Patent Publication Number: US-8122478-B2

Title: Method and system for interactive multimedia

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/252,326 filed Feb. 18, 1999 (allowed), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/074965, filed Feb. 18, 1998, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to video and data networks and, more particularly, to a method and system for delivering interactive multimedia. 
     2. Background of the Art 
     With recent advancements in communication network and video server technologies, a growing number of multimedia systems are emerging. These emerging multimedia systems generally can deliver both video (e.g., video on demand) and data (e.g., web based information from the Internet) to about 200 to 400 subscribers located at one or more geographically dispersed subscriber sites, which may include hotels or a multi-dwelling corporate offices. 
     These emerging multimedia systems, however, have several disadvantages: First, despite the recent advancements in communication network and video server technologies, these emerging systems have limited capacity: i.e., cannot deliver more than 400 concurrent video on demand and high speed data streams to a large number of subscribers. Second, as the number of subscribers at a subscriber site increases, the number of concurrent video streams and data that must be delivered to the subscribers generally increases as well. However, the capacity of these emerging systems cannot be expanded to address this increased demand without a significant redesign of these systems. Third, subscribers generally cannot use the video and data services provided by these systems in an interactive fashion. Finally, these emerging systems have failed to deliver high quality video and data in an integrated fashion because of the diverging network requirements for transporting video and data. 
     It is therefore desirable to improve upon these emerging multimedia systems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide an improved multimedia system that has several advantages over the prior art: First, the improved multimedia system can deliver a large number of concurrent video on demand and high speed data streams, such as 500, 1000 or more concurrent video streams, in an integrated fashion to a large number of subscribers, while assuring a high video quality. Second, subscribers can interact with the system through web-based interactive user interfaces. Third, the system is scalable, i.e. its capacity, such as the number of concurrent video streams and the total duration of the video titles stored, can be increased without redesigning the system. Fourth, the system can monitor and control in a centralized fashion its respective hardware and software modules, thus assuring the quality of video and data services provided to the subscribers. 
     In accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention, a high capacity interactive multimedia system is provided that comprises a video server module that includes a plurality of massively parallel nodes for streaming a plurality of video streams from one or more video titles stored in the video server module, a web server that stores data, a high capacity transport system for transporting the video streams and the data to a plurality of clients, and a set of display devices connected to the clients, respectively, for displaying the video streams and the data. The data stored in the web server may include web pages through which subscribers interact with the interactive multimedia system. The system also includes a controller for controlling and monitoring the video server module, the web server, the high capacity transport system, and the clients. 
     High capacity is defined herein to include delivery of more than 400 concurrent video on demand streams to a large number of clients. Alternatively, super high capacity is defined herein to include delivery of 1000 or more concurrent video on demand streams to a large number of clients. The clients may include set top boxes, personal computers, or other computing devices capable of receiving video and data streams on high speed bidirectional connections and displaying the streams on display monitors. A high speed connection is defined herein to include connections that transport integrated video and data streams at speeds of 25 Mbps or greater. 
     This summary and the following description of the invention should not restrict the scope of the claimed invention. Both provide examples and explanations to enable others to practice the invention. The accompanying drawings, which form part of the description of the invention, show several embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the Figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an interactive multimedia system in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a video server module in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a node in a video server module in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a set top box in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a web server in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart of the steps performed by a set top box, a system controller, a web server, and a video server in an interactive multimedia system in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a block diagram of a listing of programs displayed on a display monitor in an interactive multimedia system in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of a listing of movie categories displayed on a display monitor in an interactive multimedia system in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram of a listing of news and weather information displayed on a display monitor in an interactive multimedia system in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram of a listing of an on-line shopping services displayed on a display monitor in an interactive multimedia system in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description of embodiments of this invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Where appropriate, the same reference numbers in different drawings refer to the same or similar elements. 
