0U
`
`S005790176A
`(11) Patent Number:
`145] Date of Patent:
`
`5,790,176
`Aug. 4, 1998
`
`G. Domann, “BERKOM Test Network and BISDN/CATV
`Concept”.
`PA. Polese et al., “Residential Subscriber System in a
`Broadband ISDN Environment”.
`MLL. Liou, “Visual Telephony as an ISDN Application”.
`H. Yasuda etal.. “1/544—Mbit/s Transmission of TV Signals
`by Interframe Coding Systems”.
`H. Nikajima, “Enhanced Video Response System—VRS
`Phase IT’.
`
`K. Haji, “Video Response System—VRS—”.
`British Patent Document No. GB 2 193 420 A.
`
`“The Electronic Still Store: A Digital System for the Storage
`and Display of Still Pictures”, by W.G. Connolly et al..
`SMPTEJournal, vol. 85, No. 8, pp. 609-613 (Aug. 1976).
`
`Primary Examiner—Stella Woo
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Lowe, Price, LeBlanc & Becker
`(S7]
`ABSTRACT
`
`A media server receives, stores and forwards multi-media
`data and full motion video feature presentations within a
`public switched telephone network. The media server
`Teceives wide band digital video and MPEG encoded video
`signals. The wide band digital video is encoded using either
`a real-time MPEG encoding for immediate transmission
`over network facilities to subscribers or, using a multi-pass
`MPEG encoder for storage by the Media Server for subse-
`quenttransmission. The Media Server includes four levels of
`storage including DRAM. optical and magnetic disk storage,
`high speed tape storage and archival storage. A Librarian
`Processor allocates storage space on a media appropriate to
`retrieval requirements for the video data. The Librarian is
`responsive to a Storage Manager Processor and a Session
`Manager Processorfor providing video program data to an
`Output Controller. The Session Manager Processor monitors
`all input, output and throughput of the Media Server and
`monitors all user initiated sessions. Interface with users for
`multi-media applications and interactive control of video
`presentations is over a packet data network, via an interac-
`tive processor which receives and decodes control data. A
`Multi-Media Application Processor supports multi-media
`applications resident on the Media Server.
`
`36 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
`
`*
`United States Patent
`Craig
`
`.
`
`15)
`
`[54] MEDIA SERVER FOR SUPPLYING VIDEO
`AND MULTI-MEDIA DATA OVER THE
`PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE
`NETWORK
`
`Inventor: Bernard Jeff Craig. Nokesville, Va.
`[75]
`[73] Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc..
`Arlington, Va.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 416,016
`[22] Filed:
`Apr. 3, 1995
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`[63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 910,395, Jul. 8, 1992,
`abandoned.
`
`E51] Witt, CS cocccsecssscssesstnessnsesnsee HO4M 11/00
`[52] U.S. Cl.........
`348/13, 348/7; 455/6.3
`
`(S8] Field of Search... 348/13, 6. 7, 12;
`379/105, 96, 93.25, 93.17, 102.02, 102.03;
`455/3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1, 6.3
`
`56
`156}
`
`References Cited
`e
`ue
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
`'
`
`ON
`
` an
`
`
`
`sm
`sin!
`MAGHETIC
`WGR
`a»
`aw
`ost,
`SPEEO
`
`
`|are oat
`570
`
`
`
`careway
`| PRocessOR
`
`| | conTROL
`SERVER
`
`1
`
`SAMSUNG 1036
`
`1
`
`SAMSUNG 1036
`
`

`

`5,790,176
`
`Page 2
`
`.
`
`.
`
`.
`
`.
`
`.
`
`....-sscssscserseesseess 455/3.1
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,635,136
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`4,777 525
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`4,852,154
`4,866,515
`4,868,866
`4,870,479
`4,888,638
`4,890,320
`
`1/1987
`3/1987
`10/1987
`3/1988
`T1988
`7/1988
`8/1988
`8/1988
`10/1988
`12/1988
`1/1989
`2/1989
`4/1989
`4/1989
`5/1989
`5/1989
`6/1989
`FA989
`T1989
`FA989
`9/1989
`9/1989
`9/1989
`12/1989
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`
`.
`
`.
`
`.
`
`.
`
`Ciampaet al.
`Bottle et al.
`.
`Kinoshita et al.
`Pococket al.
`.
`Bestler et al.
`Laspada .
