Bell Communications Research, Inc.

Alexander Gelman

Lanny Starkes Smoot

Stephen B Weinstein

Haim Kobrinski

Shlomo Halfin

A scheduling system and method, which employ a token passing scheme, for scheduling transmission of multimedia information between information warehouses (IWHs) and CO clusters (CCs) interconnected by ATM switch(es). Each CO cluster employs a CC schedule processor, which has means for receiving and means for storing requests for multimedia information, means for sorting and prioritizing the requests, means for forwarding requests to appropriate IWHs, and means for accepting or rejecting tokens offered by IWHs in response to a request. The IWH employs an IWH schedule processor which includes means for receiving and means for storing requests from CO clusters, means for selecting a request and generating a token to be sent to the CO cluster originating the request, and means for storing a list of CO cluster rejecting tokens. Requests received from multiple subscribers are stored, sorted, and prioritized at CC schedule processors, which forward the requests to appropriate IWHs. The schedule processor of each IWH receives and stores requests from CO clusters, selects a request to be serviced based on a first distance function and issues a token to the CO cluster originating the selected request. The CC schedule processor of each CO cluster selects a token to be accepted based upon a second distance function, and the requested multimedia information is transmitted from the IWH issuing the token to the CO cluster. Other tokens are rejected and returned to the issuing IWH. Each IWH may maintain a list of CO cluster rejecting its issued tokens.

Scheduling transmission multimedia information in broadband networks

A store-and-forward architecture which stores and distributes information programs to subscribers on demand includes: information warehouses which archive information programs from multiple service vendors and dispense information programs in segments to central offices in high speed bursts; central offices which manages subscriber's request for service and buffers segments of information programs for delivery to subscribers in real-time under the subscriber's interactive control; and customer premises equipment where a subscriber's requests and control signals for interactive play-out of information program are generated and information programs are received for the subscriber's use.

Communications architecture and method for distributing information

A store-and-forward architecture which stores and distributes information programs to subscribers includes: information warehouses which archive information programs and dispense information programs in segments to central offices in bursts; central offices which manage subscriber's requests for service and buffer segments of information programs for delivery to subscribers in real-time under the subscriber's interactive control; and customer premises equipment. The central offices employ CO buffers, and each CO buffer includes: processors, for administering internal buffer operations and processing subscribers requests based upon the service presentation script and a program presentation map; interfaces for providing external access; busses for internal transport; buffer storage for storing segments of information programs; and memory storage for storing the script and map.

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Brooklyn, NY, United States of America

Alexander Gelman