     In accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention, a high capacity interactive multimedia system is provided that can deliver a large number of concurrent video and data streams, such as 500 or more, in an integrated fashion to a plurality of subscribers located at one or more subscriber sites. A video server module in the system generates a plurality of video streams, which are transported via a high capacity transport system to a plurality of clients located at a subscriber site. A web server in the system stores data, such as web pages, which are also transported via the high capacity transport system to the clients. By accessing the web pages, a plurality of subscribers interact with the system via the clients. The interactive multimedia system controls and monitors in a centralized fashion the hardware and software components of the system, thus assuring the quality of the video and data services provided to the subscribers. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an interactive multimedia system (IMS)  100  in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the invention. IMS  100  comprises a controlling office  110 , which connects via a high capacity transport system  150  to a subscriber site  160  or, alternatively, to a plurality of subscriber site. Controlling office  110  includes a content provider module  120 , a management module  130 , and a video server module  140 , all interconnected via a LAN switch  145 . LAN switch  145  and video server module  140  each connect to high capacity transport system  150 . Controlling office  110  may also interface via LAN switch  145  with an Internet Protocol (IP) network  155  such as the Internet. 
     High capacity transport system  150  comprises an ATM network  152  and a network access module  170 . ATM network  152  includes one or more ATM switches, which interface with video server module  140  and LAN switch  145  in controlling office  110 . Network access module  170 , which resides in subscriber site  160 , connects to ATM network  152 . 
     Subscriber site  160 , which may be, for example, a hotel or other dwelling, comprises a customer premises module  180  and an operator console  190 , all connected to network access module  170 . 
     Content Provider Module 
     Content provider module  110  comprises a real-time encoder  122 , an off-line encoder  114 , a personal computer  126 , and an authoring console  128 . Real-time encoder  122  includes, for example, a Lucent SE-1™ digital video system manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc. Real-time encoder  122  compresses video streams in Motion Picture Experts Group-2 (MPEG-2) format at a rate of 1.5 to 15 Mbps. An input of real-time encoder  122  may receive real-time video, such as video from a video conference or a live broadcast. An output of real-time encoder  122  connects to video server modulo  140 , which stores the compressed video for real-time or off-line transmission to set top boxes  182   1 - 182   M  or personal computers  186   1 - 186   M . 
     Off-line encoder  124  includes, for example, an Optivision™ video recorder/player (e.g., model VS-40), which compresses video streams in MPEG-2 or MPEG-1 formats. Off-line encoder  124  may include a 9-Gigabits hard drive, a 4×CD recorder, or an 8 mm tape drive. Off-line encoder  124  connects to LAN Switch  145  using a standard 10baseT or 100baseT network port. An operator may locally control the operation of off-line encoder  124  via an attached keyboard and a mouse. Off-Line encoder  104  may receive input from a video camera, laser disc player, or a Video Cassette Recorder (VCR). The input may be in form of digital frames, which are stored on a D1 tape or comply with a conventional encoding standard, such as National TV Standardization Committee (NTSC), Phase Alternate Line (PAL), or S-VHS standards. 
     Authoring console  128  may be a personal computer, which may include Windows NT™ operating system developed by Microsoft, Netscape Navigator Gold™ software developed by Netscape, and Ulead PhotoImpact™ software developed by Ulead Systems. A system developer may use the Netscape Navigator Gold™ software to develop, publish, and test web pages, which function as the graphical user interface for IMS  100 . The system developer may use the Ulead PhotoImpact™ software to create, for example, graphics on the web pages. After testing the web pages, the system developer may download the web pages onto web server  134 , where the web pages may be accessed by customer premise module  180 . 
     Video Server Module 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of video server module  140  in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the invention. Video server module  140  may include, for example, a MediaCUBE 3000™ video server manufactured by nCUBE. As shown, video server module  140  comprises N nodes  200   1 - 200   N , which are interconnected in a Hypercube configuration and connect via a bus  210  to a disk storage  220 . The number of nodes  200   1 - 200   N , N, may be in the range of 1 to 10000, and may be configured based on the number of video streams that must be concurrently delivered to subscriber site  160  and the bit rate of the video streams. The maximum number of concurrent video streams may be increased by increasing the number of nodes  200   1 - 200   N . 
     Disk storage  220  includes an array of K hard disks  220   1 - 220   K , which store video titles in stripped form and in MPEG-2 format at, for example, 3-6 Mbps encoding rate. The number of hard disks  220   1 - 220   K , K, may be in the range 1 to 256, and may be configured based on the total duration of the video titles that must be stored. To provide multiple, concurrent, time displaced access to a single video title, each video title is divided into small segments (called stripes), which are stored throughout disks  220   1 - 220   K . The total duration of video titles stored may increased by increasing the number hard disks  220   1 - 220   K . 