`.
`Clarket al.
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`Kaplan et al.
`.
`Bestler et al.
`.
`Beaulier .
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`Kondo et al. .
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`.
`Barton et al. .
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`Lewis et al.
`.
`Tagawaetal. .
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`
`1/1990
`T1990
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`2/1991
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`4/1991
`4/1991
`5/1991
`6/1991
`TA992
`FA992
`12/1992
`6/1993
`T1993
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`2/1997
`
`Fosteret al. .
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`.
`Tindell et al. .
`‘Yurt et al.
`.
`Bradley et al.
`Hoarty et al.
`Wachob .
`.
`Litteral et al.
`Gelman etal. .......
`Coddington et al.
`.
`AWapi secs
`Grady etal.
`Voeten et al.
`Verbiest et al.
`Yurt et al.
`.....
`Youden et al.
`
`
`
`
`.
`
`...
`
`wee 455/42
`379/105
`~ 455/42
`. 455/4.2
`- 455/42
`. 455/4.1
`. 455/3.1
`nones 348/13
`
`2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 4, 1998
`
`Sheet 1 of 6
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`5,790,176
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`U.S. Patent
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 4, 1998
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`Sheet 5 of 6
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`5,790,176
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`U.S. Patent
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`Aug. 4, 1998
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`5.790,176
`
`1
`MEDIA SERVER FOR SUPPLYING VIDEO
`AND MULTI-MEDIA DATA OVER THE
`PUBLIC SWITCHED TELEPHONE
`NETWORK
`
`This is a Continuation-In-Part Application of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 07/910,395, filed Jul. 8, 1992 aban-
`doned.
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`Theinvention relates to a data storage distribution system
`using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and.
`more particularly, to a media server for supplying stored
`image. video and audio data to local subscribers over a
`PSTN.
`
`BACKGROUNDART
`
`Video programming options have experienced rapid
`growth with advances in communications technology.
`Recent trends have been directed to user definition of
`programming, with each system subscriber specifying the
`programming to be provided. Such a system is described in
`related co-pending application Ser. No. 07/766.535, now
`US. Pat. No. 5,247,347 issued Sep. 21, 1993.
`In addition to conventional full-motion video programs.
`advances in personal computer capabilities have created
`increased demands on data base sources to supply informa-
`tion to households and business. Corresponding increases in
`data availability, storage, retrieval and transmission capa-
`bilities have supported recent growth multi-media data pre-
`sentation of information. Multi-media presentations include,
`in addition to conventional text, still-images, animation,
`slow and fast scan video, and graphics format visual pre-
`sentations, Multi-media also includes sound data presented
`in concert with. or independent of, one or more ofthe listed
`visual presentations. A multi-media presentation can range
`from the equivalent of an electronic book including plain
`test in combination with still images to full motion video
`presentations of feature movies. Thus. multi-media spans a
`wide spectrum of data storage, retrieval and transmission
`requirements to present information in various formats to
`system users.
`As described, multi-media includes full motion video
`presentations. Various systems have been suggested to selec-
`tively provide a user with requested video programming.
`These systems are sometimes referred to as programming-
`on-demand and impulse pay per view. Monslow et al. U.S.
`Pat. Nos. 4,890.320 and 4.995.078. respectively issued Dec.
`26, 1989 and Feb. 19, 1991. These patents disclose a
`television broadcast system for real-time transmission of a
`viewer-chosen program at a viewer requested time to the
`requesting viewer’s television receiver. The system com-
`ptises a program collection, which stores TV programs on a
`video tape. Each program is assigned and labeled with a
`catalog number.
`A viewer request is ttansmitted using a conventional
`telephone over the PSTN to a scheduling computer. The
`chosen program is transmitted at the requested time over a
`broadband cable for viewing on the requesting viewer’s
`television receiver. A control unit prevents other households
`connected to the cable from viewing the program.
`Cohen U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,187 issued Aug. 14, 1990
`describes a video communication system comprising a
`remotely controlled central source of video and audio data.
`This system allows home viewers to select from a choice of
`movies or other video and audio data that may be transmitted
`
`25
`
`30
`
`2
`from the central source to be stored at the viewer's premises.
`The viewer can play the selection at any convenient time of
`his choosing. The central source maystore the data digitally.
