Interactive video distribution systems – User-requested video program system – Video-on-demand
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-01
2001-04-03
Kostak, Victor R. (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
User-requested video program system
Video-on-demand
C725S115000, C725S145000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212681
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a video/audio information processing apparatus and method thereof capable of supplying any data file requested for reproduction to a plurality of terminal devices in a multi-channel data transfer network when in case within a permissible range of an output channel number of the video/audio information processing apparatus, and in particular to a video/audio information processing apparatus and method thereof intermittently reading out in time division a digital data file of a video/audio soft previously stored in a random-accessible mass storage means in response to an external reproduction designation command and decoding and continuously generating as video/audio data from a designated channel. Relating to the video/audio information processing apparatus and method thereof, in an information central processing room such as, e.g., a management room of a hotel, there are provided a video/game server device as a supply source of data files of video/game and the like, a switching device (referred to as “switch”, hereinafter), a host computer for generally controlling these, and the like, while in the terminal user side of such as each guest room of the hotel, there is provided a video/audio terminal device which comprises a television monitor, a set-top box and a game pad, whereby the host computer receives a request for reproduction of a video/audio data file transmitted from each terminal side and then the host computer controls the video/game server device and the switch to thereby supply the requested video/audio data file to the video/audio terminal side, thus realizing the so-called video-on-demand. In the explanation hereinbelow, the video/game server device mentioned above is referred to as a data processing device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, there has been a demand for a video/audio information processing and supplying system capable of collectively managing processes of storage, search, reproduction and the like of a data file of video/game soft and the like, and also capable of automatically adding and renewing a data file and managing a soft with a reduction in total equipment, reducing the time in accessing to a soft.
The following describes a conventional video/audio information processing system in a multi-channel data transfer network with reference to a drawing.
FIG. 9
shows an essential construction of a conventional video/audio information processing system of this type. In
FIG. 9
,
101
is a host computer,
102
is a data processing device,
103
is a switch, and
104
-
1
through
104
-n (represented by “
104
”, hereinafter) are video/audio terminals. The host computer
101
, data processing device
102
and switch
103
are provided in a data control center such as, e.g., a management room of a hotel while the video/audio terminal
104
is provided in, e.g., each guest room of the hotel, where data transmission between the switch
103
and each terminal
104
is performed via, for example, a coaxial cable.
The host computer
101
generally controls the data processing device
102
and the switch
103
and receives requests (demand) from the plurality of video/audio terminals
104
and then transfers the received requests to the data processing device
102
. Also, the host computer
101
controls the switch
103
to supply the video/audio data from the data processing device
102
to the video/audio terminals
104
which transmitted the requests.
The data processing device
102
includes a plurality of video tape recorders
106
-
1
through
106
-k (represented by “
106
”, hereinafter), a plurality of game player devices
107
-
1
through
107
-m (represented by “
107
”, hereinafter) and a control device
108
. The control device
108
receives a request from the host computer
101
and transmits a reply to the host computer and controls the playback, stopping, rapid feeding, reverse winding and the like operation of the video tape recorders
106
, and also controls the starting, stopping and the like of the game player devices
107
.
The video tape recorders
106
have optional cassette softs
109
-
1
through
109
-k (represented by “
109
”, hereinafter) previously inserted, and similarly the game players
107
have optional CD-ROM game softs
110
-
1
through
110
-m (represented by “
110
”, hereinafter) inserted. As to what video softs are provided in each video tape recorder
106
and what game softs are provided in each game player
107
, it is confirmed by previously registering as management information the number of each video tape recorder
106
or each game player
107
paired with the name of each video soft
109
or each game soft
110
in the control device
108
. In addition, information as to whether the video tape recorder
106
or game player
107
is being used or not, is also registered as management information.
It is noted here that it is not necessary to provide different video softs from each other in the video tape recorders and that a plurality of video tape recorders may be provided with video softs having the same contents, if necessary. This may be similarly applied to the game devices.
The switch
103
connects in circuit line in optional combination between each video tape recorder
106
/ game player
107
and each video/audio terminal
104
in response to a control signal from the host computer
101
.
The video/audio terminals
104
comprise television monitors
111
-
1
through
111
-n, set-top boxes
112
-
1
through
112
-n selecting, e.g., a program, and game pads
113
-
1
through
113
-n, respectively, and are commonly connected to an output terminal of the switch
103
via, e.g., a coaxial cable, and are allocated to different frequencies, namely, different channels from each other.
Herein, the following describes a reproduction procedure of a data file of a video soft or a game soft in the conventional example mentioned above.
When the set-top box
112
-
1
of, for example, a video/audio terminal
104
-
1
is operated to send a request for reproduction of a data file of a video soft A from the set-top box
112
-
1
to the host computer
101
via the switch
103
, the host computer
101
receives the request and transmits the request to the control device
108
in the data processing device
102
.
In the control device
108
which received the request for the video soft A from the host computer
101
, it is searched, based on the management information, which video tape recorder among the plurality of the video tape recorders
106
is provided with the video soft A, and it is also examined based on the management information whether or not the video tape recorder is being used. Assuming that the requested video soft A is provided in, e.g., a video tape recorder
106
-
2
and the video tape recorder
106
-
2
is not under usage, the control device informs the host computer
103
. that the data file of the video soft A is reproduced from the video tape recorder
106
-
2
and commands the video tape recorder
106
-
2
to start the reproduction operation.
When the host computer
101
receives the information from the control device
108
, the host computer controls the connecting condition of the switch
103
so that the circuit line is connected between the video tape recorder
106
-
2
and the video/audio terminal
104
-
1
which transmitted the request for the soft A. Accordingly, the data of the video soft A reproduced by the video tape recorder
106
-
2
is supplied by transmission to the video/audio terminal
104
-
1
via the switch
103
, and the data of the video soft A is displayed on the television monitor
111
-
1
while the audio data thereof is generated from a loudspeaker attached to the television monitor. Thus, a person in a room provided with the video/audio terminal
104
-
1
can enjoy the video soft A.
If the video tape recorders provided with the video soft A are all being used, a reply that there is no vacancy for enjoying the video soft A is sent to the host computer
101
and the host computer
101
transmits the effect via the swi
Kostak Victor R.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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