     Nodes  200   1 - 200   N  retrieve the stripped video associated with video titles from disks  220   1 - 220   K , and recombine the retrieved stripped video into contiguous video streams. Nodes  200   1 - 200   N  then convert the video streams into ATM format for transporting the video streams over ATM network  152 . 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a nod, for example node  200   1 , in video server module  140  in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the invention. Node  200   1  comprises a processor  300 , which connects via a bus  310  to a memory  320 , an ATM interface module  330 , and a Small Computer System Interface module (SCSI interface)  340 . 
     Memory  320  includes an operating system  324  and a video server program  322 , which are executed by processor  300 . Operating system  324  may include MediaCUBE 3000™ operating system software developed by nCUBE. Video server program  322  may include, for example, Oracle Video Server™ software developed by Oracle, which retrieves stripped video titles from disks  220   1 - 220   K , and recombines the retrieved stripped video titles into contiguous video streams using the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). 
     ATM interface module  330 , which connects to high capacity transport system  150  via a 155 Mbps (OC-3) or 622 Mbps (OC-12) link, formats each video stream into a plurality of ATM cells, and transmits the cells via ATM network  150  on a pre-established bidirectional 25 Mbps connection using, for example, the ATM Adaptation Layer 5 (AAL5) or AAL1 protocols. The quality of service parameters, which may include cell delay variation, cell transfer delay, and cell loss ratio, may be predetermined based on the desired quality of the video that must be delivered to customer premise module  180 . 
     SCSI interface module  340  includes a 16 bit channel with a 20 Mbps throughput for retrieving stripped video titles from hard disks  220   1 - 220   K  using the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) protocol. 
     Network Access Module 
     Network access module  170  includes ATM switch  171 , which connects via, for example, bidirectional STM-1 multi-mode fiber links to ATM switches  172  and  173 . ATM switch  171  may be a FORE ASX-1000™ ATM switch manufactured by FORE Systems, Inc. ATM  171  may include, for example, a 10 Gbps switch fabric with 16 line card slots. 
     ATM switches  172  and  173  connect via bidirectional 25 Mbps ATM links or via bidirectional 10 to 100 Mbps Ethernet links to customer premise module  180 . In the case of 25 Mbps ATM links, ATM switches  172  and  173  may each include a FORE ASX-200WG-D1™ ATM switch manufactured by FORE Systems, Inc. Furthermore, ATM switches  172  and  173  each may include, for example, a 2.5 Gbps switch fabric with 4 line card slots. A system administrator may configure ATM switches  171 - 173  via system controller  132 . 
     Customer Premise Module 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , customer premise module  180  includes a plurality of clients such as, set top boxes  182   1 - 182   M  and personal computers  186   1 - 186   M . A system administrator assigns to each of set address, a Virtual Path Identifier (VPI), and a Virtual Circuit Identifier (VCI), and stores the same in a network database in system controller  132 . A VPI and VCI combination uniquely identifies a pre-established bidirectional 25 Mbps ATM connection, which is dedicated to each of set top boxes  182   1 - 182   M  and personal computers  186   1 - 186   M . 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a set top box, for example set top box  182   1 , in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the invention. Set top box  182   1  may be an Online Media STB2™ manufactured by Acorn. As shown, set top box  182   1  comprises a processor  400 , which connects via a bus  410  to a memory  420 , a decoder  430 , an input device interface  440 , an output device  450 , and an ATM interface module  460 . 
     Memory  420  includes a browser program  422 , a video client program  424 , and an operating system  426 , which are executed by processor  400 . Browser program  422  may include a web browsing software, such as the Lite™ web browsing software developed by Acorn. 
     Browser program  422  may communicate with web server  124  using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Browse program  422  may retrieve from web server  124  data files  526   1 - 526   P  (e.g., web pages), which may be in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format and may include text, graphics, audio, and video. The web pages, which serve as a graphical user interface, may include lists of video titles indexed by actors, directors, category (e.g, western, suspense, comedy, or drama) and lists of information such as, weather and news, on-line shopping, interactive games, and broadcast video. 
     Browser program  422  may also communicate via web server  134  with IP network  155 , and retrieve web pages from web sites that can be accessed via IP network  155 . Browser program  422  may then display the retrieved web pages via output device interface  450  on a display monitor. 
     Video client program  424  receives via ATM interface module  460  a video stream on a pre-established bidirectional 25 Mbps connection in ATM network  152 , decodes the video stream using decoder  430 , and displays the video stream via output device interface  450  on a display monitor. Furthermore, video client program  424  formats video control commands, for example Play, Forward, Reverse, Stop, and Pause commands, which are received via input device interface  440 , and sends the commands via the pre-established connection to video server module  130  using, for example, the Oracle Media Net™ protocol. 