`Movies that need to be frequently accessed are stored on
`disks. Movies that are accessed only infrequently are
`archived. A distribution system CPU controls the bidirec-
`tional flow of data from both types of drives. Several movies
`can be transmitted simultaneously to different users through
`a plurality of input/output controliers. To make use of a
`single transmission media, such as a telephone line, a
`multiplexer is used, which may multiplex in the time domain
`or the frequency domain.
`Etra U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,334. issued Apr. 30, 1991 dis-
`closes a video image bank for storing a plurality of video
`image sequences. The bank provides a visual effects set for
`video production. The bank includes a library of video disks
`with an associated library index. A microprocessor is loaded
`with the library index. Groups ofstill frames. one from each
`identified image sequence, are displayed and an operator
`selects any one of the represented image sequences for
`addition to an edit tape and associated edit list prepared by
`the bank.
`Ciampaet al. U.S. Pat. No. 4.635.136. issued Jan. 6. 1987
`discloses a massive inventory of labeled images, which are
`stored in a digital form. A TV signal for each image is
`generated by a video camera. Stored digital information
`defines the route for a video camera to each site where a
`video image is recorded.
`Lambert U.S. Pat. No. 4.381.522. issued Apr. 26. 1983
`discloses a cable television system which includes a plural-
`ity of selectable video signal sources having selectable
`television program material. The system enables a viewer to
`select desired program material available by telephoneat a
`remote location and have the selected material promptly
`available for viewing. A minicomputerstores information on
`the program source location,
`the status of the selected
`program source, the available channels and the schedules for
`each.
`Walter et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4.5 13,390,issued Apr. 23, 1985
`discloses an information system for storage. retrieval and
`generation of information from a plurality of multi-media
`sources. The system uses a plurality of source inputs and a
`plurality of data outputs, all under the control of a common
`computer that
`is operative along a common data bus.
`Included as source inputs are stored memory data, hard copy.
`microfiche and direct operator entered data.
`Pocock et al. U.S. Pat. Nos, 4.734.764 and 4,941,040,
`issued respectively on Mar. 29, 1988 and Jul. 10, 1990
`disclose cable TV systems for distributing pre-recorded
`video and audio messages, which comprise a remote storage
`device. The video is presented as still frames. which are
`stored in a multiple node frame store. A video frame has one
`of the scan lines in its video blanking signal uniquely
`addressed.
`
`Nakalima et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,176, issued Aug. 27,
`1985 discloses a video/audio transmission system. which
`sends video and audio information from video and audio
`files at a center to a subscriber through at least one subcenter
`having a video/audio buffer memory.
`Walter U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,387. issued Mar. 19. 1985
`discloses a programming-on-demand cable system, which
`allows any one of a plurality of users to request any one of
`a plurality of video programs from a library of programs.
`The programs are stored in memory devices selectable by a
`host computer at a central data station in response to an
`address signal transmitted from the user. Upon requestof the
`
`65
`
`9
`
`

`

`5,790,176
`
`3
`viewers, the programs are transmitted at a high non-real-
`timerate over a fiber optic line network. Optical data is then
`reconverted to electrical data and stored for broadcastto the
`viewers.
`
`McCalley et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,372, issued May 9,
`1989 discloses a presentation player which is utilized in a
`digital, interactive communication system accessible to a
`plurality of subscribers who can select any of a plurality of
`pre-recorded video/audio presentations for viewing on their
`TV sets. The system includes a large scale data base. which
`stores digital information including still frame images and
`textual information in hard disk memory units.
`Beaulier U.S. Pat. No. 4,821,121, issued Apr. 11, 1989
`discloses a still image store system, which stores and selec-
`tively outputs video image data. A random access frame
`store receives input video data converted into digital form
`and transfers the data to a disk store for more permanent
`storage. Full size data and reduced size data of the same
`video image are stored.
`Bohn U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,638, issued Dec. 19, 1989
`discloses a marketing research system for substituting stored
`TV programs for regularly scheduled, broadcast TV pro-
`grams. The substitute TV programs maybe transmitted from
`a central office via telephone lines to households of coop-
`erating panelists for storage at the household premises.
`While providing multipie data formats from a data base to
`a user. these prior art systems do not integrate network
`control functions to provide a high speed data link between
`major nodes narrow band encoded data from nodes to
`remote users. In particular, prior art systems are not respon-
`sive to individual user requests for providing high speed data
`connectivity from a data source to a node serving one or
`more users and selectively scheduling and supplying
`requesting users with programming.
