Scalable interactive multimedia server system for providing on demand

Abstract

Connects a host computer system (such as a mainframe or host server system) to a large multimedia (MM) distribution network having wide scalability without being limited by bandwidth constraints in the host system or in any multimedia controller for controlling 'on demand' viewing of movies at a large number of set-top-boxes (STBs) with TV sets. Connected to the host system is a network distribution arrangement comprised of a plurality of multimedia (MM) adapters, each MM adapter containing a plurality of MM controllers, each MM controller being connected to a multiplicity of MM pairs, each MM pair being connected to the network for controlling a direct distribution of movies to a large number of STBs. Each MM pair includes a disk adapter and a network adapter connected by a common MM pair bus for transmitting disk data blocks directly to the STBs. The disk adapter controls and receives data from one or more disk devices. The network adapter sends the disk data to the network. In each MM pair, a pair bus connects the network adapter to transmit data from the disk adapter to the network. Data files (movies) are stored on the disks, and any file can be selected by an STB for transmission to the STB. Data blocks are read directly from the disk to the pair bus and then directly through the network to the requesting STB. Any STB may issue interactive commands to control a data file while it is being received.