     Input device interface  440  interfaces with, for example, a remote control device, a keyboard, or a joystick for receiving subscriber commands. A subscriber may interact with set top box  182   1  via, for example, a remote control device by moving a cursor to a highlighted text or object and clicking on the text or the object. Browser program  422  and video client program  424  interpret the clicking action as a command or request, which ATM interface module  460  formats into one or more ATM cells and transmits to controlling office  110 . 
     Output device interface  450  interface with a display monitor, such as a television set or a display monitor, for displaying data and video received, respectively, by browser program  422  and video client program  424 . 
     In addition, set top box  182   1  may include a Macrovision™ chip set manufactured by Macrovision for preventing a subscriber at subscriber site  160  from taping or recording a video stream received by set top box  182   1 . 
     Personal computers  186   1 - 186   M  may include any computer, such as IBM compatible PCs or Macintosh PCs. Each personal computer  186   1 - 186   M  may include Windows NT™ operating system developed by Microsoft, Macintosh™ operating system developed by Apple Computer, Inc., or Netscape® Navigator™ web browsing software developed by Netscape. 
     In addition, each personal computer  186   1 - 186   M  includes a Network Interface Card (NIC) and software for receiving a video stream on a pre-established 25 Mbps ATM connection or a 10 to 100 Mbps Ethernet connection dedicated to the personal computer, and for sending video control commands via the pre-established connection to video server module  140 . 
     Using the Netscape® Navigator™ web browsing software, each personal computer  186   1 - 186   M  may communicate with web server  134  using the HTTP protocol, and retrieve web pages from web server  134  and other web sites in the Internet. 
     Management Module 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , management module  130  includes system controller  132  and web server  134 , both of which connect to LAN switch  145 . System controller  132 , which may be a SUN SPARC™ workstation manufactured by SUN Microsystems, Inc., includes a UNIX™ operating system and a Hewlett Packard OpenView™ (HP OpenView) software developed by Hewlett Packard. System controller  132  monitors, for example, web server  134 , video server module  140 , ATM network  152 , network access module  170 , and set top boxes  182   1 - 182   M . 
     System controller  132  monitors each module, for example set top boxes  182   1 - 182   M , video server module  140 , and network access module  170 , by sending at fixed intervals echo messages to each module using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). When a module does not respond to an echo message, system controller  132  determines a fault condition. When system controller  132  detects a fault condition, it notifies a system administrator by displaying a color coded fault indication on a display monitor and by adding an entry to a fault log. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of web server  134  in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention. As shown, web server  134  comprises a processor  500 , which connects via a bus  510  to memory  520 , secondary storage  530 , ATM interface module  540 , IP interface module  550 , and input/output interface  560 . 
     Memory  520  comprises a web server program  522 , an operating system  524 , a set of data files  526   1 - 526   P , and a subscriber database  528 . Web server program  522  and operating system  524  include sets of instructions in the form of software, which processor  500  executes. Web server program  522  may provide access to data files  526   1 - 526   P , verify subscriber authorization when requesting access to data files  526   1 - 526   P , send subscriber selections for video titles to video server module  140 , and function as a gateway for accessing IP network  155 , which subscribers may access via set top boxes  182   1 - 182   M  and personal computers  186   1 - 186   M . 
     Operating system  524  may include a Windows NT™ operating system developed by Microsoft. Data files  526   1 - 526   P , which may be in HTML format, include listings of video titles by category, listings of information such as, weather and news, and listings of services, for example, on-line shopping and access to the Internet. 
     Subscriber database  528  includes an entry for each subscriber in subscriber site  160 , where each entry identifies a particular level of access to data files  526   1 - 526   P . For example, an entry may restrict a subscriber&#39;s access to a subset or none of data files  526   1 - 526   P . 
     Secondary storage  530  comprises a disk drive and a tape drive or CD Read Only Memory (ROM). From the tape drive or CD ROM, software and data may be loaded onto the disk drive, which can then be copied into memory  510 . Similarly, software and data in memory  510  may be copied onto the disk drive, which can then be loaded onto the tape drive or CD ROM. 
     ATM interface module  540  comprises hardware and software or firmware for sending and receiving ATM cells over ATM network  152 . 