`Related copending application Ser. No. 07/766.535 filed
`Sep. 27, 1991 describes Video-On-Demand(VoD) Services
`that provide video programming to subscribers over the
`public switched telephone network (PSTN). A menu of
`video programming information is accessible at the sub-
`scriber’s premises. The subscriber may transmit ordering
`information via the PSTN to independent video information
`providers. Video programming may be accessed and trans-
`mitted to the subscriber directly from a video information
`provider (VIP) or through a video buffer located at a central
`office (CO) serving the subscriber.
`The VIP transmits codeddigital video data over wideband
`PSTN supplied connectivity to a central office. The video
`data may be buffered at the central office for transmission
`over a POTSline to the subscriber. A subscriber may use
`either a standard telephone instrument over the PSTN or a
`dedicated control device over an ISDN packet network to
`order the video programming. Such a device is located at a
`television set of the subscriber and permits a display of the
`program menu onthe television screen.
`Connectivity between the central office and the subscriber
`for transmission of video data is provided by an asymmetri-
`cal digital subscriber line (ADSL) system. ADSLinterface
`units perform frequency multiplexing of digital video infor-
`mation with voice information to be transmitted to the
`subscriber and support transmission on the ISDN packet
`data network of a reverse control channel from the sub-
`scriber to the central office.
`However, the Video-on-Demand system does notinclude
`an integral library of video program material, nor does it
`support integration of several sources of programming mate-
`rial to provide a multi-media or mixed media presentation.
`
`4
`The VoD buffer includes limited storage capabilities for
`video and audio data supplied by a VIP. Enhanced function-
`ality is required to support multiple program storage and to
`integrate data from various data bases to provide composite
`programming required for multi-media and mixed-media
`presentations.
`To support network management, a need further exists for
`a system which dynamically interacts with network facilities
`to reconfigure network resources in real-time and in
`response to information requests. A further need exists for a
`library system for accessing and retrieving multi-media
`programming from storage and from independent informa-
`tion providers in response to user requests and transmitting
`the data over wide bandwidth links to a node serving a user.
`Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a
`library of multi-media data including video programming on
`demand using components of the PSTN.
`Another object of the invention is to provide subscriber
`access to multiple sources of combined image and textual
`programming over the PSTN.
`Still another object of the invention is to provide real-time
`subscriber control of multi-media and video programming
`delivery.
`A still further object of the invention is to provide a
`selected video program to a subscriber within a predeter-
`mined short processing interval after initiation of a request.
`DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
`
`According to one aspect of the invention. a media server
`for supplying multi-media data includes a user request
`processor responsive to a user request for supplying infor-
`mation request data. A session controller is responsive to the
`information request data for supplying information retrieval
`data and output control data. A data storage device is
`responsive to the information retrieval data for supplying
`program data. An output controller, responsive to the output
`control data, supplies the requested multi-media data. The
`multi-media data may include text, still images, graphics,
`low and high resolution partial and full motion video and
`audio.
`
`The output controller includes transmission circuitry for
`transmitting the multi-media data to remote end users.
`According to a feature of the invention, a public switched
`telephone network is responsive to the output control data
`from the session controller for supplying the multi-media
`data to remote end users. The user request data is supplied
`to the user request processor means by the public switched
`telephone network.
`According to another aspect of the invention, the user
`request processor includes a transmission receiver for
`receiving the user request data from a remote end user. The
`user request data is supplied to the transmission receiver by
`a public switched telephone network.
`In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
`data storage device includes a plurality of storage media for
`storing the program data. The data storage device may
`include both optical and magnetic memories and may further
`include three different storage media having substantially
`different respective information retrieval times.
`According to a further aspect of the invention, session
`manager includes an output port selector responsive to the
`user request data for supplying output port assignment data
`and a memory for storing session status data. The memory
`includes a table for storing output port assignment data,
`input port assignment data, and program status data.
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`5
`the
`According to yet another aspect of the invention,
`media server includes a program storage librarian responsive
`to the information retrieval data for supplying program
`priority data of respective program data. the data storage
`device responsive to the program priority data for storing the
`program data.
`According to an additional aspect of the invention. a
`random access storage unit provides storage of the program
`data.
