`width, point-to-point circuit which is established for the
`duration of the transfer between the source of the video,
`the video on-demand system 20 and the destination, the
`CPE 10.
`This method of communicating can be used, for ex
`ample, with the world’s largest crossbar switch, the
`public telephone network carrying digital broadband
`transmission. In the United States there are about 93
`million home phone connections, and about 43 million
`business phone connections providing access to a sub
`stantial market for video on-demand services.
`The telephone network uses Tl-carriers having a
`bandwidth of 1.544 Megabits per second (Mb/sec).
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`5,442,390
`
`5
`Tl-carriers can readily transfer compressed motion
`picture videos. In North America, T2~carriers having a
`bandwidth of 6 Mb/sec are also available. And, T3-car
`riers, available at some locations, have a bandwidth
`equivalent to 28 Tl-carriers. In Europe and elsewhere,
`El-carriers support transmission rates of 2 Mb/sec.
`Alternatively, in the United States, Bellcore’s Asy
`metrical Digital Subscriber Loop (ADSL) services
`permits limited distance, approximately 5 kilometers,
`communication of digital encoded signals at T1 speed
`using ordinary twisted pair telephone lines. Higher data
`transfer rates are possible over shorter distances. A
`typical ADSL circuit is generally partitioned into three
`virtual channels, a 16 Kb/sec bi-directional channel for
`carrying control signals between the CPE 10 and to the
`video on-demand system 20, a 1.5 Mb/sec downstream
`channel for carrying video data signals to the CPE 10,
`and a 64 Kb/ sec two~way communications channel for
`plain old telephone signals.
`Alternatively, the dedicated point-to-point ?xed
`bandwidth circuit can be a channel, or a portion of a
`channel of a commercial cable-TV (CATV) system.
`Channel here meaning a traditional 6 MHz broadcast
`TV channel. A typical cable system can have a capacity
`equivalent to hundreds of broadcast-TV channels. By
`using frequency and/or time division multiplexing tech
`niques, it is possible to partition a single traditional 6
`MHz CATV channel into several sub-channels to pro
`vide two-way communications and to increase the ca
`pacity of the CATV network.
`In a second method, the video is transferred using a
`packet-switching wide area, or local area network such
`as are used by computer systems in the business sector.
`With this type of transfer, the communication signals
`are transferred as packets between addresses on the
`network. In this case, the network is shared by all po
`tential sources (the video on-demand systems 20), and
`destinations (the CPE 10).
`The transmission path of digital packet-switching
`networks typically has a very high bandwidth and can
`accommodate burst transmission that are many times
`that of the play-back speed of the compressed video.
`For example, an Ethernet can accommodate digital
`signaling rates of 10 Mb/sec, and Fiber Distributed
`45
`Data Interconnect (FDDI) can accommodate rates of
`100 Mb/ sec. Therefore, in these type of networks, many
`packets can be sent between multiple sources and desti
`nations over the same physical medium using time divi
`sion multiplexing techniques.
`For example, a 10 Mb/sec Ethernet can be parti
`tioned into six 1.5 Mb/sec sub-channels. However, vid
`eos transferred over a full-capacity Ethernet would
`probably appear to break-up or run at a slower speed,
`since a minimum bandwidth can not always be guaran
`teed due to signaling characteristics of the Ethernet
`such as collisions. Therefore, the network has to be
`con?gured to operate at a lower than theoretical capac
`ity in order to sustain continuous video play-back speed.
`Now with reference to FIG. 3 the internal data struc
`ture a video suitable for transfer over the network 30
`will be described. The video 100 is, for example a 1.2
`GB feature length movie, having a start and an end. The
`data of the video 100 is in a form suitable for transfer
`over the network 30 by using encoding and compress
`ing techniques, for example, the industry standard Mo
`tion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) compression algo
`rithms. MPEG compression can reduce the video data
`
`6
`by as much as a factor of 200 while achieving a quality
`comparable with known VCR videos.
