Patent ID: 6205525
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A system for retrieving blocks of data from a storage medium and supplying the data to users in the form of a plurality of at maximum n.sup.max data streams; wherein each data stream is in one of a plurality of states including at least a new and an active state, where a data stream upon creation is in the new state in which no sufficient data is present for consumption by a user and where for an active data stream a user may consume data; said system comprising:for each data stream an associated buffer for storing data; anda reader for reading in one sweep from the storage medium for each data stream of a selected group of data streams a predetermined size data block and for storing the read data blocks in the buffers associated with the data streams;a scheduler for repeatedly selecting the group of data streams for which a data block of a predetermined size needs to be read during a next sweeping operation of the reader; the group comprising active data streams whose associated buffers have room for storing the data block; and causing the reader to read data for the selected group; characterised in that: the scheduler is operative to minimize access time by variably determining the size of the data block for each next sweeping operation through an expression that, with respect to a number of data streams, is substantially based on an actual number n.sup.act of active data streams.