`
`According to still another aspect of the invention, a
`program data input controller is responsive to the session
`controller for supplying real-time program data to the data
`storage device. A video data encoder receives the real-time
`program data and supplies encoded video program data to
`the data storage device and/or to the output controller for
`immediate distribution.
`
`the
`According to yet another aspect of the invention,
`session controller includes session registers for storing
`dynamic frame location data indicating a current frame
`position of the program data. The session controller may
`further include a memory for storing a session routing table
`having program data routing data and program source data
`for active users.
`
`According to a further aspect of the invention, the session
`controller is responsive to user address and file selection
`data for supplying network configuration request data. The
`user request processor may include security processor for
`storing user access data and, responsive to the user access
`data, selectively supplying the information request data to
`the session controller.
`
`According a particular feature of the invention, the user
`request processor can detect a user control link failure. The
`user request processor may further include an audio
`response unit for receiving the user request data and for
`supplying audio responses to a requesting user and a pro-
`gram catalog processor responsive to the user request data
`for supplying the program catalog data to a requesting user.
`According to another feature of the invention. the user
`Tequest processor means supplies the user request data to a
`multi-media processing means for supplying information
`retrieval data to the data storage device.
`The media file server system handles requests received
`from a Video Services Gateway and provides a videofile
`feed to the customer via the network link In addition to
`Video-on-Demand. capability, the server supports other user
`highly interactive multi-media applications. The serveris a
`file managementsystem responsible for inputting video files
`from video and multi-media information provides storing
`these files or passing the real-time data through to the user,
`keeping track of the user’s session, handling all interactive
`control requests from the user, and controlling all output to
`the user.
`
`The system comprises an input controller, Q.931, X.25,
`T1 and DS-3 interfaces, a librarian, a storage manager, a
`session manager, an output controller, an interactive
`processor, and a multi-media application processor. The
`librarian provides file functions including distribution of
`video, audio, stills, and text selections to the session man-
`ager and the multi-media application processor at the request
`of itself and the multi-media application processor. The
`librarian keeps track of the storage location of all multi-
`media selections and catalogs and stores all incoming files
`from VIPs. The librarian records access history for deter-
`mining statistical usage and trends. This information is used
`for. amongother things. designating frequently used features
`for assignment to rapid access highly addressable storage.
`
`6
`Various storage modules of differing capacity and access
`speed are provided.
`Storage format is MPEG encodeddigital video. received
`from the VIPs. or D1 digital video, which is MPEG encoded
`by the server processor and stored in MPEG format. The
`processor provides appropriate interface with intelligent
`protocol.
`The above and other objects. features and advantages of
`the present invention will become apparent from the fol-
`lowing description taken in conjunction with the accompa-
`nying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multi-media programming
`distribution system including a media server according to
`the invention integrated in a public switched telephone
`network.
`
`FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram of a media server
`according to the invention.
`FIGS. 3. 3A and 3B are a detailed block diagram of a
`media server according to the invention.
`FIG.4 is a block diagram of program storage facilities of
`the media server according to the invention.
`FIG.§ is a block diagram of program storage facilities of
`the media server illustrating data block distribution based
`upon the data striping technique of the present invention.
`BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
`INVENTION
`
`The overall Video-on-Demand and multi-media distribu-
`tion service platform shown in FIG. 1 uses existing com-
`ponents of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
`The system supports storage and distribution of conven-
`tional full motion video programs (“features”) such as
`movies at user request, ic., Video-on-Demand (VoD). Also
`supported are multi-media presentations and processing.
`including combinations of text, still images, and full and
`partial motion video. Video may include interactive activi-
`ties such as training applications. games, shopping, etc.
`The Media Server uses compression techniques to store
`video and other multi-media data in memory resources
`controlled by the Media Server for subsequent forwarding
`over interoffice facilities. The switchingfacilities are located
`in Central Offices (COs) serving residential customers or
`subscribers. Loop electronic devices modify the transmis-
`sion characteristics of the local copper loop. to provide
`required enhancement to the PSTN and permit delivery of
`full motion video information and other media.