`The video 100 includes a plurality of packets 110,
`generally indicated by the numerals l-N. The number of
`packets in the video is dependent on the “length” or
`viewing time of the video. Each packet 110 includes a
`packet header 120, packet data 140, and an optional
`packet ?ller 160.
`The packet header 120 includes an ID 121, a RATE
`122, and a TIME-STAMP 123, and a PACKET-SIZE
`125. The ID 121 identi?es the particular video. The
`RATE 122 is determined by the level of compression
`that is used to transform the analog signals of the video
`to digital data. MPEG supports varying compression
`rates dependent on space, time, and motion factors of
`the video. The TIME-STAMP 123 indicates the posi
`tion of the packet data 140, time-wise, relative to the
`beginning of the video 100. The PACKET-SIZE 125 is
`used to indicate the number of data bytes of the packet
`110. The PACKET~SIZE 125 is used by software that
`manipulates the various packets 110 to manage storage
`requirements.
`If the video is being transferred over a packet
`switched network having addressable locations the
`packet header 120 also includes an ADDRESS 124 to
`determine the destination of the packet 110. The desti
`nation corresponding to the geographical location of
`the CPE 10.
`The packet data 140 of each packet 110 includes
`either digital video data or digital audio data, but not
`both. In a typical video, there are about seven “video”
`packets for every “audio” packet. The packet data 140
`includes about 1 to 4 KB of encoded and compressed
`video or audio data. The data in the consecutive packets
`110 are treated as a continuous bit stream de?ning the
`frames of the video. Typically, the frames 180 are dis
`played on the viewing device at a ?xed rate of, for
`example, 30 frames per second.
`Depending on the level of compression, a frame 180
`can include 1 KB to 16 KB of digital data. In other
`words, for highly compressed portions of the video 100,
`a single video packet 110 may contain several frames
`180. For images compressed to a lesser extent, several
`packet 110 may be required to compose a single frame.
`A frame 180 includes a time-stamp bit sequence 181,
`frame data bits 182, and an end-of-frame bit sequence
`183. Two types of time-stamps 181 are used with
`MPEG compression, a program time-stamp and a tem
`poral time-stamp. A program time-stamp is the absolute
`time-wise position of the frame 180 relative to the begin
`ning of the video 100. A temporal time-stamp indicates
`the time-wise offset of the frame 180 relative to a previ
`ous frame. Typically every fourth frame will have pro
`gram time-stamp. The frequency of time stamping can
`be programmed at the time that the video is encoded
`and compressed.
`.
`For MPEG, three types of frames are de?ned: an
`I-frame; a P-frame; and a B-frame.
`An I-frame is a “reference” frame depicting an image
`which is not dependent on any other frame of the video.
`That is, the image of the I-frame is wholly derived from
`the bits of the I-frame.
`A P-frame is a “delta” frame representing an image
`derived from another frame. The P-frame contains the
`bits of the image which are different than the bits of the
`frame from which the image of the P-frame is to be
`derived. The P-frame typically includes a temporal
`
`Exhibit No. 2003
`Hulu, LLC v. Intertainer, Inc.
`Case IPR2014-01456
`
`
`
`5,442,390
`7
`time-stamp indicating the relative time-wise offset of
`the P-frame from the frame from which it is derived.
`A B-frame is an “interpolate” frame used to create
`images from previous and/or following I or P frames.
`The B-frame can also include a temporal time-stamp.
`Typically an I-Frame is larger, that is, includes more
`data, than a P-frame, which in turn is larger than a
`B-frame. The ratio of I-, to, P- to B-frames in a particu
`lar video varies greatly, depending on the encoder algo
`rithm used, and the type of motion and detail of the
`images represented by the frames.
