Interactive video distribution systems – User-requested video program system – Near video-on-demand system
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-03
2001-07-17
Britton, Howard (Department: 2613)
Interactive video distribution systems
User-requested video program system
Near video-on-demand system
C386S349000, C725S091000, C725S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06263504
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data delivery system, a data receiving apparatus, and a storage medium suitable for use in a video on demand system which can deliver video data in accordance with for example a request generated at any time.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has long been a demand for realization of a practical video on demand (VOD) system which can instantaneously provide a video program in accordance with the request of a receiver. A VOD system able to individually respond to requests generated at any time, however, would require an extremely large sized data transmitting apparatus performing complex processing.
Therefore, a near video on demand (NVOD) system which enables the configuration of the data transmitting apparatus to be simplified while realizing a similar function to that of a VOD system has been proposed. The NVOD system which has been proposed heretofore is a system that transmits a certain program to a plurality of channels at predetermined time intervals, selects a channel at which that program is started from the start from the next time zone in response to a request generated in a certain time zone, and provides that program.
Such an NVOD system, however, due to its basic setup, of courses results in a certain waiting time before the receiver can starts to view the desired program. This waiting time is tedious for the receiver. Therefore, instantaneous response equivalent to that of a true VOD system is now desired for NVOD systems as well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a data delivery system suitable for use for a VOD system which can instantaneously provide video data in response to a request with a configuration of hardware equivalent to that of an NVOD system.
Another object of the present Invention is to provide a data receiving apparatus which can instantaneously provide video data in response to a request even though receiving transmission of video data similar to that of an NVOD system.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium suitable for use for a receiving apparatus of a data delivery system featuring an instantaneous response equivalent to that of a VOD system by a configuration of hardware equivalent to that of an NVOD system.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an NVOD system in which a storage device is provided at the user terminal side so as to enable the same service as that by a VOD system to be provided. Namely, the data of the first part of the video data is stored in the receiving apparatus in advance. When there is a request for reproduction, the stored data is immediately reproduced. The data after the first data is delivered in the same way as the NVOD system heretofore and buffered within the receiving apparatus. This data is reproduced to continue after the data of the first part.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data delivery system which has a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus and sends data forming a video program from the transmitting apparatus to the receiving apparatus, the data delivery system comprising: a first data outputting means provided in the transmitting apparatus for outputting data subsequent to a predetermined time's worth of data at the start of a video program to a plurality of channels staggered by a time zones each comprised of the predetermined time at the longest; a first storage means provided in the receiving apparatus for storing in advance the predetermined time's worth of data of the start of the video program to be delivered; a channel selecting means for selecting the channel at which the data subsequent to the predetermined time's worth of data of the start of the video program will be output earliest from among the plurality of channels in accordance with a request for reception of the video program generated from the receiving apparatus in a certain time zone among the time zones; a second storage means for sequentially storing the data of the selected channel and, at the same time, sequentially reproducing the stored data; and a data reproducing means provided in the receiving means for reproducing the data stored in the first storage means in accordance with the request for reception, sequentially reproducing the data sequentially stored in the second storage means following the reproduction of this data, and thereby restoring the video program.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a data receiving apparatus which receives data forming a predetermined video program and subsequent to a predetermined time's worth of data of the start of the video program to be delivered is distributed to a plurality of channels staggered by time zones each comprised by the predetermined time at the longest and reproduces the same on a monitor, the data receiving apparatus comprising: a first storage means for storing the predetermined time's worth of data of the start of the video program; a second storage means for sequentially storing data subsequent to the predetermined time's worth of data at the start of the video program selected In accordance with a request for reception of data forming the video program generated in a certain time zone among the time zones and, at the same time, sequentially reproducing the same; and a data reproducing means for reproducing the data stored in the first storage means in accordance with the request for reception and sequentially reproducing the data sequentially stored in the second storage means following the reproduction of this data so as to restore the video program.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium used in a receiving apparatus for reproducing a video program in a data delivery system which distributes data subsequent to a predetermined time's worth of data of the start of a video program to be delivered among a plurality of video programs to a plurality of channels staggered by time zones comprised of the predetermined time at the longest, delivers this distributed data from a transmitting apparatus to the receiving apparatus, and plays back the delivered video program at the receiving apparatus, the recording medium having a means attachable and detachable to and from a recording and/or reproducing means provided in the receiving apparatus and a storage region for storing a predetermined time's worth of data of the start of each of the plurality of video programs being defined.
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Britton Howard
Frommer William S.
Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP.
Sony Corporation
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