`
`High data rate types of multi-media data are encoded to
`conserve system resources. For example, analog video infor-
`mation is first converted to a digital format using encoding
`algorithms standardized by the International Standards
`Organization (ISOs) Motion Picture Experts Group
`(MPEG). Each title comprises video information stored by
`the Media Server as an addressabledata file in conventional
`data processing devices functioning as a video library. The
`function of establishing and monitoring connections linking
`a video library port transmitting selected information with
`the end user ports receiving the information is performed by
`a supervisory controller such as a network control system,
`eg.. FLEXCOM software, used to control the electronic
`digital cross-connect switches (DCS) in the PSTN. The
`DCS, also used for switching two-way DS-1 rate
`transmissions, is adapted to additionally provide bridging or
`broadcast of video information to several users. Data session
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`7
`control between a video library port and a remote user is one
`of the functions performed by the session manager of the
`Media Server.
`The network control software of the Media Server in
`combination with management resources of the PSTN (i-e.,
`FLEXCOMI/LINC or other Network Management System)
`control the “network session” between an Output Controller
`of the Media Server, external program providers. and user
`ports. The session manager also maintains a record of
`relevant data regarding each session which is forwarded to
`a customer billing system.
`Customerlocal loops equipped with Asymmetric Digital
`Subscriber Line (ADSL) devices are connected to the DCS.
`The multi-media distribution system provides for the simul-
`taneous transport of a one-way 1.544 megabit per second
`(MBPS)signal over the sametwisted pair transmitting voice
`messages to the residential subscriber. The ADSL trans-
`ported signal is dennultiplexed and the 1.544 portion is then
`decoded using MPEG standard techniquesto deliver a full
`motion video signal. In the PSTN.fiberoptic technology will
`replace existing coaxial and twisted pair connectivity with
`corresponding enhancements made to switching and routing
`equipment.
`Referring to FIG. 1, a multi-media system includes CO
`equipment 10 which is part of a PSTN. CO 10 provides
`connectivity from information providers 140 and 160
`through the system to Media Servers 200 and 202 to
`multi-media subscriber 100 and VoD subscriber 120.
`
`CO equipment 10 includes a conventional voice switch 12
`which includes means to detect off-hook, service requests,
`call completion(i.¢., ring trip), a DTMF decoder 14 and dial
`pulse detector. Voice switch 12 also includes an actual
`telephone call connection switch for routing voice circuits
`amongthe various ports. The CO equipment shown may be
`physically distributed over several sites.
`Connected to voice switch 12 are ADSL equipment 16
`and 18 for multiplexing (i) voice and signaling information
`from voice switch 12 and(ii) digital multi-media data from
`Digital Cross-Connect System (DCS) 24 onto respective
`subscriber local loops 20 and 22. Multi-media data from
`roulti-media information providers 140 and 16@ is provided
`to DCS node 26 where it is selectively supplied to Media
`Server 200 or immediately transmitted to DCS node 24
`under control of Network Management System 28.
`In addition to providing pre-stored video and multi-media
`programming. the Media Server accepts video and multi-
`media programming from video and multi-media informa-
`tion providers 140 and 16@ for later transmission and for
`real-time and multi-pass MPEG encoding, Real-time encod-
`ing is used to provide encoded full motion video while
`minimizing network transmission requirements and provid-
`ing a signal compatible with ADSL connectivity to sub-
`scriber premises 10@ and 120. Multi-pass encoding per-
`formed by the Media Server provides a higher quality video
`signal for storage and later transmission over the network to
`subscriber premises 100 and 120.
`ADSLs 16 and 18 multiplex data on subscribers loops 20
`and 22 using frequency multiplexing, dividing the available
`loop bandwidth into three segments. Base band audio and
`signaling below 4 kilohertz (kHz) provides connectivity for
`a conventional telephone services available on the “plain old
`telephone system” (POTS). Alternatively, ISDN channel
`requirements consume the bottom 80 kHz of loop band-
`width. Reverse channel digital packet information is posi-
`tioned between 80 and 90 kHz providing approximately 16
`kilobits per second (kbps) connectivity from the subscriber
`
`8
`premises to a packet switched network such as ISDN
`network over a D-channel interface. Compressed video and
`multi-media data is contained between 100 and 400 kHz to
`provide a 1.6 MBPS channel for transporting the video and
`multi-media data over respective loops 20 and 22 to cus-
`tomer premises 100 and 120.
`The Media Server is shown in further detail in FIG. 2. The
`Media Server system processes all requests from Video
`Gateway 30 for providing multi-media and video file feeds
`to customer premises via the DCS and ADSL systems. The
`Media Server preforms input of video and other information
`files from Video multi-media information providers 140 and
`160, stores these files