`The packet ?ller 160 is used to assure a constant bit
`transmission rate at a predetermined bandwidth. For
`example, an MPEG compressed video, may only re
`quire a data rate of 1.2 Mb/sec in order to sustain play
`back of the video at normal or real-time speed. There
`fore, if the communications medium can sustain a higher
`signaling rate, for example, 1.5 Mb/ sec, the packet ?ller
`160 supplies the “bits” for the remaining 0.3 Mb/sec
`capacity of the communications medium. It is possible,
`20
`for example when the video is paused, that the packet
`contains only ?ller bits. However, if the video is trans
`ferred at higher than normal play-back rate, the packets
`110 of the video may not include the packet ?ller 180.
`In general, during operation of the video on-demand
`system 20, while a video is being transferred to a cus
`tomer, the logical path which is followed by the data of
`the video, is referred to as a “broadcast stream.” There
`fore, connecting a customer to a broadcast stream
`means enabling the delivery of a video.
`Usually, the packets 110 of the video are transmitted
`via the broadcast stream at play-back speed. That is, the
`rate of delivery of data to the CPE 10 is substantially
`synchronized with the play-back of the video on the
`viewing device 12. It should be apparent that portions
`of the video having different compression ratios may be
`delivered at differing rates.
`It is also possible for the broadcast stream to operate
`as an outlaw broadcast stream. An outlaw broadcast
`stream is a stream that is transferring video data at a
`non-play speed to a single customer. That is, the stream
`is not allocated for the continuous and concurrent deliv
`ery of video data to potentially multiple customers. For
`example, while a customer is forwarding or reversing,
`have the rate of data delivery is substantially different
`from the normal (real-time) play-back speed of the
`video. Therefore, the resources required to support the
`outlaw broadcast stream are generally not shared
`among customers.
`According to the preferred embodiment of the inven
`tion, resource requirements are minimized by having
`multiple customers share the resources of a single
`broadcast stream, and by eliminating outlaw broadcast
`stream as soon as possible. For example, by dynamically
`expanding the size of the FIFO buffer 60, multiple
`packet controllers 70 can read different portions of the
`same video. Thus, a single read of the video stored on
`the disks 53 can be viewed by multiple customers using
`the same FIFO buffer 60.
`The general operation of a procedure 400 for request
`ing video on-demand services is described with refer
`ence to FIG. 4. In step 410, the customer connects the
`CPE 10 to a selected one of the video on-demand sys
`tems 20 via the network 30. The connection can be
`made by pressing one or more buttons on the video
`controller 13, for example a remote controller or a tele
`phone. The interface box 11 connects to the video-on
`demand system 20 by, for example, auto-dialing, log
`
`8
`ging-on, or channel selecting, depending on the con?g
`uration of the network 30 used to reach the video on
`demand system 20.
`In step 420, after the connection is established, the
`CPE 10 is connected to the IGU 31 of the gateway
`server 21 for identifying the customer by using the
`subscriber data base 33 maintained by the gateway
`server 21. The subscriber data base 33 can include, in
`addition to billing and other administrative information,
`a description of the con?guration of the CPE 10 so that
`the video on-demand system 20 can determine how to
`communicate with the CPE 10 of a particular customer.
`In step 430, after the customer has been identi?ed, the
`customer selects a video for viewing. The video is se
`lected from a menu of available titles. The menu of
`available titles corresponds to the videos stored in the
`video juke box 41. The menu is displayed on the view
`ing device 12 and videos are selected with a remote
`controller. Alternatively, the menus are presented to
`the customer as voice messages, and the customer
`makes a selection by pushing the buttons on the tele
`phone.
`The customer may also select a particular portion of
`the video at which viewing should commence, that is,
`the “VIDEO-TIME.” If the customer selects a
`VIDEO-TIME, the video is transferred to the customer
`beginning with the packet 110 having a corresponding
`TIME-STAMP 123. If the VIDEO-TIME is not se
`lected, the video is shown from the beginning.
`In addition, the customer can also select the
`“BROADCAS
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