     IP interface module  550  comprises hardware and software or firmware for sending and receiving IP messages over IP network  155 . 
     Input/output interface  560  comprises hardware and software for interfacing an input and an output device such as, a keyboard and a display monitor, respectively. A system administrator may add, delete, and update entries in subscriber database  528  via input/output interface  560 . In addition, the system administrator may also add, delete, and update entries in subscriber database  528  via operator console  190 , which communicates with web server  134  using a TCP/IP protocol. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart of the steps performed by a client, for example, set top box  182   1 , system controller  132 , web server  134 , and video server module  140  in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention. When a subscriber turns on set top box  182   1 , operating system  426  in set top box  182   1  boots is up and sends a signal to system controller  132 , notifying system controller  132  that set top box  182   1  is on (step  600 ). In response to the signal, system controller  132  downloads pre-assigned IP address, VCI, and VPI information to set top box  182   1  (step  610 ). 
     System controller  132  then configures set top box  182   1  by downloading web browser program  422  into set top box  182   1  using Network File System (NFS) protocol over TCP/IP protocol (step  620 ). After system controller  132  downloads web browser program  422  into set top box  182   1 , operating system  426  in set to box  182   1  starts up web browser program  422 . 
     Using the HTTP protocol, web browser program  422  then sends a request to web server  134  to retrieve a data file  526   1 - 526   P  that includes a home page (step  630 ). After verifying the access level of set top box  182   1  from subscriber data base  528 , web server program  522  in web server  134  downloads the home page into set top box  182   1 . Web browser program  422  then displays the home page on a display monitor attached to set top box  182   1 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a home page  700  in accordance with methods and systems consistent with the invention. Home page  700  may include a listing of available programs, such as movies, news &amp; weather, on-line shopping, interactive games, and access to the Internet. 
     The subscriber then navigates through the one or more web pages and makes a selection by clicking on a text or a graphical object or a web page (step  640 ). For example, when the subscriber clicks on the text “Movies” in home page  700 , web browser program  422  retrieves from web server  134  and displays a listing of categories of video titles  800  (shown in  FIG. 8 ) from which the subscriber can make a selection. Alternatively, when the subscriber clicks on the text “News &amp; Weather” in home page  700 , web browser program  422  retrieves from web server  134  and displays a listing of news and weather programs  900  (shown in  FIG. 9 ), or when the subscriber clicks on the text “On-Line Shopping,” web browser program  422  retrieves and displays a listing of stores  1000  (shown in  FIG. 10 ). 
     After the subscriber selects a particular video title, web browser program  422  sends the selection to web server  134  (step  650 ). Web server program  522  in web server  134  then sends via LAN switch  145  to video server module  140  a request, identifying the selected video title and the IP address of set top box  182   1  (step  660 ). 
     Video server program  322  in video server module  140  sets up a video session with set top box  182   1  by mapping the IP address of set top box  182   1  to a VCI and VPI combination, which uniquely identifies a bidirectional 25 Mbps connection in ATM network  152 , which a systems administrator has pre-allocated to set top box  182   1  (step  670 ). Video server program  322  may perform the mapping by using the IP address as an index into a pre-configured address table in video server module  140 . 
     Video server program  322  retrieves the selected video title, which is stripped in form of smaller segments across disks  220   1 - 220   K , and recombines the retrieved segments into contiguous video streams using the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) (step  680 ). Video server program  322  then sends the video stream to set top box  182   1  on the pre-allocated bidirectional connection using the Oracle Media Net™ protocol over MPEG-2 and AAL5 protocols. 
     Video client program  424  in set top box  182   1  receives via ATM interface module  460  the video stream, decodes the video stream using decoder  430 , and displays the decoded video stream via output device interface  450  on a display monitor (step  690 ). Furthermore, video client program  424  may receive via input device interface  440  video control commands from a remote control device (step  695 ). The control commands may include Play, Forward, Reverse, Stop, and Pause commands. Video client program  424  then formats and sends the commands via the pre-allocated bidirectional connection to video server module  140  using the Oracle Media Net™ protocol. When video server module  140  receives a Stop command, video server program  322  terminates the video session. 
     While it has been illustrated and described what are at present considered to be preferred embodiments and methods of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. 
     In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular element, technique or implementation to the teachings of the present invention without departing from the central scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiments and methods disclosed herein, but that the invention include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.